Triple Digits Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 This may be more common on manual transmission, and perhaps even limited (no pun intended) to the leather - but for the past couple thousand miles I've been really annoyed by a popping feeling in the middle lumbar area of my driver's seat - to the point where I'm beginning to think of dumping the car. I spend over an hour and a half a day in that seat durning the week, and every time I clutch or have an acceleration or breaking related fore/aft weight shift I get this little 'pop' feeling behind my mid-lumbar region. I 've been moving my seating position all over the map trying to avoid it but no luck... I think the padding in the area has just compressed enought to make it more pronounced. (I'm 189 lbs - no tank, but not tiny either.) I can sense the same thing in the passenger seat but the padding is still resilient enough so that it isn't noticable unless you are actively trying to feel it. It sure sucks on the drivers side though. 1) Has anybody experienced anything similar? 2) Has anybody who has experienced this, or somthing similar, gotten any favorable resolution through the dealer or SOA? 3) Has anybody who has experienced this, or somthing similar, figured out a fix that a good auto upholstery shop might be able to apply? Again for emphasis, this will probably have the most bearing cars with manual transmissions in combination with leather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringFellow Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 This may be more common on manual transmission, and perhaps even limited (no pun intended) to the leather - but for the past couple thousand miles I've been really annoyed by a popping feeling in the middle lumbar area of my driver's seat - to the point where I'm beginning to think of dumping the car. I spend over an hour and a half a day in that seat durning the week, and every time I clutch or have an acceleration or breaking related fore/aft weight shift I get this little 'pop' feeling behind my mid-lumbar region. I 've been moving my seating position all over the map trying to avoid it but no luck... I think the padding in the area has just compressed enought to make it more pronounced. (I'm 189 lbs - no tank, but not tiny either.) I can sense the same thing in the passenger seat but the padding is still resilient enough so that it isn't noticable unless you are actively trying to feel it. It sure sucks on the drivers side though. 1) Has anybody experienced anything similar? 2) Has anybody who has experienced this, or somthing similar, gotten any favorable resolution through the dealer or SOA? 3) Has anybody who has experienced this, or somthing similar, figured out a fix that a good auto upholstery shop might be able to apply? I just started noticing this and I have only about 6K miles on my car. It also depends on how I sit, but I do notice the "popping" feeling in the lumbar area some of the time when accelerating or braking hard. It seems like when it get hot in the car, I experience the problem more - maybe just when I have noticed it. I was planning on talking to the dealer about it when I bring it in for servicing. But unless you "know" the seat, it might be hard to have the tech "feel" the popping. As for dumping the car for this odd feeling in the seat, I doubt I would go that far. I have had other cars with seats that were just uncomfortable overall and I had to live with it. This is on an OB 2.5 XT Limited automatic model too..... -S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melayout Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 FYI, 20k miles on my cloth seats and not a single problem, except for my butt's imprint from all the launches. Mojo I keed I keeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastleRockLtdGT Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 My '05 LGT has the same issue in the driver seat and in the passenger seat as well. I sense it more in the driver's seat but that is about the only place I sit in the car. I experience it in all the same scenarios you do as well. I don't consider it a major problem but certainly an annoyance and have not brought it to the attention of the dealer...I've had plenty of other more important issues to bring to them. I have yet to attempt a fix myself And finally, I have a father in-law that works for SOA that handles customer complaints with Denver area Subuaru dealers and I will see him tomorrow (Memorial day) and I'm going to have him look at a couple items to see what he thinks, hears, sees, etc....this will be one item. My concern of course is that a different body in the seat will not elicit the same "pop". But hey, I have a 2000 VW Passat so I'm use to annoying issues way beyond what this Subie has given me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenzo Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 18000+ miles here and haven't experienced the problem you observed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boostjunkie Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 10k miles on my MT LGT Ltd. and no such problems. I find the seats more comfortable now than when the car was new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTLegs Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 get fat like me and youll just squish it down to where you wont feel anything!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avishar Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 I have a really annoying squeaking sound that happens whenever I press the clutch, but the dealer said they'll take care of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-2.5-GT Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 if this feeling is coming from inside the seat then something isn't right. i get a sound sometimes which is obvious plastic on plastic creaking, but the actual seat feels fine. I would look into it with the dealer, something sounds fishy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChE Outback XT Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 No problems in 15k on a non-LTD OBXT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 no issues here, how did you guys set up your lumbar support?? (150 lbs here, 20k miles, not a single problem here with my leather). Keefe Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 I read a post somehere that somebody had the lumbar mechanism replaced under warranty due to something similar. Moved to 'Warranty' section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeh19372 Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 And finally, I have a father in-law that works for SOA that handles customer complaints with Denver area Subuaru dealers and I will see him tomorrow (Memorial day) and I'm going to have him look at a couple items to see what he thinks, hears, sees, etc....this will be one item. My concern of course is that a different body in the seat will not elicit the same "pop". Have you ever asked him about the "phantom" clutch stink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb240sx Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I have the same problem in my Limited GT 5eat 1500mls (I'm 170lbs), I think I will take it to the dealer and see what they say. But I have a feeling their tech won't feel it and just send me on my way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPR3472 Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I have the issue with mine. It worries me that the seat might fall apart someday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringFellow Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I have the same problem in my Limited GT 5eat 1500mls (I'm 170lbs), I think I will take it to the dealer and see what they say. But I have a feeling their tech won't feel it and just send me on my way. John Exactly...the same old dealer response...."we aren't able to reproduce the problem". If anyone does get a response or a fix, please let us know. -S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jpkad Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Yes! I thought I was the only one noticing this. I swear it just started happening around the 10,000 mile mark for me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockinblue Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I thought it was only me, but I have the same plastic popping coming from the lumbar area of my CLOTH drivers seat. Only 4.5k miles here. I'm taking it into the dealer tomorrow to have it looked at (among other things). I'll keep you guys postsed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I'm having the same problem. I just noticed it at 5k. It's extremely annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockinblue Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 Exactly...the same old dealer response...."we aren't able to reproduce the problem". If anyone does get a response or a fix, please let us know. Well, I took the Legacy into the dealer yesterday and, no surprise, they were not able to reproduce the problem. I even talked with the tech and pointed out the spot where the popping was coming from. The tech took off the seat liner and poked around, but didn't find anything out of place. The service rep and the tech both went for test drives and didn't feel the popping. Guess I will have to wait until the popping becomes more regular before I take it in again. Since the cloth seats on the 2.5i seem to have the heating element installed (but no switches), I'm thinking the popping might be caused by the heating element? Does anyone with heated seats know if the heating element heats the lower back lumbar support area, or just the seat bottom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sphinx002 Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 Ok, yeah me too. Very annoying feeling. There isn't a sound, it's a feel and it's an odd feeling like something is wrong with the seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 Well, I took the Legacy into the dealer yesterday and, no surprise, they were not able to reproduce the problem. I even talked with the tech and pointed out the spot where the popping was coming from. The tech took off the seat liner and poked around, but didn't find anything out of place. The service rep and the tech both went for test drives and didn't feel the popping. Guess I will have to wait until the popping becomes more regular before I take it in again. Since the cloth seats on the 2.5i seem to have the heating element installed (but no switches), I'm thinking the popping might be caused by the heating element? Does anyone with heated seats know if the heating element heats the lower back lumbar support area, or just the seat bottom? The heated seats warm both the lower back and seat bottom, but I still think it has something to do with the lumbar mechanism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt_ltd Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 my 5eat is approaching 10k miles but no such problem, yet. This Space For Rent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 The heated seats warm both the lower back and seat bottom, but I still think it has something to do with the lumbar mechanism.Mine only does the seat not the back...hum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jri Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Hey group, I just discovered this thread, and have exactly the same problem as reported above... very annoying indeed. Has anybody had this repaired successfully? My dealership is trying, but has not succeeded yet... The first time I reported it to my dealer, they said nothing was broken, but a part was loose. This rectified the problem for about a month, but then it returned. At the next assessment, they said they had to order a new seat back frame, which they did (and replaced two weeks later). Again, the problem was gone, but has since returned. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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