Gen4 vs Gen5 seats - back pain! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

valnar · 02-19-2009, 01:02 PM

I had a 1998 LE V6 for 11 years and just recently traded it in for a slightly used 2006 LE V6. Everything about the "new" car is wonderful, as so I thought when I bought it.

Now that I've been driving it for a couple weeks, and even with constantly adjusting the driver's seat, I cannot get it comfortable. My back and sides hurt, and depending on how it is angled, my neck too. No other car I've driven, Camry or otherwise (friends, family, rental) have been this uncomfortable, so there is no question that it is the car seat. I've seen posts from others who are in the same predicament with the later Camrys.

I'm 6' 4".

I believe the problem is not in the bottom, angle or incline, but the way the back of the seat is arched. This cannot be controlled... I don't think my 1998 Camry was anywhere that crooked, it was more flat.

Two questions:

1) Can anyone with the means measure the differences (angles, lengths, etc) of a gen3 vs gen4 driver's seat - just the back?

2) I almost wish I didn't buy this car now because it is so uncomfortable. I'm willing to do anything to fix it. Can the seat be replaced with an aftermarket seat? Can the padding below the cloth be carved or molded differently? Or better yet, put a gen3 seat back on the rails!!

I don't care about losing the powered seat capability. My 1998 was a manual, and served me fine.

projectSXV20 · 02-19-2009, 04:07 PM

I think you can put any seat on, if you buy the necessary brackets.

valnar · 02-19-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by projectSXV20

I think you can put any seat on, if you buy the necessary brackets.

Do you have any linkage to other people doing that, or services who do? It almost sounds too simple.... can't be!

***ASG14*** · 02-19-2009, 10:07 PM

Your best bet may be to go to a shoo that specializes in Automotive interior stuff. they can add/remove/change the foam int he seat to what you'd like. My friend is going to be getting more foam int he side bolsters of his seats because he takes corners really hard. You will have to get new custom cloth put on for the shape though.

Additionally, I know for the Gen 2, 3, and 4 Camry, the Lexus ES front seats are a direct swap. there is a good change the Gen 5 is the same. If the ES300/330 has much better seats, you may be able to use those.

valnar · 02-20-2009, 05:07 AM

This is probably a shot in the dark without starting a new thread, but does anyone know somebody who does this in the Cleveland, OH area?

valnar · 02-21-2009, 01:25 PM

I found a car interior/upholstery guy and got myself an education. This may be common knowledge (sorry if it is), but it was news to me.....

Older car seats tend to use more frame support and less foam, which is why my older 1998 Camry was more "springy" and softer. Some newer car seats, of which the 2006 Camry falls into, use less metal support and harder foam to make up for it. This is probably the cause of my back problems - it indeed is a harder feeling seat.

I just checked my wife's 2001 Nissan Sentra - it has the softer/plush feel from what I remember about my 1998 Camry. I have no problem with her seats.

Apparently, this is a common direction for a lot of car manufacturers, not just Toyota. So I'll be hitting the junkyards and looking for older Camry seats. This guy can fit and reupholster them if necessary. This will cover me for the next 5-10 yrs on this 2006, but I'm screwed on my next vehicle purchase unless the manufacturers get their act together.

islandboy57 · 02-22-2009, 07:38 PM

That's interesting. I find the seats of my '05 Camry to be very comfortable. They're firmer than my mom's '95 Camry, which I prefer. My aunt has an '01 Sentra and I don't like the seats at all. The seats are too low and don't offer enough support. She has the XE though, so maybe it's better on the GXE or newer S models.

Anyway.. Good luck, I hope you can find a good combination that works for you

valnar · 02-23-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by islandboy57

That's interesting. I find the seats of my '05 Camry to be very comfortable. They're firmer than my mom's '95 Camry, which I prefer. My aunt has an '01 Sentra and I don't like the seats at all.

Wow, we're quite the opposite. It's too bad manufacturer's don't offer both kinds these days.

And Aloha braddah... I grew up in Kailua many years ago...

islandboy57 · 02-23-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valnar

Wow, we're quite the opposite. It's too bad manufacturer's don't offer both kinds these days.

And Aloha braddah... I grew up in Kailua many years ago...

Well, Asians tend to be on the shorter side - I'm 5'9" so that might have a bearing on seat comfort. What I really like is the lumbar support - a lot of older cars don't seem to have good lumbar support so my back starts getting sore.

Ehhh! Always nice to see Hawaii people here on TN

***ASG14*** · 02-24-2009, 11:30 AM

Ok, HERE is an interesting thing.

I was talking to my friend in Australia who has a Gen 4 Camry. He wanted the Gen 5 Sport seats. Well, he got them, and made a huge discovery yesterday......The seat rails from his Gen 4 seats were a direct bolt off/on swap to the Gen 5 seats he got.

Now, this is the first I ever heard of it (I know he's not lieing at all), and it;s in Australia. So I have no idea if it is the same here. But just throught I'd throw that out.

valnar · 02-24-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASG14

Ok, HERE is an interesting thing.

I was talking to my friend in Australia who has a Gen 4 Camry. He wanted the Gen 5 Sport seats. Well, he got them, and made a huge discovery yesterday......The seat rails from his Gen 4 seats were a direct bolt off/on swap to the Gen 5 seats he got.

That's good to know.... thanks. I hope to be doing the same, in reverse shortly.

Since your friend put seats in a gen4, it may not apply, but ask him if there was any issues with sensors. My gen5 has more sensors (I'd imagine) for things like airbags, so I want to know if that's an issue.

***ASG14*** · 02-24-2009, 12:59 PM

Hmmmmm.....If there are airbags, that CAN potentially cause an issue. I forgot about that.

Do you have side impact airbags? I know my mom's '05 Have a sensor in the pass seat to turn the pass airbag on/off. I'm not sure if the drivers seats has a weight reading sensor.....

And Like I said for the swap, he is the only one I know of to do this, and this is in Australia. So there is no guarentee it would work. I want to make sure you know that.

valnar · 02-24-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASG14

Hmmmmm.....If there are airbags, that CAN potentially cause an issue. I forgot about that.

Do you have side impact airbags? I know my mom's '05 Have a sensor in the pass seat to turn the pass airbag on/off. I'm not sure if the drivers seats has a weight reading sensor.....

And Like I said for the swap, he is the only one I know of to do this, and this is in Australia. So there is no guarentee it would work. I want to make sure you know that.

Yep, I'm aware. And I won't be doing the work myself either, but unless the person I hire works for Toyota (which he won't), no one is really a professional at this. It's always a chance.

I don't have side air bags, but the front bags have sensors too. I just don't know where they are, how they work, or what needs to be done when seats are changed. But thanks for letting me know about the rails. That's hopefully one stumbling block gone.