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Comments
I was told though that they were only there to take calls and record them to use this feedback for future models, so in theory they are as useless as an ashtray in a motorcycle.
The problem, as noted by previous posters, is excessive lumbar protrusion. Just look at the passenger seat from the driver's seat, and you can see how much it protrudes into the seat area! Here is what I did to fix it:
(1) The problem is due to a kick-plate/rocker assembly in the seat that moves the head rest forward in an accident. The plate is pushed up too far into the seat area. Making this worse is a white piece of plastic behind that which moves to increase the lumbar support from "knee in the back" to "soccer ball in the back".
(2) Remove the hard cover from the back of the seat. I just used my hands and was gentle.
(3) You need to disconnect that large black plate from all of the bars that hook to it. This is easy as it really just hangs on in one direction. Keep wiggling and working with it until it can be freed from the cross memebers. Be gentle.
(4) Rotate it. Make sure the lumbar control is all of the way off. THis gives you extra slack in the cable.
(5) Play with the white plastic lumbar piece until you can get it free from the cable. I do not recommend cutting off that little bulb on the cable. Just work with the plastic until you can slide the ball out of the track and that will free the plastic from the cable. Pull that piece of garbage out of your seat along with the black plate. (Previous poster that did this said the seat was too conformal with this done, but I am ok with it.)
(6) Remove the lower cross arm. It is connected to two rockers on both sides of the seat. Just push it towards the rocker arms and it will pop out. THIS DISABLES the active head rest, so you are on your own with that decision.
(7) If you find that the seat goes too deep when you sit in it (I did not) it would be trivial to reinforce the back by looping cord through the many loops available in the seat frame.
(8) Put the back on the seat.
(9) Presto! See if you back is better. You may not have to get rid of an otherwise OK car!
Also, if you do NOT own a 2011,10,09,08 Accord, then please do not tell us that we are simply used to soft seats and need to man-up. This is a defect that wears you down over time.
Will
-Will
It is a SHAME that Honda, does not give a damn about their customers. I have personally discouraged 3 people in buying this car, and will continue to do so. Last time I sat my cousin in my car who was looking for a car, and he said: What in the world is this? Granted that I have warned him, but nevertheless the seat is a piece of garbage.
All it takes for Honda is to give a call to Lear Seats Co., and tell them to modify the design, or ask their engineers to do something about it.
All car companies change after a model is launched is Safety items, whether forced or not, and cost cutting changes, like for removing the key lock cylinder from the trunk. All the rest they don't care, I have worked in truck assembly plant for 8 years and know exactly how this works. Japanese are not different.
My 06 EX-L (same generation as your 05) is just fine for me. But as you've experienced, not all car seats fit everyone the same.
Well, my post from #153 did not do it, as tallman1 points out. You sink into the hole and your butt is too low in the bottom part of the seat. So I implemented the method posted before where you jack the entire seat up in the rear using two sets of 9 metric washers and longer bolts (6$ at home depot). That helped for a while, but now my hips hurt instead of my back. I also tried putting a cushion under my rear (try just that on your car and you will instantly see that the part that hits your rear is way to low and compresses the spine).
I called around and it is hard to get people to modify the seat. They are afraid of getting sued.
Anyway, I test drove a Maxima and now I am crying because I could have got that for what I ended up paying for the accord--I thought I was getting an ok deal, but I made a mistake and was not. The maxima seat seemed great and the car was much QUIETER than the accord. The accord gas milage is no where near 27/34 and it has a lot of road noise. I also test drove an 08 335i, which felt like the seat was holding me in this wonderful position, so it was easy to see how much the honda sucks. Whatever I do next, I will RENT a car for a week before buying it!!!
Lots of luck out there. If you find a fix, let me know. --Will
I noticed during my many adjustments to the seat that the top wire is just too loose and flexible and allows your shoulders and upper back to sink and that puts more pressure on the lumbar/active headrest bar.
I also noticed, but placing foam strips from a mattress pad (from walmart, as suggested by mikebike here and on the Honda Accord forums) in the lowest part of the seat helps the lumbar "boost" hit in a better position.
I am about to make my second major adjustment to the seat, 1st - I bought a sink rack (looks like a stronger version of a cooling rack) at Walmart, it's very close the the size of the black plastic support, but it is perfectly flat and stainless steel. 2nd - I'm going to double the wire at the top so the won't give and force the bottom inward. 3rd - an added layer of memory foam between the rack and the seat cushion, hopefully so the rack will be able to shift slightly without changing how the seat feels.
I will post updates, I was aware of the seat problem when I bought the car, but completely under estimated the severity of the problem, so I have no one to blame but myself. I am also aware I disabled the active head restraint, and really don't care. Our '05 Impala is without one as well as every other vehicle I've owned in my 44 year old life span.
Lumbar Lump Fix
I just used bailing wire to secure the black plastic plate at the bottom. that maybe why the top wire flexed too much, and allowed the bottom to continue to push against my back.
I'm hoping with the replacement (wire rack without the bend) will work like the car seats of old. I'm going to use springs from an old mattress to attach the rack to the frame so it will be firm but still give. I'm thinking that the way the rack is made I can use the original wires to hold it in place so everything works.
I meant to ask you mike, did you feel like the seat was too low? I'm 6' and 209 with a little extra around the middle (damn thyroid) and it just feels like the seat is too firm and low.
My wife has the car today (thanks honey!) so tomorrow is the day for my changes if the work out I will post pictures and a step by step. As others have said complain to Honda about this seat or nothing will get done or change. Guess it doesn't really help us though does it?
Just so you know, it took me 3 or 4 times with trial and error to get the new wire bent correctly. I only used a channel lock and an adjustable wrench when I made it (no special tools). I would hold the wire with the adjustable wrench, then grab it with the channel lock and just bend it. You can do it.
I did follow your post on the Accord forums step by step, the wire part (even down to the Lowe's tomato cage, maybe here in AZ we have stronger or harder to bend cages?) I just couldn't seem to get right.
I had another thought about making an extension for the just the end of the original kind of like the old hook and eye type screen door lock, or hey even better a "hog ring" style half loop and then pinching each end to make sure it doesn't slip off. Looks like I'm heading to Lowe's and maybe an upholstery shop. Wish me luck.
I also have the 2.4 EX with no leather, maybe the cloth cushion is firmer than the leather ones?
Personally, I like the seats in my 06 EX-L. I prefer the firmer seats over the soft couch-like seats I've experienced in other cars. I haven't sat in an 08+ Accord for any length of time so I can't comment on this particular problem.
I hope that Honda learns from the mistakes it made and goes back to what really makes an Accord an Accord.
I have owned Hondas for over 15 years and can say we are getting a Camry this time around.
So, I grabbed the last two pieces of my tomato cage and went to work, the second one came out pretty good if I say so myself. I added only about a quarter of an inch to each side, and then just followed mikebike's instruction from the Accord Forums and so far so good. I can move the headrest and feel the seat give, but now the lump is much less noticeable. Right now it seems to be just about perfect, I may need to adjust the additional foam
Mike, thanks for the step by step instructions, while my wife could drive the car fine with the seat in the original condition, I could not and you saved me from having to make a hard decision about keeping, trading my wife cars or insurance fraud.... just kidding.
I do agree that seat are like mattresses, and everybody finds something different comfortable or liveable. I just wish Honda would have made the "least amount" of lumbar support almost flat.
As for other cars vs the Accord, I stopped looking at the Camry after it only got 2 stars on the front passenger seat and the Chevy Malibu when it only got 3 starts for the front passenger seat as well. This car is our primary mode of transportation for myself and my 3 year old daughter and safety was number one on our list, you didn't get 4 starts in every position, you got dropped off the list.
Anyway, mike thanks again for the instructions!! Everybody who is having problems with your seat you really need to try his solution.
I went to "Relax the Back" and was talking to them and looking for a lumbar support that might fit the car. Both employees were astounded at the seat design, the slant to the seat bottom was the thing they noticed and commented about the most. They confirmed that with the seat bottom like that the lower back would roll and put pressure on it. They had nothing that would fit the seat due to the high sides of the bottom and suggested a custom seat cushion, so I ventured to an upholstery shop and talked to the owner about a cushion.
He gave me some foam to use to get the seat they way I wanted it, before we went any further. I got some firm foam (maybe to firm) but raising my hips up will hopefully stop the rounding of my lower back and allow me to sit with the proper lumbar support.
I am slowly realizing that the Accord may have to be traded in, I put $10k down so I wont actually owe money to trade, but losing some or all of that really sucks. I got the 8yr/100k Honda Care that will transfer so who ever gets her will be covered for a long time.
I guess I'm just venting now, maybe the cushion will work.
1. Make sure that you have removed the white adjustable lumbar plate.
2. Be sure that you have fabricated the new tomato cage wire as deep as possible.
3. When you put the additional foam in, put only one layer in the middle layer in front of the black plate. Put two (or more) strip layers on the sides and top of the seat back. The idea here being to have all of the areas other than the black plate area a little thicker to help minimize the back plate protrusion.
It is kind of like adjusting the pillows at night when you sleep. You need to do it a few times before it is just right. Don't discount the foam, it is the one thing that you can slide around until the seat feels better.
Mrbill
I have a lot of pictures of the cat seat before I changed anything on the usb memory stick I keep in the car for the radio, and they are backed up on my laptop, desktop and my back-up drive. Old IT habits dies hard, but that way I can always look at them to know exactly how it was before my "adjustments".
I am not afraid to allow my wife to drive the car the way it is, and I wouldn't and didn't buy a 2011 Malibu (or any other car) with a less than 3 star rating for the front passenger side.
That's the reason I'm trying to use a custom pillow to raise the seat bottom instead of just putting washers under the seat as others have done. It's more for the safety of my daughter in her car seat, I don't want the bolts to break and let my seat move into her space during a crash.
I have thought about it as well, I would never sell the car without letting people know what has been done to it. I would be devastated if someone was injured from something I did.
I for one will not worry about what will happen in the future as I own the car today and it needs to be comfortable to me right now.
You are correct, this area needs attention also.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007YT1IQ/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk
http://www.amazon.com/Obus-Backrest-Orthopedic-Support-Moller/dp/B001QL00IY/ref=- pd_sim_hpc_1
I found the Obus back support on ebay for less.
I do not know about the pointy clip ends, but the back support covers the entire back area in between the bolsters. I have back issues and design of the seat is wrong. It should not angle so far down towards the back of the seat. A wedge or two makes it level. I still love my Accord.
Best of Luck!
I have the solution for the uncomfortable Honda Accord Seats! ---- From 1997 to 2007 my wife and I owned five Honda vehicles, (three Accords & two Civics!) The 1997, and the 2000 Accord seats were comfortable, but the 2003 Accord "killed my back!" (I was going to the doctor for weekly back adjustments.) ----- Finally in 2007 I found the solution to the problem. I purchased a 2007 XLE Toyota Camry! ---- Great seats, and a high quality car. ---- When I traded the 2003 Accord, at about 90,000 miles, the extended Honda warranty had paid for three Cat Converters, two Oxygen Sensors, Motor mounts, an A/C Compressor, and a window regulator / motor. ---- My 2007 Camry has about 80,000 miles, and the only thing that was replaced by the extended warranty was the flexible oil line for the VVT at my request! ----- Both vehicles were serviced at the dealer every 2,500 miles! ---- I am in the market for a new car. ------ I like the Honda Accord. I think that they build a high quality four cylinder engine. ----- I go to the auto shows, and every time I sit in an Accord my back is not comfortable. ----- In 2010 my wife was in the market for a new vehicle. We looked at the Honda Accord, but the seats were very uncomfortable. She purchased a 2010 Malibu LTZ. I find it hard to believe that the Honda Corporation does not know about this problem in the United States! If Toyota can build a comfortable seat, why can't Honda build a similar product. The answer is simple. They do not want to change the seat! ------ (The back of the Accord seat grabs my rib cage before my spine hits the back of the seat! This means that my back is being supported by my ribs! After an hour on the highway, I need a doctor to get me out of the car! ---- My right leg and my hip are in pain! ---- On the other hand, I can drive for hours in the Camry without a problem. Could it be the seats???????????????????????)
Best regards to all! -------- Dwayne :shades: :confuse:
So, my choices are: 1) Buy the 2012 EX-L anyway and hope that the back issues don't apply to me (hmmm) 2) Test drive a Camry LXE (must be similar in trim level, as it's an EXL spelled backward) 3) Wait for the 2013 Accords to come out (risk being the seats are the same as 2012 or worse and pay $K's more to be a first adopter) or 4) Buy some other car 5) Not buy a car and walk to work (but with a 30 mile commute, I'd be trading back pain for foot pain!).
Somehow, Honda has sold a ga-zillion 2008-2012 Accords, but a number of folks have had (and I believe them) back issues with their Accords. I am surprised that after 5 years, I'm only now hearing about the seat issues. No articles in the paper, etc about this. Seems like this would have been a great 20-20 report.
I really like my Hondas and, as you can tell, I really want to buy another Accord, but I would really appreciate comments from folks who do not have an issue with the seats, folks who had an issue but found a way to get used to the seats or found that, over time, the seats were really OK, as well as those folks who just plain hate their Accord seats.
I've got to get a car soon or start walking to work
Well, a week ago, I had no idea that owners were having problems with their seats; I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this issue.
Right now, I'm trying to figure out what to buy. My family has bought/leased 6 Accords in the last 10+ years and we've always been happy with them. My son has a 2010 EX (cloth, but with lumbar support) and says the seats are OK.
I keep looking at the seats in a 2012 on the lot, scratch my head, and think "how can these innocent looking seats be that much of a problem"? But sitting on them, I can feel what folks are talking about. The question I have to answer is whether it will be a problem for me.
I'm going to test drive a 2013 Camry XLE today. Years ago, Camry owners were furious over the small seat pans on their Camrys. The test drive will help me see if that has been fixed.
I'm also thinking of sharing my wife's car and wait for the 2013 Accords.
Anyway, yes, the '13 Accord is upon us. Here's Honda's info, complete with pictures: http://automobiles.honda.com/future-cars/ You get slightly smaller exterior dimensions, a little less HP in the I4 which is balanced by more torque, and greater fuel mileage (although the numbers aren't out yet). Personally, I think its style is an improvement over the '12 - the front end looks more "acura-like" and the rear styling is much improved. Wait a couple of months and the dealers may be willing to deal.
My mother ended up with a 2012 Camry and the seats are great. One thing that I didn't like was that the Windows/door locks are not illuminated. Otherwise the standard bluetooth, touchscreen radio, engine is sweet.
I'm just wondering if there are other 2008-2012 Accord owners with the lumbar support who actually LIKE their seats and who wish to comment?
Daneel Ferreira.
The reports are correct- The seats are horrible- we returned the car this morning. how does Honda let this happen? we loved everuthing else about the car, power, handling, the interior room, wonderful. but the seats killed my back to the point where I DREADED getting into that car.
Looking at a Fusion or Maxima now