Uncomfortable drivers seat

[VWJAY]

Having upgraded from a T5 3 weeks ago I'm struggling to get comfortable in my T6, In fact its unbearable after 20mins driving. I'm suffering from pain in the back of my right thigh, something I never felt in the T5 so much so I spent the day on the road in my old T5 yesterday

I've adjusted the seat every which way even getting a bit geeky and counting the number of clicks back and up on the T5 and adjusting the T6 to suit. It feels as if the pedals are higher in the T6 with my heel on the floor my toe is just touching the bottom edge of the throttle and I have to lift my foot onto the brake.

Im 6'2 and size 12 feet and the difference between vans is T5 manual & T6 Dsg
Has anyone else noticed this? Any thoughts on what I could try to alleviate the problem?

Its that bad I may have to consider chopping it in for something else or maybe trying a manual

 

[RattyMcClelland]

Odd.
Both my old t5 and current t6 are identical seating positions, identical seats apart material, identical pedals and seating space.

 

[DaveyB]

I'm 6'5" and find my seating position really comfortable. I have heard people say that they find the pedal position a bit high in the T6. Unfortunately I did not have a T5 so really have nothing to compare it to, other than the Audi A6 that I had before it; and let's be honest that's a case of comparing apples with oranges.

 

[YellowHound]

Personally I am finding the seats very poor and am actively looking to replace or modify them. I'm 6'3".

 

[Mojo80]

I have exactly the same issue with mine, although I'm 5'9 so perhaps more to be expected! I've set the seat to its highest, and have also just got used to it to a degree, with more driving, but will be interested to see if anybody has any solutions.

 

[Keeff]

This my first transporter but the seats are soft. I find after 15 minutes you drop down into the seat base and sit on the metal base . I only weigh 12 stone and 5' 6 tall . That are like the seats in my daughters Kia picanto . I have been told the t5 had a harder base . As for the feet you can just put down a few layers of carpet to help with the foot position

 

[Zave]

Having upgraded from a T5 3 weeks ago I'm struggling to get comfortable in my T6, In fact its unbearable after 20mins driving. I'm suffering from pain in the back of my right thigh, something I never felt in the T5 so much so I spent the day on the road in my old T5 yesterday

I've adjusted the seat every which way even getting a bit geeky and counting the number of clicks back and up on the T5 and adjusting the T6 to suit. It feels as if the pedals are higher in the T6 with my heel on the floor my toe is just touching the bottom edge of the throttle and I have to lift my foot onto the brake.

Im 6'2 and size 12 feet and the difference between vans is T5 manual & T6 Dsg
Has anyone else noticed this? Any thoughts on what I could try to alleviate the problem?

Its that bad I may have to consider chopping it in for something else or maybe trying a manual

I noticed the same when I test drove a manual, so then took a dsg out which I've ordered. If the pedals feel to high, which to me they do in the manual, you could may be try layering the floor mats to build up the floor.

 

[VWJAY]

I noticed the same when I test drove a manual, so then took a dsg out which I've ordered. If the pedals feel to high, which to me they do in the manual, you could may be try layering the floor mats to build up the floor.

Ha great minds I've just been out for a drive with a offcut of 12mm MDF velcroed to the carpet didn't help at all. I now believe the real problem is the seat, there's just no support under my thigh either the seat is to short or needs extra bolstering under my thighs
I may try swapping for the T5 seat

 

[DaveyB]

Ha great minds I've just been out for a drive with a offcut of 12mm MDF velcroed to the carpet didn't help at all. I now believe the real problem is the seat, there's just no support under my thigh either the seat is to short or needs extra bolstering under my thighs
I may try swapping for the T5 seat

I have seen a couple of vans that have placed an Audi S seat on the T6 base. These seats have better bolstering around the lumbar and seat pad, plus they have the extending bolster under the thighs.
You may well be able to get an upholsterer to build up the existing chair so it has some lateral support, but you probably won't be able to get them to install the thigh pad to the front of the seat pad.

 

[andys]

Might be worth merging the two threads, they've ended up at the same point. I found the T5 just as bad and fitted Audi 8 recaros which were very comfortable but I missed the armrests so I'm not sure I'd go down that route again

You may well be able to get an upholsterer to build up the existing chair so it has some lateral support, but you probably won't be able to get them to install the thigh pad to the front of the seat pad.

That's a shame, it's the most important change I'd want. What's the reason, safety or just technically difficult?

 

[VWJAY]

I'm really not keen on experimenting with different seats main reason being I've got a bulkhead and want to keep it, 'can of worms' springs to mind.
Never had an issue with my T5 and drove all over Europe in it. I have a race meeting in Magny Cours next month, 5 1/2 hours driving and at this point I'm seriously considering taking my T5! Two downsides to this
1. I have a brand new van
2. I'll have to leave my brand new van with my apprentice for a week

 

[Keeff]

If you want to tip the front of the seat up more than the adjustment will go then loosen the bolts holding the seat to the frame . Then put a few washers between the runners and frame at the front .It won't take to many as the nut needs to go all the way on .Because the front and rear fixings are close together it can make a difference. I have a seat cover so I have put a square of good quality foam rubber between the cover and seat to give better support . I think if the foam was better quality it would be OK . I had a new Renault when mine went in the body shop and that was lovely to sit in. My last transit custom wasn't to good and had the same problem with the pedals .

 

[zam]

Regarding the pedals I wish the accelerator reached all the way to the floor. I have had that in both my last MB and the BMW before that. I believe that's how the passat is as well. Not sure if that can be retro-fitted.

Fortunately the ACC is really good and let me do.most of my driving without touching the accelerator.

 

[PukkaT6]

The first day or so I found my foot aching however it seems to be fine now. I dont have any matts so will be ordering some soon.

My Mrs is 5ft 2 and her feet barely reach the floor ha

 

[Hughes2906]

I have seen a couple of vans that have placed an Audi S seat on the T6 base. These seats have better bolstering around the lumbar and seat pad, plus they have the extending bolster under the thighs.
You may well be able to get an upholsterer to build up the existing chair so it has some lateral support, but you probably won't be able to get them to install the thigh pad to the front of the seat pad.

Do you happen to know mate if this is pretty much a straight swap as I'm looking for options to change the drivers seat in my T6 as I find it uncomfortable and tried my luck with the seat from a mk6 golf but that didn't work so well as the seats were completely different

 

[DaveyB]

Do you happen to know mate if this is pretty much a straight swap as I'm looking for options to change the drivers seat in my T6 as I find it uncomfortable and tried my luck with the seat from a mk6 golf but that didn't work so well as the seats were completely different

I'm sorry but I don't know exactly what it entails. All I can report is that I have seen a couple of vans with front seats out of an Audi.

 

[andys]

Do you happen to know mate if this is pretty much a straight swap as I'm looking for options to change the drivers seat in my T6 as I find it uncomfortable and tried my luck with the seat from a mk6 golf but that didn't work so well as the seats were completely different

It's not a straight swap but it's doable. Depending on seat frame, it will need new holes drilling or preferably an adapter making from box section steel as the mounting holes will not line up. The reason I used Audi A8 seats was that all the controls for adjusting the seat and heating, plus the seat belt fastener, were mounted directly to the seat which is important if it's not a manual seat. I'll have a look and see if I have any photos anywhere from when I did my T5, though I know it was on a trip immediately after finishing that I destroyed my phone and lost a lot

 

[YESBOY]

Is the full electric carevelle seat different to normal kombi and vans as I've found ours comfortable and done 4 hour no stop journey's 5-11" 15st wife 5-6" 9st we both haven't found them uncomfortable
I have noticed the mat is wearing very bad where your foot is at such an angle after 5k

 

[andys]

This is all I've got left unfortunately, one work-in-progress and the pic I took to sell them on eBay.

 

[YESBOY]

Surely a seat this shape makes you sit too deep and thighs sits miles to high is that type of seat made for a low seating position where the T6 is upright legs at 90 degree which needs to have a flat base