I am a retired engineer. I invested nearly a year in development of seats that won't hurt me. At first, I did the work just for me. I loved the car but couldn't drive more than a half hour without pain. The following is a short essay of what I learned and what I've done.
I have since worked with people all over the world, complaining of seat issues in Teslas, especially Model 3/Y. But a few X as well. Not as many Model S complaints. I bought seat from a number of different cars and models and “reverse engineered” them. I also worked with many sufferers and interviewed them in detail.
From a fairly large and growing database, I've compiled the body type that seems to predominate this issue:
- Wider bone structure, especially in the hips. In this case height and weight are not the predominate factor. Often this group has wider shoulders as well as wider hips. And along with the large bone structures, they may have a large hat size. The head size matters when it comes to the headrest angle.
- Sometimes total body weight. Most but not all of this group is nearly 200lbs or more. But there's a few over 200 lbs that do not have the wider hips and don't have issues. And there have been “extreme” body weight cases that suffer greatly as well.
- Often people in this group have a longer torso. Meaning disproportionately taller in the torso than legs.
- Frequently this group, but not always, preexisting lower back issues.
- Most, but not all sufferers are 6' tall or taller.
- Sometimes diagnosed or undiagnosed issues with muscles, tendons, butt area and hip areas especially.
- If the upper torso is such and such a height/length, the head hits the headrest “wrong”. If the driver also has a head size L or greater, it exacerbates the issue. The issue is that the headrest pushes the head forward, moves the entire spinal column out of line.
- The Tesla lumbar support is inadequate and often at the wrong height for sufferers. Especially those with a taller torso and if they add a seat cushion the problem is made worse.
There is a continuum of situations, ranging from mild annoyance to outright terrible pain. I think almost always it's related to the enumerated body type. If a person has all of the conditions, it's extremely likely he/she really suffers terribly.
The causes, sort of in order of impact:
- Common Modern Seat Design Overall But the THINNEST foam in the car industry. Tesla uses a set design that's become more common in less expensive bucket seats, industry wide. However Tesla uses a very thin foam. Much thinner than found almost in any other manufacturer's seats. The thinner foam is the main culprit. (although smaller framed driver's report it is great, so it does suit them but not us)
- The design uses a metal base. There are no effective metal springs. There are metal springs but they are so short and so thick that they hardly are a factor at all.
- Tesla uses a relatively deep metal pan with a relatively high metal lip going around it. When a person sits “into” the seat bottom, they are sitting “inside” the metal pan. The metal surrounds their hips and half of their legs along both sides.
- The Wings/ Bolsters are often the primary complaint. They “dig” into the hips. The problem is that when the hips are wide, they press into the metal sides. The thin Tesla seat foam is no help. If the hips are wider than the relatively narrow seat metal frame towards the back, the driver is really pressing hard into a sharp ridge of the metal frame.
- Tesla has no adjustment whatsoever in the headrest. The OEM tilt and height DOES NOT WORK for every size person. This one size fits all is a failure for many of us. I can't use one size fits all in anything, such as hats, helmets, gloves, shirts, etc. It is illogical to think one size fits all would work for me with such a car seat design.
- Tesla uses a relatively lame lumbar support. It doesn't adequately deflate when we want it to. It doesn't go at the right height either, even though there is an adjustment. Most people don't understand how it works and don't understand how to adjust it.
At the lower end of the continuum, there are easy solutions or mitigation. If a person has fewer of the enumerated issues or are at the lower end of size weight proportion, etc... Some find the passenger seat good enough. The passenger seat has a “Spacer” which keeps the person's bottom a bit higher in the seat frame. That effect can be replicated in the driver's seat.
At higher ends of the continuum only a better seat cushion will work. That's were I am. Additionally I've made changes to the seat back and to the headrest. I now drive with no pain. I can drive and have driven over 12 hours straight with no pain, in spite of being in severe pain with the stock seat cushion.
This is what I did for my 2022 Tesla Model 3 P. The same solution can work in the Model Y. A similar solution can work in the S and X. The model 3 and Y use exactly the same seat but the model Y is on a pedestal which matters to tall drivers.
After trying numerous fixes, including the easier fixes such as spacers, I was forced to go “all in”.
Here's what I did:
- I pulled out the stock OEM Tesla seat bottom cushion assembly and replaced it with my own custom build. My build reuses the faux leather, the wiring, the heater, the seat sensor but I throw away the internal foam and replace it entirely. The foam I put in is much more robust and protects us from the metal frame. It also gives the ride genuine “suspension” in the seat. I had to develop a custom hand crafted approach to building a seat with better foam inside.
- I bent the headrest backwards in iterations until I was comfortable and my back and spine were relaxed and natural.
- I removed the stock OEM Tesla Lumbar Support and put it where it did not have any impact.
- I put some foam in the back so my wide upper back could be in a relaxed and natural posture.
I've been very, very happy with my revised configuration. I've had this set up since late in 2022, going on 2 full years or so.
Sincerely,
George Borrelli
Crystal River, Florida
