After anxiously awaiting for a month on my HLSD 2K2 SE, I finally picked it up yesterday. That wonderful engine bliss quickly melted away within 40 minutes as I drove home. My back iskilling me!!!

My shoulders and neck are so sore. The worst part is that the tension in my spine lasts for many hours after I get out of the car. I have taken about a half a dozen short trips now since getting it, and each time it is just as aggrevating.

I have owned many, many cars over the years and have NEVER had this problem. I have tried adjusting the 8 ways every which way. The lumbar support is in the wrong postion and too high, and I have tried all the tilt combinations. It seems the middle pad on the seat back sticks out too far, and the head rest is too far back. I hate the thought of being stuck in traffic in this car, which will be everyday for 40 minutes when I go back to work following my week off.

I checked previous old posts and someone else complained of this. I would like to get some fresh opinions and see if others have had similar experiences with sitting in their seats and what they have done to rectify it.

I'm seriously looking into aftermarket seats (RECAROS... any others?) but dread the pending connectivity nightmare. Getting rid ofmy Max now is obviously out of the question for the time being, but then again, so is the back pain. TIA

 

take awhile to get used to it

 

Welcome home. Please join the club for those here who have seen the light:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....threadid=60533

 

glue pillows to your seat..solved

 

Damn Leadfoot, that really sucks

I have enough trouble just sitting in a Gen5 w/o my right leg either hitting the center hvac/stereo stack thing, or hitting the steering wheel. That alone keeps me out of the car.

I have back trouble in my Accord V6 too - got really bad after awhile - but then I finally found the "magical" seating position where everything was perfect. No problems after that.

If/when you do find the magical seating position, do not let ANYBODY move that seat unless you have memory seating (not sure if the 2k2 does or not). I let me gf drive my car and she moved the seat up since she's a lot shorter. It took me another damned month to find the magic again after that and I was wondering why my back pain was back!

It doesn't help that I drive a lot - sounds like you do too. Anyways, I hope it works out for ya. Just try to be patient and make adjustments little by little and you'll probably find the magic seating position eventually

 

Sweet spot Haha i feel you on that.

 

anyone else thinkg unergonomic isnt a word?

 

My 4th-gen driver's seat (power adjustable) is very comfortable. I can drive for hours at a time with no problem. I was amazed at how comfortable the Maxima seats are after I had to drive a Taurus rental car for 6 weeks a few years ago (talk about really uncomfortable seats- that car is king). Maybe your seat isn't adjusted properly.

 

Leadfoot,

Your the fourth person who complains about the "new and improved" 2002 seats.

Could it be Nissan did something wrong?

 

naw...couldn't be. Nissan doesn't do anything wrong.

 

nope. I think they are the comfiest seats ever. All other cars are bad for my neck and upper back.


edit: it could be due to non-car related seating/sleeping problems, and only manifested in sitting in the car? Or maybe you can adjust the seat a different way.

 

Another reason why the 4th gen rules! Drove to Florida from Boston and was perfectly comfortable the whole way.

 

nothing wrong with the 4th gen seats other than the fact that they were made for someone who weighs 200lbs more than me, aftermarket seats are eventually gonna come because i don't stay in my seat when autoxing or even during spirited driving!

 

i spend a lot of time in my max and think the seats are very comfortable--i guess it just depends on the person

 

I like the 4th gen seats. The 2002 I am getting used to except the headroom is tight, and yes lumbar support not quite proper. Getting used to it. The butt warmer and heated steering wheel works great.

 

I weigh 115 lbs, and I still think they be comfy!

 

Maxima seats rate poor - fair. True.
Your back hurts. True

Therefore, the Maxima seats are the cause of your back pain. That can't be determined, there is most likely no causal relationship whatsoever. Proof would be the many responses who say their seats are fine. That doesn't change the fact that Maxima seats are poor - fair, just makes it very unlikely that the car is to blame. If you sit in a Volvo S80, it's doubtful that your back would get better.

Best bet is to see your physician to make sure nothing is wrong. Whenever there is pain, your body is telling you something. He may ask you to try Motrin first, and then a prescription NSAID. Be careful if he/she prescribes Vioxx, many insurance plans require a prior auth.

 

wow your response minds me of my statistics class

 

WOW RedMax thats exactly what i was thinking!!

 

LIME: You've got a 4th gen Max, right? I think based on opinions here they are more comfy, I seem to remember reading somewhere that for the 5th gen, they changed suppliers. According to the brochure I was supposed to get perforated leather seats, but they are not perforated.

SteVTEC: I hope you're right with the "Sweet Spot" theory. I was kinda hoping the entire driver's seat would be THE sweet spot. I do have memory seats, I'll reserve both spots for me and will alternate as I find good positions.

black019 Sorry, but "thinkg" isn't a word either. I was just trying to convey the meaning as short as possible, hence (here we go again).... un-ergo.

Frank Fontaine I never took statistics, but I sense a flaw in your reasoning. I have no real chronic history for painful back problems. The backpain I'm experiencing came at a time immediatelty after I got into this Max. I drove a Jimmy for 2 years (still do) with no complaints.

I drove a Neon for 60 hours from Toronto to Jackson's Hole (sp?) WY and back no problems.

I toured on a Chrysler Concorde from Grand Canyon through Utah / Nevada / Death Valley / Monterey and on to SF / Napa with no problems,

I could go on listing many recent memorable road trips on different cars including a mini van (sorry, no Volvo S80) but I think you get the idea.

I can only conclude that the 2k2 Maxima seats A) are a poor fit for me B) aren't as good as the ones in other cars I've driven and C) are the cause of my backpain.

BTW: I sit in an office chair for 8 hours a day with no pain either.

 

There's no doubt in my mind that Maxima seats are poor to fair. I've had both my lumbar mechanism replaced and my seat cover replaced, so I've seen what lies beneath. Hey, wasn't Michelle Pfeiffer cute in that film? I've removed the seats from 3 Volvos, the oldest being a 1979. The '79 Volvo seats are of higher quality than the 98 Maxima. Volvo is so serious that they make a factory part to restore the seat when they start to sag, which happens after about 10-15 years of use.

The lumbar support is a joke--it's a piece of metal which presses against the foam with a lever. Anyway, pain is a very difficult thing to diagnose. Normally it goes Xray, MRI, ultrasound, bone scan, etc, and so forth to see if anything is out of whack. There can be nothing out of whack and yet a person still feels pain. It's possible that the Maxima is causing you pain as you say, but it may be something specific to you since it's not causing other people the same. You may want to see your doctor for the heck of it, because these things often are unexplainable and begin very suddenly.

 

I dunno. The seats in my '89 GXE are just fine.Very cumfy.

 

Doesn't apply to 3rd gens ...

I've got a 95 SE, and I agree ... the seats in my Escort Pony are more back-friendly.

But everyone is built differently and the seats fit differently. For some, it'll be perfect but for others ... you might find a sweet spot if you keep trying, otherwise I'd just adjust the seat whenever I start feeling a sore creeping up.

Maxima seats are like bowling ***** ... but with foam cuishioning. Not all fit right

 

Hey Erica, you need to put a link to the .org on your website.

 

Dear Quasimodo: Yeah, the max seats are not the best - or the worst. I had backache problems with my racecars until I was clued in by a pro. Set your seatback and steering wheel so you can rest both wrists on the top of the steering wheel at thew same time while belted in - then drive. As far as the lumbar support - if you can feel it you have dialled in too much. PS - the Recaros in my van hurt me more than my stock Max seats.

wdave

 

I also don't have any complaints about my 4th Gen ('97 SE), except when I'm driving for a really long time, but I guess that just means I need to get out and strech.

Another note, if you have Leather seats, it is my finding that the black leather is stiffer than tan leather. I sat in my friends '97 GLE and damn, her black leather seats are hard. My tan leather in my SE is nice and soft. Don't know if this is also true in the 5th gen.

Another small OT note, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has the most comfortable seats that I have ever sat in. When I was at the Philly Auto Show, I sat in one. Very nice seats...I probably could fall asleep in those seats. I wonder if they're interchangable.

Later guys, and good luck with finding the "sweet spot" Leadfoot!
-Nick

 

can't say i really experience back pain, but neck pain from having nothing to put my neck against,, and i hit my head on the roof whenever i hit a bump(more neck pain),,,also forget about having gelled hair or anything. my left knee likes to turn the blinker on sometimes too, and the right one is pushed pretty hard in that little corner where the edge of the radio meets the steering wheel console thing (official title)... btw i'm 6'6" and 17, still growing unfortunately.

-brett

 

guess no one liked my solution

 

okay
i think 4th gen seats suck bad. It may just be the GXE seats.. the SE seats were more sporty. My 98 GXE seats totally suck. After driving about 2 hours straight, my lowerback starts to kill me, they lack any support. The seats in my 93 SE were 10 times better, (much like a lot of other interior components ) they held really well, you just sunk right into the seat and stayed there... they rocked. I am hoping that if/when i get some leather it will help out a bit..

 

Try driving a 4th gen, I have no problems with signal or anything other than the ebrake handle when pulling it up, and byt the way I am 6'9". I don't really fit in the 5th gen very well.

At my size I expect that almost any car I get in to is going to have uncomfortable seats, sucks being tall at times.

 

You guys aren't making the 2K2 BMW versus Maxima decision any easier for me with talk of "fair to poor seats" in the new Maxima. The sports seats in the BMW are fantastic, and I can get them in a clothe/leather combination!!!

The seats in my 97 are not too bad, but just as others have mentioned, they could use a lot more side bolstering.

Leadfoot - Check out this website: http://www.recaro-nao.com
Look at the "Style" and "Sport" seats. They look like real good options, have adjustable lumbar and a thigh extension on them. If for some reason I decide not to purchase a new car, I will put a set of these in my 97.

 

My 4th generation drivers seat fits me like a glove and I've had it 5 years now. People sometimes ask me why I like my Maxi....other than the obvious... I always tell them "It just fits me right". Now, my wife's Pathfinder? Talk about backaches.....this one kills me. I don't drive it.

Just my thoughts.

 

Again, I don't even think a BMW E46 can be compared to a Maxima, because there is nothing about a Maxima that will be better than a 330i or Ci. If you have the money, get the BMW. I'm thinking of taking a used '97 M3 out for a test drive. Even though it may be a grand or so more than a 2k2 SE and have about 70,000 more miles, there is simply no comparison. It is not realistic for most of us to spend 51k on a car (E46 M3). It doesn't boil down to a monthly payment for me, it's more a question of whether or not I could spend or save $28,000 elsewhere. To tell you the truth I'd rather have a '99 M3 than a 2002 330Ci, there is no comparison performance-wise. Unfortunately there is a part of our brain that wants the latest-greatest look, and it is a very expensive look too.

 

I've rolled up some 1/8 HD foam to a thickness of 1/2 inch or so and made a pad to go in my lower back area, just above the seat for additional support. It seems to help for short periods.(I don't know about long periods.)

I will probably look into some local re-upholsterers, to see if they can remove some of the mid back padding and add some more at the bottom. and tyhen cover it up again. I want to maintain the factory look if at all possible so it's consistant with the other seats.

AUTOBAHN: Thanks for the Recaro USA link. I only saw the German one. Will look at local delaers if I need to escalate this.

RedMax95: I'm not far from your solution for pillow pads. ( see above) Just not crazy about the glueing parts. It's already bad enough that my friends know I got this $36,000 CAD car and let alone have them see mee with all sorts of pillows on my seats... just wouldn't sit well you know, so to speak.

wdave I'm going to try the psotion that you suggested today! Thanks for the tip and I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks all & I welcome more tips!

 

i was kidding but it would be a novel idea

 

Try this:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/obus.htm

j/k

I like this phrase:
However, on a more serious note, individuals with pacemakers should never use the powered Driver's Seats. Persons with other health issues should also check the safety instructions.

 

I thought he was kidding too. Pillows usually will prevent the pelvis from making contact with the seat, putting the pressure on the hips. It's not sensible to modify a 2k2 seat imho.

Like I said, Volvo has replacement foam and also the wire webbing, but that's for 10-15 yrs of wear. You wouldn't go to such extremes with a new car.

One more idea: How about the seat position, could it be set in an awkward fashion? Though the Maxima is quite tame in the amount of rake the bottom has--check out the power seats on an Alero.

I'll only say it this last time because one can only give so much advice--tell your physician that your car seat is giving you back pain. See what he/she says.

 

Frank Fontaine Thanks for you in put again, Frank. I agree with you and modding seats is something I'll reserve for later. Funny you should mention it, I had no problems with a rental 2001 Alero or 2001 Malibu.

I will see my doc! Although I will know what he'll say... take these muscle relaxants and check out a 330i instead. :-(

Amazing2 Thanks for the Obusforme link. I'll go check them out of at the local Canucki Tire. Do you have one?

 

Here again, I thought this was just me! Going from my 2k1 to my 2k2, I found most features of the new seats better except the lower back seemed to jut out too far. I've had the car for about 6 weeks now and I have "adjusted" to it to some degree. However, I still feel a little stiff after my 45 minute commute; thank goodness for the seat heater!

I have to admit I thought to myself "what have I done" after getting out of my 2k1, because those AE seats were perfect for me. These new ones are taking some getting used to! And I do miss the perforated leather.

At the end of the day, I think the extra length and redesigned headrests are an improvement. But even my kids (two teenage boys) complained about the change in the back seats. Goes to prove some change is for the sake of change and not always better. That is the one thing about this 2k2 that I've had the most difficulty with. I'm hoping that as time goes on, my body adapts and I'll be ok.

Will be interesting to know what happens with the 2k3 seat design!!!

 

Try sitting in an 89 SE. I test drove the 2k2 and spent about an hour in the car and felt like I was in heaven compared to the washboards Nissan calls seats that came in my SE...
I believe in the "sweet spot" theory.
Also, check ebay for seats that are cheap and reclinable. You can find good deals on racing seats there. Brackets can be custom ordered from several sites. I think sales.com will make them but I'm not sure if they will do it for seats you didn't buy from them. Search around, someone will make you brackets...