TE seats.... very uncomfortable! Ouch!

[Brianr436]

Hi guys, I have a 3 month old TE T4R which I absolutely love...... except for the seat comfort. The seats are very hard and are hurting my back. They are fine for a quick trip but on long highway rides my back starts to hurt after 20 minutes and I have to shuffle around in the seat to be comfortable.

Anyone have any aftermarket tips or mods to make the seats just a little more comfortable? Pads, replace the foam, covers????

I know the dealer can install heaters or leather (but I don't think that would help).

:thanks:

 

[K O]

To better assist you:

1) For comparison, what did you drive before that was more comfortable?
2) What is your Body Mass Index?

 

[rlumpy]

I'm a big guy, circumferentially, and I had the same problem, whether it was the side bolsters or what, but after about six months we came to an accommodation. Doesn't bother me much now.

 

[Brianr436]

To better assist you:

1) For comparison, what did you drive before that was more comfortable?
2) What is your Body Mass Index?

1) My prior vehicle was a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Laredo with cloth seats
2) 5 ft 8 inches tall, 185 lbs

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

Sorry to hear your seats are uncomfortable. What is is about the seats that is uncomfortable and what part of your back is hurting. Lumbar, C-Spine, or more thorasic (mid-spine)??

I'm 6' 190 and find the seats very comfortable, but everyone is different!

Good luck!

 

[jspagna1]

What's the difference between the cloth seats in the SR5 and the TE? I am 6' 185 lbs and have the SR5 and find them very comfortable. I also have the lumbar support to the max.
Now if you have a bad back period like my wife does, than all bets are off. I traded in her 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD because she was just too uncomfortable in the car and bought her a 2012 Maxima SV. Now she's happy. But I'm not because of the hit I took on the TL trade.
Good luck my friend.

 

[Antman]

Pretty sure ALL the 5th Gen seats are basically the same, only with different covers- and the leather has the heaters.

That said- I have the leather seats in my SR5, and found them uncomfortable at first. After a few miles (almost 30k) they are finally feeling just about right. They actually make my back feel better after a long ride!

 

[Ttn333]

What's the difference between the cloth seats in the SR5 and the TE?.

The Trail cloth is has better texture, better feel, conforms better, performs better than the normal cloth seats.

J/K... The Trail cloth seats are supposed to be water resistant.

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

The Trail cloth is has better texture, better feel, conforms better, performs better than the normal cloth seats.

J/K... The Trail cloth seats are supposed to be water resistant.

Indeed they are water resistant... I sit on mine all the time in wet board shorts. No problemo.

 

[vicpick58]

1) My prior vehicle was a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Laredo with cloth seats
2) 5 ft 8 inches tall, 185 lbs

I am 6'2" and 245lbs when I was looking to replace my 2000 Grand Cherokee in 07, I thought the seats in the new at the time WK (05-10 JGCs) were way too hard so I bought a used 04 Overland.

When looking to replace the Overland earlier this year, I found that nothing has seats that are real comfortable anymore. They seem to have all gone to rock hard seats that are like riding on a piece of flagstone. The ideal seats would be like a 1977 Lincoln Town Car, but I guess those days are gone forever.

However I actually find the TE seats pretty good compared to some other vehicles that I tested. I think they are just a little more firm than I would really prefer, but after having my TE for a little over 3 months and 12,000 miles, I don't even think about it anymone.

Overall I think with more leg room and more hip & shoulder room than the Jeeps ever had, I am much more comfortable in the TE, even on long drives. Although I do have to move my butt around in the seat every so often just to keep my blood circulating.

If you can find some kind of aftermarket seat cushion or pad that works for you let me know.

 

[Preston8114]

I have a TE, and the seats were very uncomfortable on the first road trip (6hours), but I am used to my other vehicle (03 Tahoe leather seats). The Tahoe is like sitting in recliners compared to the TE seats, but on our second long road trip from Amarillo to Estes Park Co. my body got used to the stiffer seats. It did take some time finding the right position though. Good luck!!

 

[Mijfwb23]

I just made a 4 day 2300 mile trip in my TE and after finding the sweet spot with the lumbar I was good to go. I drove 12hrs each day only stopping for gas and food.
I am 6' 195lbs.
I also have seat heaters installed in my cloth TE seats but didn't need them.
My only gripe is the elbow dent I left in the center arm rest that won't go away.

 

[Catchlight]

I've found that an Obus Forme backrest will turn the least supportive car seat into a bearable, or even comfortable, one. The unit pictured gives good lumbar support, and they also sell a matching seat pad.

Buy Obus Forme Lowback Backrest Support from Canada at Well.ca - Free Shipping

I have even taken the two pads on long plane flights, where they turned hell into heaven.

Worth a try, if your discomfort persists.

 

[Bourbonator]

The first time I drove my 4r, it was a 500 mile trip from the dealer to home. It wasn't the most comfortable ride. As has been suggested, the seats break in a bit over time.

 

[Jtraskell]

Pretty sure ALL the 5th Gen seats are basically the same, only with different covers- and the leather has the heaters.

That said- I have the leather seats in my SR5, and found them uncomfortable at first. After a few miles (almost 30k) they are finally feeling just about right. They actually make my back feel better after a long ride!

I have the leather, no heaters. SE Toyota installed at the port here in Florida. So no need for heater. As for other similarities, I noticed this part description on the SW Toyota part of the OEM window sticker at the dealer. "Leather Seats without liqulcell". SW Toyota Part Nu. LANL8. Anybody else have this? Anybody have the liquicell version? Be Safe.

 

[WakeDreams]

I absolutely hate the feeling of sitting with my legs horizontally as if I was sitting in the floor board. This is my second vehicle that had this issue and for both it was an easy of enough fix by placing washers under the front seat mounts.

I bought 25 washer from the local hardware store for $3.

It's pretty simple, pop up the plastic pieces from bottom to top then slide them out. Unscrew ALL FOUR screws on the floor (front and rear) leaving the rear in, but quite lose. Place the washers under the seat mounts mounts. You will need to move the seat forward while putting the front bolts back (do this first, this is why you unscrew all four) to get the correct angle to avoid cross threading them. Once they are all in, tighten them all up tightly and put the covers back on which will click when they are in place correctly. Sorry, No pics on this mod, I didn't have my phone or camera. :rockthrow: I know, awful of me. The new angle of the seats will raise the front and not the rear, so if you are tall it will not change the height your butt is in the seat. The angle pushes your legs up vertically which lifts the pressure off your feet making longer hauls more tolerable. This mod makes the seat feel more like the Tundra seats, which IMO are far more comfortable. Happy Modding!

 

[RESQLAB]

agree with OP about the 4runner seats... however, i've added custom foam to the last 6 vehicles ive owned to make them more comfy.

i found the 4runner seats OK in the beginning, but after about 1,500 miles, it felt like i was sitting in a hole. (Im 6'2 & 240 lbs.) I then added some foam to the lower cushion and it was like night and day.

then i took a 3,000 mile road trip and my lower back was killing me (right at the belt line on my pants). it got so bad on that trip, i used a sweatshirt behind my lower back for padding. you actually can feel a horizontal bar on the seat back right where my pain was coming from.

when i got home, i went back to my favorite upholstery shop and simply had them add some foam to the lower back of the seat (i just got back from the exact same road trip and had zero issues.. i can now drive 9+ hours w/o any discomfort).

my advice: just go down to an upholstery shop in your town that is highly recommended. try and find one that does auto interior restorations and custom work, if there are classic cars there, you probably are at the right place. not to sound racists, but i have found Hispanics to have serious talent when it comes to upholstery work.. but I am located in San Diego.

the physical work itself is a fairly simple process... just make sure you try out the seat before its recovered and reinstalled. they can shave and trim the foam so its a perfect fit for your body. i think the whole process took no more than 90 mins.

good luck

p.s.- on a side note, you mentioned your seats are hard... actually its probably the soft foam padding thats making the seat frame more noticeable.. at least that was the case for me. most auto manufactures use the most minimal materials they can get away with in order to save cost. also, remember these trucks were designed by little asians and not big americans!

 

[SouthernSS]

I've considered finding a set of GX seats to retrofit into my Trail edition. My wife complains so much about the seats being uncomfortable.

 

[Giskarded]

I have the 2015 Trail Premium

The seats overall are fine, but that lumbar support is absolutely terrible.

I'm ~6'4 and 225lbs longer legs and avg torso.
The lumbar support just feels like a rock grinding into your back at anything more than the lowest setting.
I'm not sure if its just my body/shape but its quite horrendous how uncomfortable it is.

 

[K9trainer]

there is a post about liqicell seat pads,
Says the option is $1500
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/30062-uncomfortable-seat.html