[GTO]

The SX4 does have poor lower back support. However, seat comfort is relative; some people may find no problems with the SX4's setup, while others (with more sensitive backs) find it hard to adjust.

Here's a solution : Sit in some other (preferably premium) cars and make a note of which car's seat you are most comfortable on. European cars generally have the most comfortable seats (though on the stiffer side). Then, take your SX4 to a seat specialist and ask for custom work on the driver seat. It will entail new upholstery, cushioning and a bill of about 4 - 6 K. But hey, it's the simplest solution to the problem.

Alternatively, you can retrofit an after-market seat onto your SX4. Plenty of options available.

[kutlee]

putting more foam can actually worsen the pain. Get a set of sport seats. They are stiff but offer excellent support for the body. You can throw the car around without the body feeling the strain. A good set will set you back by atleast 50k. But a good investment. Carry the seats to any new car. Getting the seats fixed to the floor at required height will require some DIY.

[avisidhu]

Thanks for the information GTO. I too face a similar issue, but in the ANHC. I got seat covers fitted for the car just recently but would like to add the cushioning and lumbar support since I too face lower back issues during long drives.
Is it possible to do so without damaging the seats, and keeping the seat covers intact?

[W@nnaR@ce]

well i have been driving sx4 since past 2.5yrs, Now I have developed severe back problem and yes it seems to be due to seating in sx4. I never thought my back problem will be related to sx4 seating but when a teambhpian discussed with me n shared that he too has developed back problem so it became certain that something is wrong with seats.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by maglev

Hi Guys,

I have been using my SX4 since July 2009, it started after 3 months of using the car. I began experiencing lower back pain (Lumber region).

.

There is a problem in the seat design in the SX4 ; I know of a person who got additional padding inserted in the seat back and bottom to sort the issue out

[dot]

@vigsom, it is not just seat design, it is also the poor quality of foam that is used in SX4. I had a chance to drive a SX4 for a couple of days in Cochin. The first impression is the extra softness of the foam. The body sinks in. While this feels nice initially, after a few kilometers, the back starts to hurt.

Later I was talking to a seat OEM. They said that biggest driver in car seat market is price not quality. While many European and Jap car manufacturers have stringent specifications on foam quality, several Indian manufacturers simply do the "press test". Press a few samples, the one that feels best by that particular executive passes the quality. Of course the lowest price will be the winner.

[james]

I did experience bad backache in my 5th or 6th month of sx4 ownership. But the backache vanished when i started usng a harder orthopedic mattress in my bed. So im pretty sure that in most of the cases the ache is caused due to the contour of the mattress and not the sx4's seat.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by dot

@vigsom, it is not just seat design, it is also the poor quality of foam that is used in SX4. While this feels nice initially, after a few kilometers, the back starts to hurt.

Press a few samples, the one that feels best by that particular executive passes the quality. Of course the lowest price will be the winner.

You can call it low foam density - typical of a Maruti.

One of the best seats I've sat in in a "Indian" car is in an Indigo Marina

Knowing Maruti and their focus to quality and reliability , i am sure they would not just limit their testing to a press test and individual subjectivity ;but yes,they would limit their spec to a lower density and pass it.

[maglev]

Thanks for the replies guys. I haven't been driving my SX4 for the past 10 days or so and my back does feel better. I any case I've found a guy by the name of Aditya from Autokraft aka Cult leather. He says he can add lumbar support to the seats for Rs: 1500/- per seat. If any of you has any idea about him or are aware of anyone else in the Delhi-NCR region then please let me know.

[maglev]

I finally went to Aditya @ Autocraft today. I had not driven my SX4 for almost a month, had been using dad's Octavia he on the other hand was using the SX4 with the chauffeur. I was given the following advice:

1. Its almost impossible to swap seats with any other car.
2. Its best to use as much of the original seat to get the modification done.
3. Changing any of the original foam is not possible as these pieces are made using dyes, thus all we can do is put additional stiffer foam wherever required.
4. Recaro or sports seats are an option but they'd end up being to low.
5. Maruti Suzuki uses lower density foam in India, which is the main reason for the extra softness of the seats. Other Japanese/Korean cars have almost twice the density and the Europeans have the firmest of seats.

(Any information on the above mentioned points would be highly appreciated)


After hearing all of the above and the reasons for these statments I agreed for seat modification. The Lumbar region modification was completed in about 45 minutes. I drove almost 30km (1+ hour drive) back home to South Delhi. Initially it felt great but my back started hurting upon reaching home. I've been told to drive the car for a few days and if required they'll do adjustments free of charge. Lets see how it turns out.



A few pics of the WIP:

[MAS]

This thread is an eye opener for me. I have been contemplating to buy a SX4 diesel. If the seat's design (rather lack of it) is going to create a health hazard, the it is a BIG no-no for the car.

MSIL guys.. Are you listening? Have any one of you guys written to Maruti about this?

[rajivanoj]

I get the same Hip pain in my lancer, but i have not seen any lancer owners complaining about it in forum, my cars seat have been worn due to its age (11 years), but i get severe pain in lower back , where the spine ends. i could not even bend after long drive , around 1 hour and more drive i feel pain

[maglev]

Originally Posted by MAS

This thread is an eye opener for me. I have been contemplating to buy a SX4 diesel. If the seat's design (rather lack of it) is going to create a health hazard, the it is a BIG no-no for the car.

MSIL guys.. Are you listening? Have any one of you guys written to Maruti about this?

I would be mailing Maruti in a day or two. Lets see what they have to say.

[rkbharat]

I am 46K km and 3 yrs, but never had this problem, once I felt severe back pain while coming back from chandigarh, infact twice, and second one was pretty bad. but it later turned out to be kidney stone, which was making pain while on long drives and bad roads

[Ragul]

Having experienced some amount of back pain when driving 2-wheelers as well, I have realized that seating may aggravate back-pain BUT only (or AND especially) in the cases where the individual lacks firm lower back and supporting muscles. I found myself blaming my 2 wheeler design (and the blasted engineers who made it) for many months, then after a week of corrective exercise lo behold! Suddenly it wasn't the bike's fault anymore.

So in many cases it likely our habit of blaming an external object while deflecting our minds from our own personal and real weakness.

I can only advise folks to please do one month of technically correct lower back strengthening exercises, improve drastically the period of time we hold our posture correctly, and observe if the tendency to blame the car diminishes.

Agreed some seating may aggravate a weak back, but we often run around in circles emptying our wallets on improving the seating while neglecting to
work on the real defect - our own Butts!!
--Ragul