Lumbar support on Seatback broke today...

The lumbar support on the seatback broke today...

Sitting in the car, I was reaching into my pocket to get my keys, as I pushed back to get my hand in my pocket, I felt the lumbar support snap.

Reading previous posts by WXRAY and RUTCHARD, I knew this to be an existing problem.

I took the seatback off and found the left side "s" hook, that actuates the mechanical lumbar broken. It looked pretty thin and I guarantee there will be MANY broken out there. Not wanting to go back to the dealer I replaced the thin "s" hook with a heavier hog ring.

By using the shorter hog ring I now have increased lumbar support.

 

Any others broken out there?

wow - that easily? mine will be broken soon then. love the ruby red by the way.

I see you guys have the LGT, I have not sat in one but the lumbar support on my 3.6R is an air bladder with some sort of pump I believe. I'm guessing from your description, your support is on a lever or crank and is more of a solid type? Is that right? Just wondering if it's something I have to watch out for myself or we have different set-ups?

i thought mine felt like something being filled with air, but i have no idea. it's controller by a switch just like the power seat, not a lever. so i dunno.

Peaty & bradykp

The lumbar on all Subaru pwr seats is mechanical, not air bladder. There is a motor that pulls a cable that forces a bar forward that gives lumbar support.

Interesting it really feels like an air bladder but this is the first scooby I've had that has a lumbar that is electronically actuated VS a lever.

yepper, motor and cable. Dealership replaced my whole seat frame under warranty, but I did have a feeling it was that dinky little s-hook.

Rich-Unless they installed an "ungraded" "s" hook with the new seat frame, it will most likely break again. - If so, I know that you can put in a stronger hook. It took all of 10 min. The panel easily comes off by removing 2 screws on the bottom (under the cover), then lifting up.

i have thought about looking to see if there's an upgraded part in the new seat, but I haven't gotten around to taking it apart yet. Bigger things to worry about right now

I can definitely feel the cable in mine. It pulls tighter more on the one side like if you were pulling a single string tight, its not going to ever gain tension evenly without more friction points unlike this design.

nadracer: your comment is interesting because after mine broke I was getting "some" lumbar support, but only on one side.

There is a possibility that it could be broken and some drivers would not even know it.

mine just broke over the weeked, what was the turn over time in getting it fixed?

mine just broke over the weeked, what was the turn over time in getting it fixed?

Took two trips to the dealership for me. First one they diagnosed the problem, then had to order parts which took a week or two, then the second appointment took a few hours to replace the seat frame.

thanx rutchard, u didn't ask if it is prone to breakig again did you? it's still under warrenty now, but what about for future failures?

 

bottom line is if it does break again, is it comming out of my pocket?

if it breaks again, heads will roll, lol

 

I know I could replace the faulty part like Rob mentioned in the first post, but I kinda want Subaru to see they screwed up. If dealing with them becomes too much of a hassle, then I'll fix it myself.

Took two trips to the dealership for me. First one they diagnosed the problem, then had to order parts which took a week or two, then the second appointment took a few hours to replace the seat frame.

Did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. The service guy did tell me that the tech added some reinforcement to the attachment point when it was rebuilt.

im hoping he did..

 

Did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. The service guy did tell me that the tech added some reinforcement to the attachment point when it was rebuilt.

 

i asked mine today and he said

 

"i dont want to say yes, and i dont want to say no... this may be a fault from the manufacturing, or just a isolated failure"

 

blah blah blah... i dont like talking to sales advisors, i like to talk to mechanic damn it, but whatever...

Wow, interesting to hear of so many breakages. Just FYI, here's my original post: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/inside-2010-legacy-seat-and-lumbar-adjustment-128157.html

 

I added length to the adjustment because I wanted it softer. When someone saw my pictures, they were worried about "my" s-hook I added. Well, it isn't "mine" in the picture, it is the actual factory hook. I added a piece of chain, not shown.

 

It does all seem a bit rinky-dink.

^^ i did look at ur pics and this is why i brought it to the service advisor. what a cheap looking system...

 

EDIT: looks like the cable could work itself out of the hook, that braket could bend and eventually break, but that all i can see through ur pics. how did the otehr side look?

Well mine broke last week, called dealer and asked them to order a left seat frame as the cable for the lumbar is no longer attached, they said I have to bring it in anyway. After an hour and a half at the dealer they said they have to order a left side seat frame and will send a postcard when it arrives.

 

I did speak at length with the service adviser about what the problem and he said this is the first one they have seen. Seems like a bad design.

^^horrible if you ask me, mine broke twice already. i am afaid the next time will be out of my pocket.. >8^(

Mine just broke too. Bought in November 2009 and got 14.2K miles on it now.

 

Same thing; got back in the car after getting gas, just sat down like normal and SNAP followed by me sinking back into the seat some since I had the lumbar pretty much all the way extended. Service is closed on Sat/Sun at my dealer so will call them Monday I guess and try to schedule something. I'm dreading this because it takes 2 weeks or more just to get an oil change there.

 

I will admit that I am big: 6'-3" and 240 lbs. Still I've never broken a seat or chair in my life.

 

I'm also trying to sell my car and even though it is under warranty it doesn't look good to a buyer and feels cheap.

My lumbar just stopped working - doesn't do anything. For those with ones that broke, did the motor still run?

yeah, the motor still made whirring noises while doing nothing. but the lower back section of the seat sunk in quite a bit too, from the cable snapping

Mine just broke too. Bought in November 2009 and got 14.2K miles on it now.

 

Same thing; got back in the car after getting gas, just sat down like normal and SNAP followed by me sinking back into the seat some since I had the lumbar pretty much all the way extended.

 

I will admit that I am big: 6'-3" and 240 lbs. Still I've never broken a seat or chair in my life.

 

Not to pry or be offensive, but I'm very curious as to the heights and weights of people that have broken theirs. SOA seems to design for, uh, smaller folks