2006 LR3 Lumbar Supports?

[bwanajim]

I just took delivery of a new 2006 LR3 HSE. We have been having some trouble getting comfortable in the seats, and noticed that there is no lumbar support adjustment at all for either seat! The manual shows that there should be a switch on the driver's side for lumbar support, and a knob for the passenger. The 2006 SEs we saw have the knob and the V6s have knobs as well. But my HSE has nothing for lumbar adjust!

I'd like to hear from those of you who have 2006 HSEs on this. Seems to me like they just didn't manufacture the seats properly.

Thanks - Jim

 

[grommet]

Last weekend I saw an '06 HSE, and indeed... it doesn't have lumbar support adjustment on either side. And I don't think any of the other 2006s I've seen so far do either. You are not alone.

I think it's been "decontented." A quick glance in the '06 brochure and you'll notice there are no pictures of lumbar adjustment knobs (as seen in the previous '05 brochure) or lumbar adjustment switches (as seen on the RRS).

Since it was never advertised that I can remember, I guess nobody can complain?

 

[bwanajim]

It's too bad, and totally unconscionable in a $56k vehicle to remove a feature that's critical to your comfort and back health. They are making a big mistake on this. If I had known how uncomfortable the seats would be, I would not have bought the LR3 at all. It's great in every other way, but none of it matters when you get a neck ache after an hour in the truck.

This is my 5th Land Rover, and honestly if you gave me a choice for a long trip right now, I'd choose one of my Discos every time. The LR3 seats are really terrible - without the lumjbar support, your lower back sinks into the seats and those headrests push your head forward into a terrible position.

I have a great dealer (Land Rover Eastside in Bellevue, WA) and they are swapping in some seats with lumbar supports, but this decontenting is a stupid move on Land Rover's part. I hope it's an error and they make it right for owners.

Nobody can complain? Hehe, they will when they see thier bills for Tylenol shooting through the roof. I mean, these seats are literally PAINFUL!

--Jim Laurel
1993 NAS 110 #25/25
1996 Discovery SE7
1997 Camel Trophy Discovery (CT44)
1997 Defender 90 SW #170
2005 LR3 HSE (most uncomfortable of the lot)

 

[Freeflytim]

2005 LR3 HSE (most uncomfortable of the lot)

Yeah, but it'll run 90+mph all day!!!

 

[Joe]

Yes, there is a big difference losing the lumbar support. I'm not sure why they didn't just mold in a little bit of it since there is no adjustment. If your neck is really killing you, tilt the seat back, you should be fine.

I have a 05 HSE and I did notice the SE 06 rental was bothering my neck as others have complained. Reclining the seat worked for me.

 

[xray]

Funny, my wife and I drove a couple of LR3's today. We've owned three "pre-LR3" LR's in the last six years. First thing she noticed was the terrible lumbar support in the seats. She broke her back about ten years ago and seats make or break our enjoyment of any vehicle. Takes her all of about ten seconds to discern seat quality. There went my chance at an LR3. Read on...

Naturally, she hauled me over to the Rangey and we drove a couple of those too. Of course, they were exceedingly comfortable and, obviously, $84,000 wasn't too much to pay for a truck of such quality and comfort... "Look how good our Jack Russell looks with this interior!". Sheesh! The one she particularly liked had "special" seats that had an extra adjustment for the upper half - allowing her to tilt the top half of the seat forward or backwards while also adjusting the headreast height and angle...

C'mon, LR! Get your act together on these seats before we're all forced to double or triple mortgage our homes for those darn Rangeys.

Hmmm, maybe that's the whole point...

Luckily, our finances survived the day. We went home LR-less this time.

 

[Freeflytim]

Im 6' 190# and my seat position is 3/4 back, left foot on the dead pedal, seat front tilted all the way up, seat butt 25% off the floor, seat back 95% tilted forward. Head rested against the headrest. The seat looks like an "L." Steering wheel is lowered all the way and pulled back 1/3 from the dash. I only 'see' the tops of the gauges. My lumber is cranked all the way back.. I don't use it. Ive owned my truck for 6 months and besides everyday driving I drive 3 hours nonstop twice a week in it and I have no complaints about the seating in the HSE.

 

[Joe]

I didn't think that I used my lumbar either. Try driving one of these '06s for a while, something is different. 95% forward, that doesn't sound comfortable, but the reclined "L" sounds about right.

 

[bwanajim]

Yes, the reclined position is the only way to mitigate the pain. But my wife, at 5'4" loses the main thing she likes about Land Rovers: great visibility. She likes to be sitting up pretty straight, and the LR3 just won't allow it. What's funny is that the new headrests are designed to prevent whiplash. But everyone is reclining thier seats to the "low rider" angle just to get comfortable, which increases the distance from the headrest! The local upholstery shop is doing a booming business adjusting these things. They quoted me $450 per headrest to move them back.

Fortunately, we have a great dealer and they are installing some 2005 seats to take care of us. The lumbar supports really do make a difference. After that, I'll have the headrests moved and all should be fine. It's ridiculous to have to do this in a vehicle at this level. Also, checking the Range Rover, the seats are indeed more comfortable. They're comfortable for two reasons: The headrest doesn't protrude, and there are lumbar supports.

Those LR testers who approved these seats must have really bad posture.

--Jim Laurel

 

[askewed]

Here $11 and your problem is solved...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0446392308/103-2622064-4454269?v=glance

http://www.med.nyu.edu/people/J.Sarno.html