Sport's lumbar support uncomfortable.

tagscuderia

tagscuderia

Member
Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has had issues with the... aggressiveness (?) of the sport seats lumbar support? Recently put in leather sports with electric lumbar and even after a 450 mile trip at the weekend I haven't found a comfortable seating position.

Is it possible to back it off further, otherwise I'm faced with removing the adjustable lumbar or refitting my SE seats! :(
On the whole they're much better but my back is not enjoying them at the moment. Thanks,

Tom.
 
Having just swapped from sports to normal seats, I can agree that I find the standard seats more comfortable - even backed all the way off I thought the lumbar support on the sports seats stuck out too far.
Russ
 
tagscuderia said:
Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has had issues with the... aggressiveness (?) of the sport seats lumbar support? Recently put in leather sports with electric lumbar and even after a 450 mile trip at the weekend I haven't found a comfortable seating position.

Is it possible to back it off further, otherwise I'm faced with removing the adjustable lumbar or refitting my SE seats! :(
On the whole they're much better but my back is not enjoying them at the moment. Thanks,

Tom.
Click to expand...

The lumbar set up is just a thin plastic "cage" that distorts when the motor tightens or loosens, which distorts the shape and pushes out or returns to flat.
It is not perfectly flat when fully retracted but it should not be any different to the same seat without lumbar. Could it be that your unit is broken and therefore not returning as flat as it should? Do you definitely feel it pressing into your back as you adjust it, then easing off when you reverse it?

Sometimes it can be psychological? I know that when I first started playing with the lumbar I couldn't seem to get comfortable, but that could have been because I was therefore just much more conscious of the "feel".

After driving it for a few weeks I really don't notice it any more and feel very comfortable now.

I would suggest that you back it right off and try it for a couple of weeks, if you cant get used to it get a friendly trimmer to take the unit out. But I suspect that even doing this you will still feel uncomfortable because you will be ultra conscious of that area of your back.

Failing that you may have to swap your seats back, but that would be a shame.

I suspect that if yours are really uncomfortable it may have developed a fault. Try sitting in the passenger seat and see if that is as uncomfortable, it would be extremely rare for them both to have the same problem, so if that is uncomfortable too, it may just be the design of the seats not suiting your back?

Steve B
 
russellbridge said:
Having just swapped from sports to normal seats, I can agree that I find the standard seats more comfortable - even backed all the way off I thought the lumbar support on the sports seats stuck out too far.
Russ
Click to expand...
Well I'm glad that it's not just me, I didn't have the best of driving positions with the SE (flat to the floor) but it was comfortable.
I prefer the base of the sport and it's nice not rolling about in the corners but I'm with you, even backed off it's just too much. From a 10 minute commute my back is still aching a tad.
 
@Steve & Spike, thank you for your replies, appreciated.
There's a good range of movement so I presume that it's backing off properly/fully. Initially it feels comfortable but after a couple of minutes my lower back starts aching, I'll try the passenger seat, maybe take a book with me :) .
I haven't had it set to anything other than backed off completely, I've just played relentlessly with seat positions. I'm thinking that it might not just suit my back but I've never had issues in any other car.
Was going to remove them this weekend to give them a thorough clean so I might crack them open and see what's what -- thanks for the image.
Cheers,
Tom.
 
It could really just be the type of seat. My wife finds our standard A2 seats (with lumbar) far more comfortable than the electric lumbar all singing all dancing sports seats in our A6.
 
A quick additional question to those in the know, is there anything specific that I need to do to disconnect the airbag? Will disconnecting the battery disable it? Thanks guys.
 
tagscuderia said:
A quick additional question to those in the know, is there anything specific that I need to do to disconnect the airbag? Will disconnecting the battery disable it? Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

The official advice is to disconnect he battery to be sure and wait for 10 minutes before disconnecting the air bag.
They are explosive devices and can cause serious injury, so you should treat them with care.

If you are impatient and want to disconnect it without any messing around then make sure that you are nowhere near the air bag when you do this.

Steve B
 
Iv always thought the a2 had uncomfortable seats I have se seats and 7 years later I am now conditioned and used to it :)
 
tagscuderia said:
Recently put in leather sports with electric lumbar and even after a 450 mile trip at the weekend I haven't found a comfortable seating position.
Tom.
Click to expand...
I thought that the whole purpose of these devices was to ADD to your comfort, especially over a long journey? I suffer with lower back-pain which is inoperable. I am just in the process of fitting the true Audi lumbar supports into my leather S.E. seats. (and heating, at the same time) I thought that this was going to be a benefit on my long journeys into Europe (although, I must admit, I don't currently suffer with pain with the seats as they are ...) NOW, I'm reading your comments and thinking that I would be making a mistake and I'll be regretting ever fitting the lumbar supports ???? I know that you have sports-seats and that mine are standard, but I wonder if others have also found that the lumbar supports actually do cause some discomfort, even when fully retracted? I've also thought that body profile could have an influence? Are you tall, slim, portly? I suppose that another way to look at things is "if it works, then don't fix it"! I mean, if my seats are comfortable as they are, then leave well alone?
Your thread has got me wondering .... and I know where that leads!

David
 
I guess that this is an individual thing in regards to seats as I also have a chronic lower back problem and have found both pre and post surgery the A2 to be one of the more comfortable cars that I have driven. Mine has sports seats and another of ours has SE seats and I definitely find for me the lumbar support helps me to remain comfortable when driving and my commute to work is around 2hrs with traffic (95 miles each way). Perhaps the position of the seat back itself also needs to be adjusted, I know this makes a big difference to me when driving and some journeys I need to adjust it a few times depending on how comfortable I was feeling before getting in the car.
 
Hi David,
I've gone from cloth standard seats (no lumbar support) to leather sports with lumbar so it's a big change. For me the bottom quarter of the seat protrudes too much and I think that that's the sport profile. It might be that the lumbar cage is making it too stiff but I think that you'll be fine retrofitting.
I've got a Modus Wilkhahn (poor man's Herman Miller) operator's chair that supports my back perfectly and I just can't mimic that with these seats. I'm only 6 1" but I think that I'm struggling with the combined height and angle adjust for the base; I can jack the seat up so that pressure is even along my back (thus more comfortable) but then my eye line is atrocious and my legs aren't supported.
@Vonnie, I can't sit in any car with an upright seat so it's something that I find myself fine-tuning quite often, makes a huge difference for me also. Cheers.
 
I am with Vonnie. I found the SE seats uncomfortable especially on a long run and changed to Sports seats. I found them much more comfortable even without the adjustment. Tony of A2cars connected the electric adjustment and they are now even better. Thanks Tony!
Hope this helps.
Peter
 
Birchall said:
The official advice is to disconnect he battery to be sure and wait for 10 minutes before disconnecting the air bag.
They are explosive devices and can cause serious injury, so you should treat them with care.
Click to expand...
Cheers Steve, that's a grand help, wouldn't have waited 10 mins so I feel a tad safer doing it now. And when it comes to airbags, patience isn't going to be an issue!
@Scott, they've been in for less than a month so... not long to go ;) .
Thanks guys.
 
Well, I briefly had tried the Sports seats before i took them to pieces and I found the high and firm bolsters impeded my access and also felt uncomfortable. I do feel that this is a question of "each to his own"! I think that lumbar support fitted to SE seats is extremely rare? .... I don't corner hard, ever, and wouldn't have benefited from Sports seats. Anyway, I have it in me to remove the lumbar if it didn't work out .... I'd be getting good at it, second time around! I've certainly got the time, now Winter's here! I am not sure how a pole would work out, regarding comfort/discomfort? Maybe optimism is the best way forward .... I'm all ready to go .... literally going into my garage right now!

David
 
I fitted seats with lumbar support back in July. It did take some time to get the seat base height right with the lumbar support.
 
DJ 190 said:
Well, I briefly had tried the Sports seats before i took them to pieces and I found the high and firm bolsters impeded my access and also felt uncomfortable. I do feel that this is a question of "each to his own"! I think that lumbar support fitted to SE seats is extremely rare? .... I don't corner hard, ever, and wouldn't have benefited from Sports seats. Anyway, I have it in me to remove the lumbar if it didn't work out .... I'd be getting good at it, second time around! I've certainly got the time, now Winter's here! I am not sure how a pole would work out, regarding comfort/discomfort? Maybe optimism is the best way forward .... I'm all ready to go .... literally going into my garage right now!
David
Click to expand...
Hi David, did you fit the lumbar support? I'd be interested to know if you think that it's made a difference with the support backed right off; I'm contemplating removing the cage on the presumption that there might be more give in the seat without.

Ventured into Snowdonia today so spent 3 hours in the car -- I found a fairly comfortable position but only with both hands on the wheel at 9 & 3 i.e, pushes my shoulders back against the seat. So deduced that the extra lumbar support puts all the pressure on my lower-back. Maybe my spine is too straight? :confused:
They look great and I love the stability in the corners (can carry much more apex speed now and it still feels planted), I've also got matching door cards to fit which I've wanted since I got the car so I've got everything crossed that I can sort it out!
 
Strange! .... You've been after my Sports-seats for ages, and as you know, that would have been without the lumbar support! It is ironic that I am just now in a position to have offered them to you! Well, I still am! You can even try them, first! Every option is open and you're not far away, being on the Wirral. I am even on my way over there, a week on Wednesday! Lets meet up and have a chat!

David
 
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