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New Owner - Leather Seat Lower Back Pain Question

ripto

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Hello all. I just purchased a new leftover 2017 Mustang GT Premium yesterday and I have a question about the seats.

I am coming from a 2012 Ford Focus SE with cloth seats. This Mustang has the leather heated/cooled seats. During my multiple test drives of the Mustang, the seats were fine. Of course, after I leave the lot and get home, I notice I have some lower back pain. I have tried to adjust the seat to alleviate it but I just couldn't seem to just yet. I am wondering, could it just be a case of new seats needing to be broken in? I don't remember having any issues with my Focus cloth seats but I know leather is generally tougher. I have tried sitting closer, higher, lower, leaning forward, straight up, leaning back, no lumbar support, full lumbar support. I feel no lumbar support is too much support still, but I've never used it before and wonder if I do need to actually put some in there.

I hope this is just temporary. Appreciate any info.

Thanks.
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Indylatenight

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Hello all. I just purchased a new leftover 2017 Mustang GT Premium yesterday and I have a question about the seats.

I am coming from a 2012 Ford Focus SE with cloth seats. This Mustang has the leather heated/cooled seats. During my multiple test drives of the Mustang, the seats were fine. Of course, after I leave the lot and get home, I notice I have some lower back pain. I have tried to adjust the seat to alleviate it but I just couldn't seem to just yet. I am wondering, could it just be a case of new seats needing to be broken in? I don't remember having any issues with my Focus cloth seats but I know leather is generally tougher. I have tried sitting closer, higher, lower, leaning forward, straight up, leaning back, no lumbar support, full lumbar support. I feel no lumbar support is too much support still, but I've never used it before and wonder if I do need to actually put some in there.

I hope this is just temporary. Appreciate any info.

Thanks.
When you adjust the lumbar support, do you feel the support actually move? I ask because I have 3 herniated discs in my back and I find the seats in the Mustang the most comfortable seats I ever had in a car. Sometimes when my back starts acting up, I actually take the car out for a drive with the heated seats on high and along with the lumbar support it actually eases my pain.

Make sure that you have the seat adjusted so that your legs comfortably reach the pedals so that you don't get the under leg strain too. Good luck man, I feel your pain.
 
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ripto

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When you adjust the lumbar support, do you feel the support actually move? I ask because I have 3 herniated discs in my back and I find the seats in the Mustang the most comfortable seats I ever had in a car. Sometimes when my back starts acting up, I actually take the car out for a drive with the heated seats on high and along with the lumbar support it actually eases my pain.

Make sure that you have the seat adjusted so that your legs comfortably reach the pedals so that you don't get the under leg strain too. Good luck man, I feel your pain.
Thanks for the reply. Oh yes I definitely feel it move, and it gets really hard. I just wonder how much I actually should have on. I have a pretty curved spine at my lower back so I would have thought I could take a lot of lumbar support but putting even just a little support seems to put strain on me. I am thinking it is a combination of being in this style seat and it just being new. Sitting at my desk here at work, when I lean back I feel relief so I will try moving the seat closer to the wheel but leaning it back a little more and see how that works. I really hope I can find the sweet spot.
 

DropTopBob

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I’ve had around 25 cars in my 50 years of driving and had back and/or leg pain adjusting to most of them in the initial weeks. However my 2017 Mustang has been adjustment and pain free. At 68 something hurts everyday but sitting behind the wheel is a place of comfort and bliss!
I truly hope your pains will diminish as your body adjusts.
 

Triton54

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I agree with DTBob, within 3 weeks of taking delivery, I drove non- stop to Indy, stayed a night and drove back, my body sort of adjusted, and I shifted around a bit, on occasion, now car has almost 4000 miles, and I, and the driver seat get along really well....
 

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Armen

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In addition to adjusting the seat, also try adjusting the telescoping steering. You never know what combo may help.
 

White_GT_CS

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I've had the exact same issue with back-seat pain.

I ended up purchasing a seat cushion which made the pain disappear. Best $50 investment ever.
 

michail71

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I'd suggest seeing an orthopedic doctor or a PT. Back pain is usually from muscle imbalances in the glues, hamstrings, etc. or tight hip flexors.

Unless it's a disk issue the problem isn't the back, it's usually the back having to compensate for something else that is off in the body.

Although I do have to be careful getting out of the car as sometimes I can put too much torsion on my knee when I can't get that giant door fully open.
 

control4userguy

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I'd suggest seeing an orthopedic doctor...
Not so good a path. Most Orthopods will want to go to surgery. First step is to see a PM&R doctor who can prescribe the necessary diagnostics and read those results.
 

wanted33

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My wife feels your pain ripto. With nerve damage in her back from a car accident the seats in her '18 GT give her some problems also. Right now she's hoping the seats will break in to the point she will be fine. She's had seats in other cars break in enough in the past. If that doesn't happen I will take the car to the local upholstery shop so he can design a cushion that will help her out. She's uses a cushion that takes care of the problem when riding in my '06 GT. Good luck, I know from her problems what you're going through.
 

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michail71

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Not so good a path. Most Orthopods will want to go to surgery. First step is to see a PM&R doctor who can prescribe the necessary diagnostics and read those results.
I have a non surgical sports ortho I see regularly plus a few friends that are PTs. The sports orthos are very different. I train hard and do OCR races. So I'm always repairing my body. :)

But most of the time back pain can be fixed through a proper strength training program.
 

Rock&Roll

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If you have back pain from sitting down, you need to do more than just sit down.
^^^^ this ^^^^


Most back pain is due to lack of muscle around the spine. Go to a physical therapist and learn what exercises you need to do to strengthen the muscles around your spine. It’s a long term fix that will improve your quality of life if you work it.
 

michail71

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If you have back pain from sitting down, you need to do more than just sit down.
At 37 I was starting to turn into a mess and then I started a good strength training program. It doesn't take more than 3 hours a week. But it does take long term commitment.

Now at 47 I can run circles around most 20 somethings!
 

Lorne34

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I owned a 2016 coupe with the Premium Leather interior. I could never get comfortable in them and had back soreness after long trips over 1 hour. To me the premium leather seats seemed too soft (like a plus leather sofa) and the lower back support just was not there, even with the electronic lumbar support- which always felt awkward.
I traded mine in for a 2017 vert with the california special package which comes with the leather trim but alcantara cloth inserts. The seats feel very firm and I have no issues now.
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