2007+ Toyota Camry Seats

jimfed1

I bought a 07 Camry SE that has really poor condition seats from the previous owner. So I bought a replacement set of factory seat covers. But I have to remove the seats to recover them, and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to remove the back seat (the part you sit on). It seems as though there must be some kind of release catch but anyone have any insight into this issue??

stlpike07

I think the part you sit on is clamped down using special "screws." I don't think there is a release lever. If you pull up hard enough on the seat it will come up, and as long as you don't brake the screws it will go back into place. You'll have to punch/hit the seat back into the screw holes.

Personally, I'd call the Toyota dealer and ask them.

jimfed1

I'll give it a shot, as I am about at my wits end with the thing. I even pulled the fabric etc from the trunk and removed 4 bolts holding some thick rod running all the way across the base of the back seat. That did not seem to do anything either. Thanks for the reply. :mad:

jimfed1

VICTORY!! I just gave it some good pulls, and out it came. I guess i figured there would be a little more technology involved. Thanks again

stlpike07

I'm glad I was able to help you. It worked in my old car so I figure it would be the same with the new one. Most cars have the special "screws" for the back seats. Anyway, take care.

jimfed1

Any suggestions how to get the seat back of the back seat off ?????

stlpike07

I assume you mean the part of the seat your back sits against.....If so, I believe there is actually some sort of assembly you would have to dismantle in order to take that part off. Because when you fold it down you can lift up part of the carpet to see the assembly holding the seat in place........so I have no idea there....not as easy at the seat bottom.

Are you putting slip covers on or completely new "original" fabric/cover?

jimfed1

I am replacing with OEM factory seat covers, so I have to remove the original to put these on. So far everything is good, as the front ones were very time consuming, but look much better now. the seat part of the back seat looks great, but just have not messed much with the seat back of the back seat, as it is in pretty rough condition also. Whoever owned this car before me must have lived in it, as it is a 07 with 35k miles on it. Outside is cherry but inside has the lived in look. Found new covers on Ebay taken off a new SE fr a leather install. Much cheaper than buying through Toyota.

bob1111

I have a 2007 Camry Hybrid with leather seats. The seat bottom of the driver's seat is very uncomfortable due a rod-like feeling that runs down the center of the seat bottom, from the front to the back, exactly following an upholstery seam. I suspect this is caused either by the upholstery seam or something under it, inside the seat.
Has anyone else noticed this same problem?

camrymania

hi guys. i bought a camry 2007, and there is something i wanna ask you guys about... there is something missing under the right front seat, and i can only see the wires, but the "devise" is missing. can anyone tell me what was it. thanx alot.

kiawah

You don't say what model you have. My LE 4 cylinder has no device under the front right seat. There is a set of wires that comes up from the floor and plugs into the seat, but other than that....no device.

rsantan1

That is where the amplifier is located if your Camry came with JBL sound.

freda5

I have cloth seats in my 2007 Camry and they are so uncomfortable. My daughter and I traveled to Florida (8 hour trip) last year and before we got there I was in so much pain. It felt like my tail bone was broken. After 2 - 3 days I was better. When we started home, I sat on a pillow.

There is a metal thing sticking up in the middle of my seat.

kiawah

Hmmm, don't have that problem, and have almost 30K miles and have taken a number of long trips. Is the metal that you feel on the bottom seat, or the back rest? I just went out and refelt the seat, pushing all over trying to feel something hard and metal, and can't find anywhere that it hard like you reference.

Go to the dealership, and show them where the metal hardness is. You can compare against other cars at the dealership as well.

andie4

I have the same problem with my 2009 Camry Hybrid leather seats! I was beginning to think it was just me. I took the car back to the dealer and had the heating elements in the seat adjusted. It seemed as if that was the problem, but it wasn't solved. I still have trouble with my tail bone and sometimes my lower back. I, too, sit on a pillow which is crazy given how much the car cost. Did you find any other solution to the problem? I hope someone else reads this and has some good advice. I like the car, love the gas mileage, just hate the seat. I am almost ready to get a different car!!

gailalong

I had definitely decided to buy a 2007 or 2008 Camry. I have test driven it twice. Each time, within a few hours later, my lower pain went into excruciating pain. I am amazed that a simple test drive could cause such pain. It lasted about a week. Now I am afraid to drive one again. I do not like Hondas at all, and want a comfortable 4 door car. This is very discouraging. At least by reading your review, I do not feel totally crazy.

lzc

Over many years, car seats have been lowered and made lighter than in earlier years. Just think about sitting in a chair at home in which the seat cushion was less than 1 foot off the floor. Not comfortable. The Camry seats are probably no better or worse than most cars. My wife is OK with her 2007 Camry. I didn't want an SUV but couldn't get away from how much higher and more comfortable the seats were. So I bought a small one. There are a few now that drive almost like a passenger car. Good luck.

atb2

Just think about sitting in a chair at home in which the seat cushion was less than 1 foot off the floor. Not comfortable. The Camry seats are probably no better or worse than most cars.

This is so true. My main issue is the short length of the seat bottom. At 6'2", sometimes it's hard to get comfortable on a trip.

I didn't want an SUV but couldn't get away from how much higher and more comfortable the seats were.

I couldn't agree with you more. This would be the solution for me to get the seat comfort I need. My friends '03 Silverado bucket seats are very comfortable and the right fit for me (but, unfortunately wouldn't fit in the Camry!). Overall the Camry was the car of choice for me.

gailalong

Thanks so much for your comments. I am sure that different car seats impact people differently. Many people are comfortable in Camry's, obviously. However, both times I drove one, a couple hours later I was in horrendous pain lasting several days. This is definitely not true of the Mitsubishi Galant I have had the last 10 years, so it is not because the seat is low. However, I would prefer not to buy another Galant, partly because the newer ones are not so comfortable to me as the older ones.

I appreciate the idea about an SUV. Guess I might try one, since I have not made my decision yet. IZC, which ones do you like?

wwest

Lexus E3X0 seats, heat, position memory, etc, often show up on Ebay at decent purchase prices. I upgraded our MH with Ford Explorer leather seats from the 90's, purchased off Ebay, adjustable side support bolsters, lumbar adjustment, manual thigh extensions...

Those full day 500 mile drives are now not so tiring.

gailalong

That sounds interesting. How did you install all of that equipment and how much would it cost? I do not have a guy at home, unfortunately, to do this stuff for me. It sounds complicated. Is it? Would all that Lexus seating fit in a Camry? Just wondering. Thanks for the suggestion.

wwest

I cannot imagine that Lexus ES seating would not be a simple drop in upgrade in a Camry. Are you anywhere close to Seattle eastside.

lzc

I bought a Honda CR-V and am pleased with it. The added cargo hauling ability has come in handy more than I thought. I think the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 are also fine choices. Each has its own strong points.

A comment on switching seats, I had a Honda Accord with particularly low seats and explored changing them. Even if you're willing to undertake what is an expensive option, you will also need to assume some warranty risks. Seats are no longer just seats. Seat belt and airbag sensors, power seat motor, etc., anything that's been altered, or connected to anything altered, will no longer be covered. My dealer wouldn't touch it. It's a big step.

gailalong

I would think with all the gadgets it would not be a simple exchange. Anyway, I am not close unless you think Texas is near Seattle. Thanks anyway!

gailalong

I had a feeling it would not be very simple. Maybe I will try a Forester, used of course, on my budget. Thanks!

logan88

I just bought a 2009 toyota camry XLE last week. I test drove the car for 300 miles!!! felt fine then I bought a different color same model XLE, I have the exact same pain your are talking about. Like something is beneath the seat. I asked the dealer to switch the seat from the one I test drove and now that one has the same problem. And yes I made sure I they switched the seats. It feels like there is something beneath the seat poking me and yes it is unbearable. My daily drive to work is 91 miles so this is killing me. When I talked to the dealership they recommended an upholsterer. I have an appointment with them today.

andie4

Thank you for your email in response to seat discomfort. Please let me know as soon as you find out what the upholsterer says/does. I would like to do the same thing if it means driving comfort. I hardly go anywhere because it is so uncomfortable. At Toyota Customer Care I was given an answer that sounded like it was written out from the legal department and each time I asked a question, the answer was read aloud again. Basically they said it is the way all their cars are made and there wasn't anything they could do about it. They failed as far as any kind of care is concerned. When customers have a problem with their car, the car should be looked at individually and customer satisfaction should be a priority. I have tried sitting in different Camrys and even asked other owners if their seats were o k and all were fine. One '09 Camry Hybrid at a county fair was soooo comfortable, I had to get out and look again to make sure it was the same model as my car. Maybe the leather on my car was from an old bull and the padding is old lemons !:lemon:

gailalong

It is comforting to read all your responses. I am still looking. I cannot imagine how upholstery would help, unless they are filling the seat with layers of padding maybe and raising the level. I drove a 2008 Altima yesterday, and although it probably is not quite as good quality overall as the Camry, it is very comfortable for me and fun to drive. It has a better sound system than the basic Camry and good handling.
I think my main problem with the pain from the Camry may be coming from the Lumbar support hitting me in exactly the wrong place. I am short waisted.
I will probably get up the courage to try the Camry once more, feeling the seat for any metal and putting the lumbar support flat, but right now thinking I may go for the Altima.

logan88

I am going to the upholsterer Tuesday. They will take my seat out and pull the leather back. I will be there when he does the work so I can't wait to see what the heck is under the seat causing this. This guy said he has been in this business since 1959 and he said he does this all the time and there has only been one time that he was not able to make his customer happy. I sure hope I am not the second person he can't make happy. I think they need to take foam out and not add it, it feels like I am sitting on a ball and it pushes on my tail bone and it feels like there is something else towards the back of the seat cushion pushing up and this is killing me. I will be there in this guys shop while he works on my seat and I will let you know how it works out for me.

andie4

Hi, This is Andie4...did you get your seat fixed? I hope you were able to get the problem solved. What did the upholsterer do? I really want to get my seat fixed. I have the same exact problem you described. Let me know, please. Also, if you don't mind telling me, where is your upholsterer located? If it is within a 50 mile radius of me, I will head there soon! (100 miles will take me a little longer!)
Thank you

gailalong

I am wondering when your upholsterer says he does this all this time, is that because lots of people with Camrys have this exact problem, or does he do it for many different kinds of cars? I am still deciding if I will buy a Camry or not because of this.

I drove on the other day and put the lumbar support all the way down flat, and for this first time, I did not have pain later. However, I am not sure if it would still hurt me longterm. I am thinking of renting a Camry for 3-4 days and see if it is okay. How long did you drive yours before it started hurting you?

Thanks for your answers to my urgent questions. Good luck with the upholsterer.

andie4

Did you get your Camry seat fixed? It must have been made so comfortable that you are driving all around town and haven't looked back to this site. Please let me know what happened. I am tired of a tired tail bone!

gailalong

I hope we hear back from you Logan on the fix for your car seat. I drove a xle last weekend. I loved the JBL sound system, but did not like at all not having a car key. Lots of stuff to lose or break; $300 if one of those keyless remote things get lost. Still worried about the seat, although I did okay after about a 30 minute test drive. I may go with an Altima.

logan88

Sorry for the long delay on getting back to you, this has been a very brutal experience. I have been trying several things to fix this seat. The upholster that I went to had someone else who just bought a Camry with seat comfort issues and they added an inch of medium density foam and they were happy with it. I did not like the ride being that high up and ended up trading my camry in for a Honda Accord. After driving 900 miles in the Accord now I am having the same issue with this car too. I think I am close to resolving the issue. I have tried several different things but I tried something this past week by removing a spring bracket and it seems to be working. The spring layout in my accord is similar to that of the Camry. I will let you know how it goes. I wish there was a way to talk directly to tell you everything that I have done. This has been a long road.

gailalong

Thanks so much for the report. I am not frozen in my process of buying a car because I do not want to make a terrible mistake. I hate buying cars.

andie4

I think there is a way to communicate through email. You have to opt to be notified on the car space sign up. I have selected to have an email address on the site so every time you post, it also goes to my email.
I would love to be able to talk directly to someone who has the same experience with their car that I am having with my car. If I had any idea there would be so much trouble with the seat, I would have bought a Prius, or maybe a even gone to a different car maker!!! The only thing great about the car is the gas milage, but maybe that is because I hardly ever drive anywhere!

logan88

I do not think there is a way to email you directly without it showing in the blog. You can reach me at loganxx@ymail.com. email me there with your phone number and I will call. I will respond back to you.

djm2

Hi All:
I own a 2007 V6 Camry XLE with about 43,000 miles, and I do not have any problems with this vehicle.
Because I am in sales, I do an extensive amount of highway driving for long periods of time. The drivers seat is very comfortable. I always get 30+ mpg on the highway.
Prior to purchasing the Camry, I owned a 2003 4 cylinder Honda Accord. The seats in the Honda were VERY HARD and they "killed my back" on long road trips.

Best regards. ----- Dwyane :shades:

andie4

Good for you for having a comfortable seat! A few of us have seats that have a real problem. In my 2009 Camry Hybrid, the length of the seat from the front under the knees running back in the center to the back of the seat along the seam, there is a rod like feeling. The seam is bunched up at the back just where my tail bone meats the seat. When I took my car back to the dealer where I bought the car, they said they would take the cover off and trim the seam. When I asked to see the seat while it was apart, I was physically guided away and told that I wouldn't want to see it all messed up. I really do not think anything was opened up or uncovered or trimmed. I am not talking about the leather being stiff, I am talking about what is under the leather. I think it is safe to say this is a real pain in the butt!!

djm2

Hi andie4
You might want to consider taking your vehicle to another dealer!

Best regards! ------------ Dwayne :shades: :confuse:

rocky74

I am having a miserable time in my 2009 Toyota Camry LE. The seat cushion is just too hard (it's cloth), it feels like the padding doesn't go all the way to the back of the seat, and I get pains either in my hips or my lower back when I drive it more than 15 or 20 minutes. Also, my right upper thigh bone hurts where it hits the seat when I drive for a while. I also don't feel properly balanced or supported on long drives. I bought a soft chair cushion (like for a patio or dining room chair) on sale for $4.99 at Sears and it helps cushion enough so that I can drive a few minutes without being in pain, but I'm hoping to go on vacation for a couple of weeks, and I can't imagine doing the 100 mile drive in this car. Before driving this car, I rented Camrys for a while, but they felt different.

Deflating the lumbar support all the way does improve the balance issue a bit, but then the head support hits me while I'm driving. Also, I'm accustomed to having more lateral support in a car. (My old car, a Pontiac Bonneville, had plenty of support.) In this car, I have to sit upright and keep my hands on the wheel at 10 and 2. It is not a relaxing ride, and it's a shame because it's an attractive car and brand new.

I'm wondering if I should go to an upholsterer and get extra foam put in. Did anyone have good results with that?

drdana

I have never found a car seat that is comfortable so I am a dedicated Obus Forme user. There is one that has a back and seat rest. It is not a perfect solution as the rest does move a bit when getting in and out and you have to lean forward to position it perfectly but I do lots of long driving and once in place with the lumbar support in the right position, I have no discomfort at all. Once you have one for a while, you can get in and out of the car with no trouble at all. I love mine and it has made the car much more comfortable for me.

andie4

Finally, someone who seems to understand the problem! I ordered my Obus seat cushion on Sunday evening, soon after I read your post and the comment from the Prius driver on the Obus site. I didn't order the back rest part but am considering doing that today. I think part of the problem I am having is in the design of the leather seat. The stitching direction runs from the steering wheel back, (instead of across the seat as from the door toward the other door), and the stitching is thick and bunched up right where it hits my tail bone. There are also heating elements, up and down controls and who knows what else built in to the seat?! I am so sad and unhappy about this problem that I am looking around to find a different car. It wasn't a problem when I test drove the car and I have talked to others and sat in other cars exactly like mine but they do not have the problem. Maybe my car seat was made on a Monday. :confuse:

smarty666

I am thinking of getting a 2010 Camry within the next few weeks. I was hoping I could get opinions from current generation Camry owners (2007-2010) what seats in the camry are the most comfortable in their opinion? Is it the cloth seats in the LE or XLE, bucket leather seats of the SE, or the soft leather seats of the XLE? I am interested in if they are supportive on long trips or that they are not to firm, things of that nature. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

kiawah

Cloth LE seats have been fine for our family for 40K miles. Mostly suburban/rural driving, usually a 8-10 hour trip once or twice a year.

culinarygirl

What do you not like about Hondas? They have illustrious reliablity from what I know. My Dad has had 3 Honda accords with in the past 20 years, he's a devoted Honda lover.

mwhitworth

I had a car with leather one time that was had a rough feeling on my back, so I went and bought a cheap seat cover that i put over just the seat back part and just tucked the bottom part under the seat. It did make the back part more comfortable.

berri

Sometimes I think the simpler the seat, the better. Too often its hard to get the seat comfortable on those that have all these different adjustments. I've yet to experience a lumbar adjustment that works really well.

andie4

I bought the 2009 Camry Hybrid with leather seats because it had a GPS and the Camrys with cloth seats didn't have a GPS at the time. I have since found a great auto upholsterer who took the seat cover off, removed 2 metal rods that ran down the middle of the seat (from steering wheel to the back), and then added a bit more padding. The rods were like coat hanger wire only much thicker and each had a loop on the end to connect to the fabric which ended at the middle back of the seat bottom. Very uncomfortable! The rods were only used in the seat design and removing them did not change the seat other than the comfort. This was not the seat back or lumbar support This was where we sit! As soon as I drove away from the upholsterers, I knew the problem was solved. The guys at the Toyota dealership as well as the Toyota factory rep said there wasn't anything wrong. So much for making their customers satisfied! Remember when they used to say, "Get your hands on a Toyota, you'll never let go! ?" Well, not anymore.

rocky74

Thanks for sharing this info and congratulations on the fix. I'm a little more used to my Camry, but the seats are still to hard to take on long trips. I'm wondering if all '09's have this construction, or just the ones with leather seats. (I have cloth.) My seat feels hard, but I can't feel rods under the foam. Did you feel them under you when you were sitting?

Also, where were they in the seat -- can you feel them if you put your hand underneath the seat bottom or are they just inside the the seat? I'd like to know the details before I have my driver's seat taken apart. Btw, it would be even better if I could talk to your upholstery guy so I could tell mine how to do this. Thanks!

gigglebutton

I purchased my 2007 Camry XLE in November of 2010 . I love everthing about my car except I have been experiencingSevere Low Back Pain and went to several doctors trying to figure out what's going on and have thought back to when my pain started was after the purchase of my car.. I now ride with a pillow for support for my lower back which is helping some.. I had a Honda Accord EX for 5 years before purchasing the 2007 Camry and never had this problem before.. I'm glad I found this site to let me know I'm not going crazy after all..