QUOTE (twsarch @ Oct 11 2011, 01:48 PM)
I get lower back pain and my rear end gets a little, shall we say tired. My wife has similar complaints, both driver and passenger seats. A 4 hour (one way) ride last week was pretty terrible.
YES!! This is exactly what I experience! Except it doesn't take me two hours to feel it. I usually feel it right away.
First, a little about myself. I have no history of back problems, and I'm not someone who would really fit the description of a person who would have these issues. I don't think I've ever found a seat of a car to be uncomfortable. This was also true when I test drove the 2014 Elantra. I purchased one about three months ago, and about 30 minutes after driving, began to get SEVERE pains in my lower back. (Unfortunately, the dealership wouldn't take the car back the next day.) My lower back (sacral region) feels tired and my spine cracks and snaps for hours after driving. If I don't drive for a day, I don't have problems, but as soon as I get in my car, I'm back to having these issues.
I've had it three months. So far, I've tried turning my headrest around (which is more comfortable but looks weird), tried sitting on blankets, draped blankets over the back of the seat, and purchased a lumbar support. Nothing's really worked. It's annoying! I hate to have to make a new car "work". Geez, I had my other car for 12 years and didn't want to give it up when I did. This car, I tried to give up after one day.
I love the car (except for the seat and limited visibility [seriously, that's a major concern too]), but it has many issues which really need to be addressed. I think it's beautiful and elegantly designed, but that gets in the way of its function. I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing them, but I wonder why they chose to design something this way? Is my seat defective? I might go to the dealership and try other Elantras to see if the same problem exists.
What is the solution here? Nothing I sit in (unless it's unusual) is uncomfortable. It seems that little bar at the bottom of the back of the seat sticks into my sacral region. Maybe that's the concern? If it's any consolation, I've seen other Elantras with stuff done to make the seat more comfortable, like a lumbar cushion.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
bparker