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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
My wife and I have a problem diving our EXL for more than a half hour before our right leg in the hamstring area starts hurting. Does anyone else have this problem and found a cure? We tried adjusting the seat but can't seem to find a comfortable position. I know it sounds strange but we have driven many cars and never had this problem before.
 

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Sounds like the bottom seat cushion is tilted back too far, creating a pressure area on your hamstring. Have you already tried tilting it forward a bit to balance out the pressure on your rear end/legs?

You can google sites that talk about properly fitting your seat. I can't remember any of the sites I've used, but they pretty much start with getting the proper reach to the pedals, then balance that with the seat height, then the back angle and telescoping steering wheel for proper reach. Some of those sites have "troubleshooting" sections that talk about how to relieve certain discomforts.
 

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My wife and I have a problem diving our EXL for more than a half hour before our right leg in the hamstring area starts hurting. Does anyone else have this problem and found a cure? We tried adjusting the seat but can't seem to find a comfortable position. I know it sounds strange but we have driven many cars and never had this problem before.
having come from an older car that lacked the many degrees of seat adjustment (fore/aft, up/down, tilt, lumbar) and steering wheel adjustment that the ex-l provides, i'm amazed by the ability to customize the fit.

only wish for me, is for a less wide or more bolstered seat...seems it's designed for more plump american drivers.
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Odd1's wife here....I have tried adjusting the seat every which way....but still get pain in back of right thigh. I think that the seat does not go low enough. Even with the seat closer to the steering wheel, I still get the pain after 1/2 hour in the seat.
 

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Odd1's wife here....I have tried adjusting the seat every which way....but still get pain in back of right thigh. I think that the seat does not go low enough. Even with the seat closer to the steering wheel, I still get the pain after 1/2 hour in the seat.
This is a long shot thought -maybe something the dealer could do. I remember someone once talking about having some of the foam removed from the bolster area of the seat on a past generation Oddy. I wonder if come of the foam could be evenly cut away from the seat bottom at the front. I don't know how that would effect the heated seat, however. I have noticed that the seat bottom is higher than the gen 3 in the front but I don't get leg pain. I do automatically adjust it, if someone else has been driving, fully down in the front, too.
 

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having come from an older car that lacked the many degrees of seat adjustment (fore/aft, up/down, tilt, lumbar) and steering wheel adjustment that the ex-l provides, i'm amazed by the ability to customize the fit.

only wish for me, is for a less wide or more bolstered seat...seems it's designed for more plump american drivers.
My only problem on this as well as the previous 2 generations we have owned is that the drivers seat just does not have enough backward travel. I am only 6' 1'' but always feel cramped and cannot stretch out my legs enough - must be designed for short Asian drivers.
 

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I too have a problem with the seat but I bought a cushion pad to put underneath me and that seems to help. I just recently had a lower lumbar fusion (L5 S1) about nine months ago so having that extra cushion helps but I might need to have one custom made because I'm starting to feel that its not working as well as when I first bought the seat pad.
 

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Discussion Starter · #13 ·
Has anyone purchased a padded seat cover that fits over the driver's car seat to change the tilt on the bottom of the seat? If so, what brand and model and where bought?
Thanks for your input in advance
 

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I have been having trouble with the front seat adjustment since day one and I just found this thread. If anyone is still interested by this topic, here are a few thoughts.

First, let make clear that I have been driving for decades and I have never experienced any pain behind my thighs (hamstrings) before I started driving the Odyssey 2014 which I just bought. During the road test, I did notice that the back and sides of my legs seemed compressed and I did spend quite some time adjusting the seat, but I could not get a pain free position. I thought, with all these adjustments, I will certainly find a way to release the pressure once I take my time and look into this in more details.

Well, after quite a lot of experimenting, there is absolutely no way to adjust the driver seat to release the pressure. The left leg can wonder around a bit and I can deal with the pain and numbness by changing positions. The problem is the right leg which needs to stay relatively immobile for driving and therefore, the pain becomes unbearable after 20-30 min. My wife has zero problem with the front seats and she finds them rather comfortable.

As far as I am concerned, I don’t like the backward tilt, but I do believe it is only part of the problem. I think the main issue is the front edge being too hard (not enough give) and the lateral edges being way to high. I have a rather strong muscular built and my hips and thighs are hard and bulky. The Odyssey seat actually squeezes my thighs into the hallow that is created in the middle of the seat and that is where the pain seems to come from.

I tried filling up the hollow with a cushion and so far, it does help release the pressure. Maybe a wedge cushion would be better, but for now, I am experimenting with a regular 1/2” - 3/4” soft cushion. Here is where the pressure seems to be the worse (red) and the area were the cushion (green) lifts my buttocks and thighs out of the middle depression:

Car seat cover Vehicle Car seat Car Armrest

(Click to enlarge)

Let see if this helps in the long run... I certainly hope it does...

sylco
 

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I too am having thigh pain in what I feel are the gen4's very narrow seats relative tour recently sold gen3. The difference is it is the outboard or my left thigh that hurts after 15 minutes of driving.

Looking closely the front seats are not mirrored from their centerline. The outboard bolsters in the seat pan are taller harder and steeper than the inside bolster. I've resorted to putting my wallet in the less useful gen4 door panel but that outboard seat pan bolster smashes into my thigh. I can't imagine how wider drivers tolerate the front seat. Our 2005 ody had very comfortable seats but they were wider and my wife is the opposite. She weighs half what I do and prefers the gen4 seats.

Anyone else feel cramped in the gen4 front seat pan?
 

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I've noticed the same, my wife says I just have a big butt. Anyhoo.... wish there was a way to transfer the 2nd row seat to the driver's side and keep the heating elements intact, 2nd row seats are a lot more comfy.
 

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I have the same problem. My pain was really bad when I drove 20+ hours from Canada to Florida and back in our 2014. The seats are just down right uncomfortable. Never had this problem in our 2005 odyssey. My pain is in the hamstring and the buttocks. I learned to flex the hamstring and buttocks for about 20 seconds and then release. it allows for blood to properly flow to those areas and the pain somewhat subsides. I am 6'3" and fit perfectly in our 2005 yet in a 2014, something it amiss. They made the van bigger outside but smaller inside. Weird!

I am no doctor, but perhaps seeing a chiropractor and discussing some exercises which you can do during driving might do the trick.
 

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I cannot find a comfortable position either.

While I do not have pain, it does make my leg feel bit numb at times.

My belief is that the seat does not go low enough; hence, causing odd angle at the knee. Its neither passenger car like nor truck like - its in between at a odd angle. Clearly it has to do with my own height and proportions.

The seat is too wide and feels like sitting on a large chair than a car seat. I guess I have to bigger butt or something....
 

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This is very interesting. I find the seats in the Gen4 MUCH better than the ones in the Gen2 van. Partially because they are much stiffer (a la European cars) and also because they cradle you more than the old ones, which were wide and flat. I hated the old seats because they were like pillows and it reminded me of driving an old Buick.

That being said, my wife likes the seat HIGHER and I like it down lower but we each can find a comfy spot. Then again, I'm only 5'6", same as my wife so that probably makes all the difference I guess.
 
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