According to Dealer - No More Lumbar Adjustment

[Michael]

I was at the Land Rover dealer last night, and while looking at the LR3, I couldn't find the lumbar adjustment. I had remembered the V6 model having a knob, while V8 versions have a rocker switch. The dealer said there was none. In fact, he said in '06, it was removed from all models after the side airbag was redesigned.

I don't know about how other people feel about this, but I'm not sure I would ever buy another car without a lumbar adjustment after owning vehicles with them. It makes the difference between a seat you can sit in for perhaps an hour (or less), and one which you can sit in all day. Everyone's back is different, and to assume that “one seat shape fits all” is ludicrous.

In fact, it's ludirous that the LR marketing department decided to “decontent” the V6 and SE seat bases to the point where the front of the seat base can’t be angled up or down. People’s legs are different lengths, and you need to be able to angle the base to get proper thigh support. If they wanted to make the adjustment manual for decontenting, then fine. At least, it could be adjusted. Better yet, decontent something not related to driving comfort of the person buying the vehicle, such as a leather covered shift knob, or chrome bezels around the gauges.

ATTENTION AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER MARKETING DEPARTMENTS: Don’t decontent items which affect comfort, and/or the ability to drive the vehicle over long distances.

Michael

 

[grommet]

Use search; it's been covered. 2005 has an analog knob on the side, not a rocker switch. The 2006 documentation shows a rocker switch... which doesn't exist. So, for 2006... if you must have it, you need to buy a RRS or RR.

I (personally) can't tell much difference... the 2006 seems to be permanently dialed-in about the "middle" of my 2005 knob setting. So, for me... I wouldn't miss it. But it was a dumb thing to remove...

There is a chance it'll return in 2007... electric, like the flawed 2006 manual shows. But don't bet on it.

FYI: The 2005 V8 SE models didn't have an 8-way driver seat adjustment (like the HSE), either... (no front "up and down")... but they added it in 2006.

Welcome to the magical world of automobile product management...

Edit: Early V6 2006 models did have the adjustment knob like 2005.

 

[woodmews]

My 06 v6 LR3 has a lumbar adjustment

 

[grommet]

Sorry, forgot to mention it. The earliest 2006 builds for North America had it... and those were mostly (or all) V6 models. It has since disappeared.

 

[san6279]

And you're just talking about the knob (manual adj), correct, not the electric switch that my manual shows?

 

[grommet]

Yes, knob.