Driver Seat and Foot Well Complaints

[Napalm]

That gap between driver door (or pax door) and the seat is very useful for side impact crash ratings.

The seats themselves aren't bad - I would like a deeper seat but its good enough for non-sport driving

I'm 6'3, girthy and with a size 13 EE shoe. have fairly bad foot room, leg room issues. Obviously I think I can live with since I bought the car. The test drives didn't really show it as being so bad. It's one of those, live with the car for a month and golly this sucks more than I thought.

It's mostly the wifey mobile - and most of the time I drive it, is just around town, less than a hour.

Took a highway trip (734 miles one way). Managed to deal by putting my left foot sort of under-behind the brake pedal. Now I know that's unsafe to a degree, and argued that in my mind while I did it. but interstate, cruise control, open road, no traffic. when I'd get near traffic I'd move my foot again.

love the head and shoulder room in the car - but why does the damn front seats have to move forward to move up? Horrible mechanism.

+1 to dead pedal being useless.

 

[peterk9]

That gap between driver door (or pax door) and the seat is very useful for side impact crash ratings..........

I had been wondering lately if that gap has anything to do with the side curtain airbags.

Peter

 

[veloduffer]

The left foot well hasn't been an issue for me, and I didn't really notice it until I saw a post about it on the forum - although it would be nicer without the intrusion.

I find the seats the most comfortable that I've had in any vehicle. I've taken 5-6 hour trips without having to stop for a creaky back.

 

[edino]

I had been wondering lately if that gap has anything to do with the side curtain airbags.

Peter

I think that the lack of space in the foot well and the space between the seats and door are related to some sort of engineering / design limitation.

I am sure Ford would have made the foot well wider if they could. Knowing the foot well is so small, and intruding on the left side, placing the seat closer to the door, or use wider seats would create a very bad seating position as there is no place in the foot well to move the pedals closer to the left.

 

[Mbbrewer]

My biggest complaint are the seat bottoms are not deep enough.

 

[JCrew7384]

Are the other trims plagued with the same foot well and seat cushion issue? Or is it just the Platinum?

 

[peterk9]

Are the other trims plagued with the same foot well and seat cushion issue? Or is it just the Platinum?

I would expect that they are all the same body type. The only difference in the Platinum is that the seat has a different finish but structurally I would guess it is the same.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

Footwell yes

seats on the platinum might be deeper but it's not by much if it is. I know the sport seat is deeper and of course has more side bolster.

which honestly for me - with the narrowness of the seats - was uncomfortable for me.

 

[chartquist]

Just traded in a 2014 F-150 Raptor for a 2016 Explorer Sport, and I will say that I'm a bit disappointed by the Explorer driver seat. The seat bottom on the Explorer is at least 2 inches shorter than the Raptor. It's almost as if all the seats are a bit short to be able to accommodate the 3 rows.

And yes, the dead pedal is a bit small and pushes your left foot to feel like you are pigeon toed. Not the best. I will say that I was aware of both of the issues and paid special attention during the test drive. Both are real issues and annoying, but not enough to prevent me from purchasing. The lack of Sync 3 really does kinda suck though. I almost went "down" to a 2016 Edge Titanium because it has better seats, better dead pedal, better technology, and Sync 3 but I went with the Explorer Sport since it has much better resale, more room in the back, a trailer hitch in the sport, and I like the 3.5L EcoBoost. Was a bit of a tough call for me though.

 

[peterk9]

I watched Driving Television, a Canadian auto review show, and they had the 2016 Platinum being reviewed,. The host mentioned that he and all those on the show, remarked about the uncomfortable position of the 'dead pedal'.

Peter

 

[droptopron]

I've had mine about six months & 10K miles. I find the seats to be comfortable but the dead pedal is almost a triangle that cuts back towards the pedals & takes some getting used to.

 

[herdsman]

6' 1", 205, 2015 Explorer Sport.

Mainly the wife's car. I find it generally very comfortable, but did notice immediately on the first drive that a thick wallet in the left rear pants pocket had to come out! Once that's on the console it was quite supportive and comfortable. No issue on the left foot, seems the same as the Edge and Escape.

 

[peterk9]

6' 1", 205, 2015 Explorer Sport.

Mainly the wife's car. I find it generally very comfortable, but did notice immediately on the first drive that a thick wallet in the left rear pants pocket had to come out! Once that's on the console it was quite supportive and comfortable. No issue on the left foot, seems the same as the Edge and Escape.

Welcome to the Forum.:wavey:

Peter

 

[chris1973s]

Footwell yes

seats on the platinum might be deeper but it's not by much if it is. I know the sport seat is deeper and of course has more side bolster.

which honestly for me - with the narrowness of the seats - was uncomfortable for me.

I agree, got 2016 limited and the side bolster is digging into my thigh it's really pissing me off.

 

[JCrew7384]

i've had my 16 platinum for 4 months now and while the seat depth and foot well originally really btohered me, i've gotten used to it. recently rented a ford edge and it was much comfy and better layout, and a 2017 audi q7, but the explorer isn't as awful as before

 

[Napalm]

IMO the explorer needs to be as long as the FLex used to be - and the front seats need to be moved back about 6-9 inches.

 

[peterk9]

IMO the explorer needs to be as long as the FLex used to be - and the front seats need to be moved back about 6-9 inches.

The MKT I have is based on the Flex platform and is 10" longer that the 2011 Explorer I had. I think the Ex could be stretched perhaps up to an additional 5" but no more.

Peter

 

[jade97]

I believe they changed the ds footwell for 2016 and up. My 2016 has a smaller dead pedal and more space than the wife's 2011.

 

[peterk9]

I believe they changed the ds footwell for 2016 and up. My 2016 has a smaller dead pedal and more space than the wife's 2011.

Close. The dimensions changed with the 2015 model year.
http://www.explorerforum.com/xenfor...or-liners-2014-mats-will-not-fit-2015.410355/

Peter

 

[chris1973s]

does anyone know if seats from the edge or expedition will fit into 2016 explorer? i am willing to pay for 2 new front seats