Am I the only one who finds their Explorer seat uncomfortable?

[MrInternal]

I drive a 1999 EB Explorer and whenever I drive twenty miles or more, my back aches and my right foot throbs. This is the only vehicle in which I have this problem.

The lumbar doesn't help.

 

[MrInternal]

I must be too big for the vehicle, but I am only 6'1" and thin.

What's the deal?

Anyway to make the peddle more comfortable?

 

[Brian_B]

When I first got mine (january) I thought the same thing. Mine are the power leather with lumbar. After playing with it on a few long drives I got it to a very comfortable position for me. I love them now.

Do yours look like mine?

I am 6' and about 185 though.

 

[MrInternal]

When I first got mine (january) I thought the same thing. Mine are the power leather with lumbar. After playing with it on a few long drives I got it to a very comfortable position for me. I love them now.

Do yours look like mine?

I am 6' and about 185 though.

Mine looks exactly like yours and but has "Eddie Bauer" sewn into the seats near the top.

I must have a bad back because my back is killing me now after an hour and a half drive today.

What about your foot?

Where's the Tylox?

 

[Brian_B]

At first my back, leg, and foot bothered me (january). I kept playing with the adjustments on the seat (up, down, backward, forward, tilt bottom of seat), recline, the lumbar, and the steering wheel position. I don't have any more problems. I have driven it about 4900 miles since I bought it. I can tell if someone else drives me X and moves my seat though.

The only time my feet bother me are on the long drives back from college at night sometimes. I teach night classes, standing constantly, then drive 50 miles home. They bother me no matter which vehicle I drive on those nights though.

EDIT: My friends have an 01 lincoln with leather and lumbar as well (normal car seats-not high back). I hate to drive it on long trips. The lumbar, even on its lowest positon, hits my back in a bad spot. They love it, but they are both shorter than I am. I would never tell them that I don't like the seats though.

 

[MrInternal]

At first my back, leg, and foot bothered me (january). I kept playing with the adjustments on the seat (up, down, backward, forward, tilt bottom of seat), recline, the lumbar, and the steering wheel position. I don't have any more problems. I have driven it about 4900 miles since I bought it. I can tell if someone else drives me X and moves my seat though.

The only time my feet bother me are on the long drives back from college at night sometimes. I teach night classes, standing constantly, then drive 50 miles home. They bother me no matter which vehicle I drive on those nights though.

I think my problem would be solved with more back support -- but the seat won't go straighter. Also, I wish the lumbar was lower and not so far up on the back, I think that'd would solve it a little as well.

I might try a pillow or pad or something: does anyone have any suggestions?

And with my foot, it seems like my legs are too long and it's putting too much of an angle on my foot with I drive. It's numbingly. Mayhap if they made cushions for the peddles I wouldn't have to rest my foot periodically.

 

[762mm]

I have a 99 XLT with similar seats (cloth), and had no problem with them after playing with the adjusters when I got it about a year and a half ago. I'm a big guy, 6'4" tall and the only annoyance is the driver's door panel (with the door lock/window controls) sticking out too far, which causes less room for my left leg/knee... but it ain't too bad, just a slight annoyance.

It's nothing compared to what I sometimes had to drive at work.. The department bought a 2005 Freestar, and that thing is freakin' restricted for the driver! Myself and other guys 6'+ tall refuse to drive the damn thing because there's no leg room (even with the seat fully back), and the whole driver's seat/space feels like it was made for a Japanese soccer mom. I guess that's what happens when good'ol American car makers start to base their designs on ricers! (The Freestar is almost identical to the new Mazda MPV inside). My Ex might be the last Ford I'll own if this space-saver trend keeps up, lol!

 

[Crankcase]

I have noticed the lumbar seats dig into my back in Explorers, i wondered hwo they would be on a long trip. Luckily for Me, I have the cheaper flat seats.

 

[gijoecam]

I LOVE MY SEATS. For the record, I'm 6-1, 185 lbs. Drove to Boston from Detroit and back twice with only gas stops. They're a little lacking in leg-room for long trips, but that could be partly because it's a sport, and may not have the same travel as the 4-doors. Regardless, the seats are as comfortable as any Ford I've ever owned. (Except for my '93 Probe GT)

I hear ya on the Freestar. We've got a Limited for our pool car, and I use it at least three times a week. For me, it's not so much the leg room as the fact that I can't get far enough away from the steering wheel and still reach the pedals. Guess they were going for the "in-your-face" function of the airbag. The heated seats were nice this winter though!

And as for the lumbar, I have yet to ride in a Ford where the lumbar wasn-t up in the middle of my back. Shouldn't the lumbar support actually support the lumbar vertebrae?

-Joe

 

[SilverBullet]

The seats in the Eddie Bauer X's have a weird angle to them.. when you lean your head back, you have to lean wAaaaay back before your head hits the headrest. I think that's why you're having an uncomfortable ride. I've checked into this before, because at first I hated the seats in my X. You could get seats from a Limited and will probably enjoy them more.

I find my seats comfortable now, never have problems with them. I'm 6'4", 200lbs.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Yeah the seats are somewhat stiff, but man - if you want some GREAT seats - get a jeep. Woo - You could fall asleep in that padding. But yes, the seats are somewhat stiff.

-Drew

 

[RayLCC]

I like my seats as well. Of course, I don't have the leg-room problems you guys have been talking about. I come from a long line of extra plump Kiebler elves. I did notice that my right foot was uncomfortable when I first bought the truck and found that the seat was tilted too far back. (whole seat, not just the back reclined.) Having the seat tilted back like that put pressure on my leg right before my knee which made my calf and foot hurt if I had to drive very long. Once I tilted the seat forward it went away. I don't know if this is the problem with your seat, but its worth a try.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I sit semi-reclined - not quite ricer, but relaxed nonetheless - and drive in-city most of the time. My seat is quite worn after 154,ooo miles. The lumbar doesn't work any longer and it seems that the lower part of the seatback is no longer meeting up with the rear of the seat cushioon (you can see a bit of the felt-like lining). I'd have to agree that the lumbar is poorly placed, as when it worked it was worse than having none.

I've found that the one nicety of our (premium) seats is the pull-out leg support - it helps my legs during the few road trips i take...i'm sure most don't even know it's there:

 

[cherrybomb]

6'4" 240lbs and I find them quite comfortable.

I had to do a fair amount of "tweaking" but I drove it home from the dealer in LA. Bout a 3 hour drive, and loved every second.

Of course, I am comming from a honda CRX, with a mostly destroyed drivers seat, so maybe I'm just used to being in pain when I drive?

 

[Brian_B]

I just noticed on my commute (50 miles) this afternoon that I have the drivers seat raised up about 1" above the passenger one and the back is reclined just a little more. Keep trying different positions and maybe you will get more comfortable.

 

[outhouse]

Not having memory - seats, not mine - means that after my wife has driven the Ex it takes me about a week to find the right position - and yeah that's not the greatest - numb butt - not you, mine!

Had a 97 before this one and always found my knee hitting the ignition - don't have that problem in the newer model!

 

['92Bauer]

I guess it depends on the person but my Eddie seats are real comfy to me at least but my brothers xlt I can't stand to drive it because the seats feal uncoftable no matter how they are asdjusted.

 

[extremexplorer]

take your wallet out of your back pocket if you have one. i always get uncomfortable with it and then ill take it out and pure comfort

 

[Brian_B]

take your wallet out of your back pocket if you have one. i always get uncomfortable with it and then ill take it out and pure comfort

Your wallett must have some serious $$$$ in it to be that uncomfortalbe to sit on. You could send some of it my way.

 

[davesexplorer]

lol