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Very uncomfortable bottom seat cushion

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I'm using this mod since about one month now and my problems are gone. Technically, I have increased the spring rates of the "springs" on the rear part of the seatbottom. To do so move the seat in the highest position and max. front position to have best access. Release the two clamps which keeps the lower end of the backcover attached to the seat. Then you may insert the pieces as per attached sketch. The tape enables easy movement as the wood tend to stick to the foam. Hope this is clear enough to follow. otherwise please let me know.

Good luck!

Movie:
18-8-7 Model S front seat mod


Just checking to see if you recommend any alternate dimensions for the pieces, i will be 3d printing them , i have high hopes this solves the awful thigh pain and center metal bar issue with my nov 2017 built s100d.

Thank you for your post about this
 
Also had a loaner for a couple of days - no problem with the seats at all. Now back to my car I'm still OK with the mod however, I can feel that the bearing surface of my legs is less with my car than with the loaner while the length of the seat seems to be the same. I assume that due to the platform the part of my leg close to the knee can't sink in enough.
@crunchtime2k: is it possible to add a radius to the pieces which will make them acting like a pre-stressed spring (convex to the direction of butt) I could imagine that this would improve the situation a bit. Radius should not too small.
 
Also had a loaner for a couple of days - no problem with the seats at all. Now back to my car I'm still OK with the mod however, I can feel that the bearing surface of my legs is less with my car than with the loaner while the length of the seat seems to be the same. I assume that due to the platform the part of my leg close to the knee can't sink in enough.
@crunchtime2k: is it possible to add a radius to the pieces which will make them acting like a pre-stressed spring (convex to the direction of butt) I could imagine that this would improve the situation a bit. Radius should not too small.


Yes they can be printed curved but in real world would most likely settle back to its most stressed position after time as plastics suffer from creep.
 
Here is what I found

How to Modify Your Car Seat For a Pain-Free Ride | Gokhale Method Institute
  1. Setting the bottom back in the seat. This is not a problem in most cars. Some notable exceptions are:
  • very old cars whose seats have worn down so your bottom sinks into a “cave.”
    Boxster_20Seat3_0.jpg

    Some carseats wear out in ways that create a "cave" for your bottom to sink into.

    Solution: build up the cave to horizontal or near horizontal. Do not build it up to be a wedge - wedges are helpful for stacksitting, but not for stretchsitting, and in a car you want to stretchsit, not stacksit.

Does anybody understand how can we use that to help us?
 
@FINbit can you please share what kind of plywoods you got? I found a paint mixing sticks that are around 3.25mm thick but after inserted them, it did help with not feeling the bar but I started to feel the sticks. So it may be think, maybe I used wrong sticks


I had an old skid/pallet in my garage that I hacked up. Was about 1/2” thick. It does help, but I’m starting to feel the same pain again, just maybe not as bad.

Also I think the issues may be different. For me I feel pain only on the left side, directly under my butt. Almost like the bolster is digging in to my glute muscle on the left. I don’t have an issue with a bar midway across the seat.
 
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Just sharing on that thread as well, that is just sick

Just created an account here to share the mystery of uncomfortable seat in Tesla

After getting no help from Tesla for 6 month I went to Uphostery Shop and asked for their help.

Here is what I can tell you. Tesla workers who designed the seat should be fired for such a bad design. The cause of the pain you are guys having is a direct result from a bad frame seat design. It should be a crime to make people suffer like that

here is the Tesla frame. Sorry but in that picture the depth is not very visible, but there is deepening hole where the springs are, that is why bigger people just sink into that hole and the thighs/butt are starting to push hard against that frame part that causing the pain
View attachment 362516


And this is how any other normal seat deigned (the guy in the shop was kind enough to show me), almost flat design, so there is no chance to sink down, because the frame is flat
View attachment 362517


Here is the original foam
View attachment 362522 View attachment 362523

The upholstery shop needed to add 1.5 inch foam in order to even up the bottom cushion so the butt will not sink down.

View attachment 362518

View attachment 362519


No more pain! but Tesla seriously needs to learn some basics of seat making and take the responsibility for what they are done and offer that fix to people who are in pain


here is the shop I used (costed me $200 +tax), very nice people
McCoys Upholstery - Woodside - Woodside, NY
 
I made some progress today by inserting ply wood sheets (21cm x 4cm x 0.3 cm) above each of the wire springs. Now I'm I sinking less than before into the seat with my butt which as a result gives less pressure on my thighs from that "platform". All electronics still work fine. I let you know the result with some pictures/sketches after driving for a couple of days.
Can you update us on your plywood solution? Any pics on how you did it would be much appreciated. I can't stand the pressure on my left thigh from the side bolster on the driver's seat of my MS. I was considering adding a cushion, but can't find one narrow enough to fit the middle section only (not side bolsters). I figured if I can raise my butt higher, the left lateral thigh won't be bothered so much.
 
Can you update us on your plywood solution? Any pics on how you did it would be much appreciated. I can't stand the pressure on my left thigh from the side bolster on the driver's seat of my MS. I was considering adding a cushion, but can't find one narrow enough to fit the middle section only (not side bolsters). I figured if I can raise my butt higher, the left lateral thigh won't be bothered so much.
Sorry I didn't see you later posts on this thread. Please ignore my post above.
 
I began to experience the same issue as described by OP a couple of months ago in my May 2018 100D. After driving, I had a lot of persistent muscle pain in my right hamstring and realized that it was a result of the (defective) seat design rather than seat position - the infamous bar pushing up on my thigh as a result of my butt sinking so far down in the back of the seat. After reading through this thread (and others) and seeing pictures of how the seat is designed with a recessed wire frame at the back, I determined that I might be able to perform a relatively simple fix.

I purchased a sheet of 1 inch thick, heavy-duty (44 lb compression) furniture grade upholstery foam and cut it into a rectangular shape and then fitted the foam just above the wire frame and below the existing seat foam. This worked like a charm to essentially flatten the seating area (raises the butt area to be level with the bar and plastic front of the seat) so that I do not sink in when sitting down. No more pain.

I measured and experimented and found that a 1 inch thick, 8.5 inch deep, and 12 inch wide foam rectangle fits perfectly on top of the wire frame. Note that upholstery foam must be cut with a serrated blade, a common utility knife won't cut it (pun intended). You can buy upholstery foam from many places online - I just purchased off of Amazon.

Foam Rectangle.jpg


I did not have to remove the seats for the fix; I worked from underneath the seat:
  1. Move seat all the way forward so that you have room to work in the back.
  2. There is a flap which comes from under the plastic seat back which covers the back of the seat bottom. It is secured by two plastic hooks connected to the wire frame by elastic bands. Unhook them and lift the flap.
  3. Now you will see a felt flap which covers the back of the wire frame and seat foam. This is again just hooked to the frame by three plastic hooks. Unhook them and lift that flap. There are a few wire harnesses between the two flaps, but there should be enough slack in them for you to work. Just do not pull / stress them too much while working.
  4. Now you will see that the back of the wire frame sits on the back seat frame bar via four fairly thick plastic hooks. It takes a little doing, but you can push the hooks up and this will expose the area between the frame and the bottom of the existing upholstery.
  5. Take the foam rectangle and insert so that it sits as far forward on the frame as possible to create that level shelf. You will have to compress the foam and squeeze it between a couple of the wire harnesses. Once it's past the wires, it's very easy to manipulate into position.
  6. Reverse the steps and viola! One note is that when you unhook the wire frame from the seat frame, the front of the wire frame may move back and fall out from where it's hooked in front. No big deal. Just position the foam and hook in both front and back. You won't be able to see where the frame hooks into the plastic part of the seat frame in front, but it's easy to get a hand back there and reset the frame into the depressions in the plastic. You'll feel it hook into place.
Area Between Wire Frame and Existing Upholstery.jpg


This all may sound like a lot of trouble, but I completed these steps for both driver and passenger seat in 1.5 hours - and I didn't even know what I was doing at the time. I could probably do it in half the time with the knowledge above. The tricky part is that you do need a flashlight and to be able to lay down in the back seat foot well to be able to work. If you are a bigger guy/gal, it may be more difficult to get a view and your hands under the seats.

This fix helped me out a lot and thought I'd share given that I've seen quite a few posts on this issue. I liked the idea of using upholstery foam rather than utilizing plastic or wood supports since it seems more natural to just add more padding to the seating area rather than adding something non-compressible. Thanks!
 
I began to experience the same issue as described by OP a couple of months ago in my May 2018 100D. After driving, I had a lot of persistent muscle pain in my right hamstring and realized that it was a result of the (defective) seat design rather than seat position - the infamous bar pushing up on my thigh as a result of my butt sinking so far down in the back of the seat. After reading through this thread (and others) and seeing pictures of how the seat is designed with a recessed wire frame at the back, I determined that I might be able to perform a relatively simple fix.

I purchased a sheet of 1 inch thick, heavy-duty (44 lb compression) furniture grade upholstery foam and cut it into a rectangular shape and then fitted the foam just above the wire frame and below the existing seat foam. This worked like a charm to essentially flatten the seating area (raises the butt area to be level with the bar and plastic front of the seat) so that I do not sink in when sitting down. No more pain.

I measured and experimented and found that a 1 inch thick, 8.5 inch deep, and 12 inch wide foam rectangle fits perfectly on top of the wire frame. Note that upholstery foam must be cut with a serrated blade, a common utility knife won't cut it (pun intended). You can buy upholstery foam from many places online - I just purchased off of Amazon.

View attachment 408389

I did not have to remove the seats for the fix; I worked from underneath the seat:
  1. Move seat all the way forward so that you have room to work in the back.
  2. There is a flap which comes from under the plastic seat back which covers the back of the seat bottom. It is secured by two plastic hooks connected to the wire frame by elastic bands. Unhook them and lift the flap.
  3. Now you will see a felt flap which covers the back of the wire frame and seat foam. This is again just hooked to the frame by three plastic hooks. Unhook them and lift that flap. There are a few wire harnesses between the two flaps, but there should be enough slack in them for you to work. Just do not pull / stress them too much while working.
  4. Now you will see that the back of the wire frame sits on the back seat frame bar via four fairly thick plastic hooks. It takes a little doing, but you can push the hooks up and this will expose the area between the frame and the bottom of the existing upholstery.
  5. Take the foam rectangle and insert so that it sits as far forward on the frame as possible to create that level shelf. You will have to compress the foam and squeeze it between a couple of the wire harnesses. Once it's past the wires, it's very easy to manipulate into position.
  6. Reverse the steps and viola! One note is that when you unhook the wire frame from the seat frame, the front of the wire frame may move back and fall out from where it's hooked in front. No big deal. Just position the foam and hook in both front and back. You won't be able to see where the frame hooks into the plastic part of the seat frame in front, but it's easy to get a hand back there and reset the frame into the depressions in the plastic. You'll feel it hook into place.
View attachment 408390

This all may sound like a lot of trouble, but I completed these steps for both driver and passenger seat in 1.5 hours - and I didn't even know what I was doing at the time. I could probably do it in half the time with the knowledge above. The tricky part is that you do need a flashlight and to be able to lay down in the back seat foot well to be able to work. If you are a bigger guy/gal, it may be more difficult to get a view and your hands under the seats.

This fix helped me out a lot and thought I'd share given that I've seen quite a few posts on this issue. I liked the idea of using upholstery foam rather than utilizing plastic or wood supports since it seems more natural to just add more padding to the seating area rather than adding something non-compressible. Thanks!

is 1" a tight fit in the gap space or over this period of time since your post would you recommend a thicker foam, maybe 2". The reason i ask is im imagining putting this foam in a food save bag and compressing it for install, then cut the back after its inserted to allow the air to expand the foam to normal size. Thoughts? thanks
 
I made some progress today by inserting ply wood sheets (21cm x 4cm x 0.3 cm) above each of the wire springs. Now I'm I sinking less than before into the seat with my butt which as a result gives less pressure on my thighs from that "platform". All electronics still work fine. I let you know the result with some pictures/sketches after driving for a couple of days.

Can you please share pictures? Appreciate.

Tesla SC changed the seat after going back and forth 6 appointments & new seat is little better but not confident that foam will loose in next few months. I have another appointment coming in two weeks to get it rechecked. I am not confident that Tesla has any better seats. Want to do something you did. Shame on Tesla to do this after one has to do this after paying so much $$.
 
Here's a movie I made, hope this helps

18-8-7 Model S front seat mod

Can you please share pictures? Appreciate.

Tesla SC changed the seat after going back and forth 6 appointments & new seat is little better but not confident that foam will loose in next few months. I have another appointment coming in two weeks to get it rechecked. I am not confident that Tesla has any better seats. Want to do something you did. Shame on Tesla to do this after one has to do this after paying so much $$.
 
I have never seen this issue in a forum. I can't believe that I am the only Model S owner (2017) that experiences pain in the butt when driving over 1 hour. This pain is extreme and not just inconvenient. The seat frame under the vegan leather and padding consists of a metal platform from the front of the seat cushion to about 1/2 way back where it becomes wire and cord to the rear of the seat. I have seen the seat minus the seat cover and padding on Tesla seats sold on eBay so I can see what is under my seat's padding. Apparently, my butt bones are directly over the end of the metal platform so that when seated part of my butt is over the wire and cords and my bones are directly over the end of the metal platform.

My Tesla SC has replaced my seat but the new seat is exactly the same with same pain. I have owned many new vehicles and dozens of other vehicles and have never had this problem. The SC says they can not put more padding under the seat cover due to the construction of the seat cover, as well as sensors.Why does Tesla have this problem (for me) when I have never had a problem with car seats in a new Mercedes, new Corvette, new PT Cruiser, etc., etc. The problem is not one of SEAT ADJUSTMENT.

My only solution seems to be putting a piece of solid foam on top of my seat cushion. This seems crazy given the cost of the car - $80,000+.

You're not the only one. I have a Model S Plaid and I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Not sure how similar my seat is to the one you had, but sounds like they haven't changed that much. In fact, one guy was speculating that they might've even gotten worse (Plaid seat padding not good. Seeking input from other plaid owners).

I had an SUV before this and had zero pain. I've only had my Plaid for a week and already I have excruciating pain in my right glute that's beginning to radiate into lower back pain. Seems to be a combination of the seat and possibly the reduced vertical space for my legs, which means my knee comes up a little bit over my hip and is therefore putting more pressure on my backside.

I'm not some scrawny guy either. Also not overweight. I've got plenty of butt to absorb things. But damn. This seat is HORRIFIC. Shock absorption seems to be an issue too. As I went over one of those shallow speed bumps today I could literally feel it in my bones.

What did you end up doing? Did you keep the car? Did you get rid of it? Did the foam totally solve the problem?

I can confirm that no combination of seed adjustments does anything.
 
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I had an old skid/pallet in my garage that I hacked up. Was about 1/2” thick. It does help, but I’m starting to feel the same pain again, just maybe not as bad.

Also I think the issues may be different. For me I feel pain only on the left side, directly under my butt. Almost like the bolster is digging in to my glute muscle on the left. I don’t have an issue with a bar midway across the seat.

Exactly the same for me. What did you do?
 
You're not the only one. I have a Model S Plaid and I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Not sure how similar my seat is to the one you had, but sounds like they haven't changed that much. In fact, one guy was speculating that they might've even gotten worse (Plaid seat padding not good. Seeking input from other plaid owners).
The Plaid seats are not the same as the seats mentioned above. They're my favorite seats of all the ones Tesla has made, and I like them far better than MB and BMW's seats. That being said, everyone's different, if you don't like them that much sell the car.

Ohh wait, you had already decided to sell the car because you were "planning on moving". After just two days with only 40 miles on it. And made no mention of the seats in that decision.