Back pain from the Civic's seats?

BriteBlue

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I find a lot of vehicles are lacking thigh support & make me feel like I'm sitting on a picnic table bench seat. A proper power seat that adjusts for seat cushion height & tilt helps quite a bit in the comfort department. The power passenger seat on Civics & Accords do not have either of these adjustments, just front & back and seat back recline,

I also find a lot of seat bolsters are too narrow & do not provide for any wiggle room. I am not fat but don't need to be held in place like I'm driving an Indy car.
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alias Igme

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At first I thought that it is because of how low the seat is, but comparing it to the 156 (the only other car i can compare is a fortuner which is not low at all) - it is only a slight, if any lower.
I think it is the shape- I donā€™t know how to explain, but the156ā€™s seat is curvier and has more side support?
 

evansc22

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2017 EX-L here.
Exactly the same issue with back pain. I bought one of these. I don't particularly like it, and my wife HATES it, but my back doesn't hurt. I've talked to a local upholstery shop. They said they could try different amounts of cushion until I get what I need. I just haven't done it. Best of luck to you. I spent a few weeks trying different ones and even considered selling the car as well. I'm glad I found what worked. Hopefully you do as well.
 

CivicDude248

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Iā€™ve had my Civic Si for about a thousand miles so far. I just posted a thread over in the Si forum about how I went in a road trip of about 4 hours and my neck started hurting like a sonuvab...

I really hope I can get used to it!! I just cannot seem to find a comfortable position. Iā€™ll keep trying though. I swear I had a ā€˜16 Mustang before this and good lord I loved those seats. Best Iā€™ve ever had! Iā€™m really missing them right about now.
 

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I bought one of those lumbar pillows with vertical straps because i want it a lil higher and it stays in place. The pillow is a bit too thick but way better with it than without
 


dldaves

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i found a resolution its a company called backshield its lumbar support made in Taiwan cost $89 per support I purchased two they gave me $20 off on top of that they have a 60 day refund money back if you don't like it had it about a week no more back pain. a lot of truck drivers use it as well. and I to had the same issue tried different lumbar supports hmu on ig for pictures @davesfk7 or more info.
 

susanz

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Ok so I kinda have the same problem, thought maybe it was just because Iā€™m too short lmao coz Iā€™m 5ā€™5. However mine comes and goes but definitely during extended driving. Not sure maybe getting new seats would make a difference
I have a Civic EXL with less than 1000 miles on it and it kills my back. I am 5'3" and weigh 116. I haven't even taken it on a long drive...only about 20 minutes or so. To me it has no lumbar support and the seat is poorly designed. Honda thinks everyone wants to sit with their butt on a hole and their knees higher. Also the back of the seat is way to "C" shaped and the bolsters on the sides push your shoulders forward. The headrest also pushes your head forward. Its just awful. I'll probably end up trading it in early and taking a big financial hit because I can't stand having back pain everyday.
 

frontlinegeek

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I have a Civic EXL with less than 1000 miles on it and it kills my back. I am 5'3" and weigh 116. I haven't even taken it on a long drive...only about 20 minutes or so. To me it has no lumbar support and the seat is poorly designed. Honda thinks everyone wants to sit with their butt on a hole and their knees higher. Also the back of the seat is way to "C" shaped and the bolsters on the sides push your shoulders forward. The headrest also pushes your head forward. Its just awful. I'll probably end up trading it in early and taking a big financial hit because I can't stand having back pain everyday.
What sucks is that they try, rightly, to make the seats for the average sized people. You are smaller than average and all us 6 foot and up are at the other end of the not average. Either way, we both suffer. My wife is only 5'5" and she doesn't mind the seats but has noted that the lumbar support is not ideal for her. I don't have an issue with the lumbar as I sit at an almost full upright position, but I can certainly see how it can be an issue if you prefer to lean back at all.

I know for the first couple months, I was seriously wondering if I wanted to trade it in too but like so many others regardless of trim, if you break it in, then all seems to be great. I have done 8 hour one way trips in it and had no discomfort. Very weird but hopefully you have a similar experience. Try changing up your seating position AND the steering wheel position as your total body position could be influencing things. I know that my old daily, a 2001 Civic, I could sit in it a lot more slopily, like a lazy dog sit, no way I can do that in the GenX Civic at all.
 

BriteBlue

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I have a Civic EXL with less than 1000 miles on it and it kills my back. I am 5'3" and weigh 116. I haven't even taken it on a long drive...only about 20 minutes or so. To me it has no lumbar support and the seat is poorly designed. Honda thinks everyone wants to sit with their butt on a hole and their knees higher. Also the back of the seat is way to "C" shaped and the bolsters on the sides push your shoulders forward. The headrest also pushes your head forward. Its just awful. I'll probably end up trading it in early and taking a big financial hit because I can't stand having back pain everyday.
Do you have power driver's seat? You should be able to adjust the tilt of the lower seat cushion so you're not sitting in a hole.
 

Mae22

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I traded a 2014 BMW 428i for my 2019 Civic Hatch ST three weeks ago, and I have to say that besides the huge difference in power (which of course I knew I'd be giving up), the only thing I like less about my Civic than the BMW is the drivers seat. Maybe it's not broken in yet, and that may come with time, but I felt "enveloped" in the BMW's sport seats, and someone's analogy of sitting on a picnic table bench in the Civic is spot on. In my BMW I felt like I was sitting IN the seat, and in my Civic, I feel like I'm sitting ON the seat, and it's a really different feel. For reference, I'm 5'1" and 140lbs, so my driving position is probably a bit different than many of you more normal size people. I'm comfortable driving the car, but don't feel quite as connected. Not a great way to explain it, but that's all I've got. :)
 


frontlinegeek

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I traded a 2014 BMW 428i for my 2019 Civic Hatch ST three weeks ago, and I have to say that besides the huge difference in power (which of course I knew I'd be giving up), the only thing I like less about my Civic than the BMW is the drivers seat.
Is this your first Honda? If so, this is generally normal. Honda seats have always been firmer than pretty much everyone else. I was raised on Chrysler but only ever owned Hondas as an adult and I much prefer the Honda seats but know well that they aren't for everyone. At least until you perhaps break the seats in some.
 

McDavid

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I had some small back issues when I first got the car, and was worried, but after adjusting a bit I've haven't had any problems
 

Mae22

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Is this your first Honda? If so, this is generally normal. Honda seats have always been firmer than pretty much everyone else. I was raised on Chrysler but only ever owned Hondas as an adult and I much prefer the Honda seats but know well that they aren't for everyone. At least until you perhaps break the seats in some.
No, but it's my first Honda in a LONG time. The first car I ever bought brand new was a green 1993 Honda Accord coupe 5mt, when I was 21. I loved that car. Then I went on a 25 year streak of Toyota, Lexus, and Scion, then the BMW, before coming back to my Honda roots. :)
 

alias Igme

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I used to complain a lot about Civic's seats and the foot pedals, but I got used to it over 5-6 months. I even got myself those memory foam back and neck support, but when I was driving a bit spiritedly, they made me feel weird and i removed them since.

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Thopper

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I absolutely do not like lumbar support...causes back pain. I found with the Hatch ST seats (both driver and passenger) raising the seat with the seat blocks 1.5 inch made all the difference in the world. I am 5 11" 185 lbs. No back pain.
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