Unconfortable Seats on 03 Corolla S

[vick]

Hello all,

Please help me out. My 03 Corolla front seats are unconfortable. The thigh support is short, it seats too high and does not have side supports. After 10 min. of driving I get lower back pain. Thinking to replace the seats with aftermarket or 05 XRS seats. Any ideas? Has anyone got his/her front seats replaced/

Thanks a lot!

[Corolla_Dude]

Hey their I have an 2002 Toyota Corolla and the drivers seat is very unfortable.
I am taking it to an uphostery shop to build up the foam.

Try their maybe they can build up the thigh support and save a couple of dollars

[LonelyDriver]

i've heard the xrs seats are excellent and they should bolt right on. but it'll cost you a lot to get a set.

[vick]

I have tried the XRS seats, they were little bit better. The problem with my and the XRS seats are that they both sit too high for me. They possition too high. Next Sunday I'm going to check out the Corbeau sets. These are English seats but has French name. They are between $350 to 400 each. They come in R and L seats and are being sold as a pair.
If you come-up with more ideas, please let me know.

I'll bring back my reviews for the Corbeau seats.

Thanks again!!!

[Excidium]

I was just driving an 03 CE last week for 3 days while my 05 was in the shop again. And the seats in the 03 are less comfortable than the 05's. The 05's are more supportive. XRS seats on the other hand are much more comfortable still!

[rolla-XRS]

yeah they chagned the seat material in 05 for all Corolla models - likely based on customer recomendations.

[Raddman]

Originally Posted by rolla-XRS

yeah they chagned the seat material in 05 for all Corolla models - likely based on customer recomendations.

I checked the 05's out at the auto show in march and the only change about the seats that I noticed was the seat position control went from a knob to a handle...What do you mean Rolla that the seat material was improved?( the crappy black felt look was exactly the same as mine) Really..everything inside looked the same as my 03 except for the radio and seat position control...tell me more and is there anyway I can buy an aftermarket padded arm rest in black, the only one Toyota stocks is the LE gray arm rest for $130 by the way nice talking to you again...Radd Guy...

[rolla-XRS]

I understand that they used different/better material and foam between the 03/04 cars and the 05 corolla.

Unfortunately I don't know much about the arms and availability. If I was going that route, I'd probably rip the seats out and replace them. Hummm....would a La-Z-Boy recliner fit?!

Nice chatting with u 2.

[Raddman]

Originally Posted by rolla-XRS

I understand that they used different/better material and foam between the 03/04 cars and the 05 corolla.

Unfortunately I don't know much about the arms and availability. If I was going that route, I'd probably rip the seats out and replace them. Hummm....would a La-Z-Boy recliner fit?!

Nice chatting with u 2.

Thanks rolla...What I meant was the middle console/arm rest top, mines plastic and not that great to rest your right arm on, the only model that had the padding was the LE and in gray..I really haven't been inside a XRS yet, the dealers around here don't back stock them just on order/pick up and my dealer doesn't even have one on display , do they have the padded middle console/arm rest(black) if so is it the same as the 03-05's?...Also I'm 6-1--200 lbs and don't have any problems with the driver seat...just that stupid oversized foot rest drives me nuts, my left leg has a tight fit ...lol..LMAO@ the lazy boy comment..Hmm....Radd Guy...

[montreal]

I don't know if the front seats of my 03 Matrix base model are identical to those of your Corolla, but here is what I did.



1) At the bottom of the back of the seat are 3 rings which tie the fabric panel to the base. I cut off these 3 rings to open up the access to the interior of the seat back from below. I bought a piece of high density ensolite closed cell foam used to put under sleeping bags by campers. This foam is about 1/4 to 3/8 inches thick. I cut a foot square piece and inserted it through the lower access opening and positioned it in front of the lowest metal horizontal cross piece. This had the effect of giving me a better lumbar support for my lower back.



2) If the front of the seat frame is raised off the floor by using spacers and longer bolts between the floor and the frame, be warned that in doing so, you are bypassing a safety feature built into the bottom of the seat frame. This feature is a pair of prongs welded onto the seat frame which are slanted on an angle forward and slide into complementary holes in the floor. These prongs provide additional protection to prevent the other 4 seat bolts from shearing in the event of a frontal collision. Raising the seat frame off the floor results in these prongs no longer being available. If one were going to raise the front of the seat frame, then one would have to provide additional anchorage to substitute for the benefit previously provided by the prongs. Remember to restore the seat when reselling your car.



Hope my information helps in whole or in part base model Corolla and Matrix owners alike.

[Minou]

raddman,

Last September, My Toyota dealer quoted me $155.50 CDN for the grey LE center console armrest. He couldn't confirm that it would fit my 05 CE though, as the LE's console (not the armrest) doesn't have the same parts number. But that could be because the LE only comes automatic in Canada. I'll check again later and see if I could try one from used LE on the lot. Who knows, if it fits, I could swap it by slipping a $20. to the salesman...

Dead pedal. Same problem here. Too close to the seat. So, I pulled it out and managed to shave about 1/2 an inch off the bottom with a hacksaw. Better than nothing and it is now more in line with the gas pedal and my other foot.

[Snip3r]

I have an 89 ROlla GTS and my seats I think are way better than the new rolla S seats. My dad had one. Yuck!! Actually Im pretty unimpressed withthe new seats inmost sports cars. I know that the rolla isnt exactely a high performance car, but neither was my old GTS. Even the new WRX, and STI seats are really lacking, considering what type of car that is.
Ahh thats just my post whoring 2cents!!

[Raddman]

Originally Posted by Minou

raddman,

Last September, My Toyota dealer quoted me $155.50 CDN for the grey LE center console armrest. He couldn't confirm that it would fit my 05 CE though, as the LE's console (not the armrest) doesn't have the same parts number. But that could be because the LE only comes automatic in Canada. I'll check again later and see if I could try one from used LE on the lot. Who knows, if it fits, I could swap it by slipping a $20. to the salesman...

Dead pedal. Same problem here. Too close to the seat. So, I pulled it out and managed to shave about 1/2 an inch off the bottom with a hacksaw. Better than nothing and it is now more in line with the gas pedal and my other foot.

Hi Minou...that's a great idea about the "dead pedal" I might try it...Is it easy to remove? Even if you only get a 1/2 in off its better then nothing.
You must have that gray interior because they only make the padded console rest in the gray color but I'm sure it fits your CE...I have the black interior and was going to buy one and spray it black but the dealer wants to much and there is no aftermarket that I have found yet...also I was going to have an auto upholster place do the padding thing on my stock with black crushed leather but they wanted just as much..Good idea about slipping the sales person $20 ...Radd Guy

[REN69]

Change your seats, cut your seat to add more foam, etc... Why go thru all this trouble when you can just go and buy a lumbar support pad from any store for like $30-40!

[Minou]

Originally Posted by Raddman

Hi Minou...that's a great idea about the "dead pedal" I might try it...Is it easy to remove? Even if you only get a 1/2 in off its better then nothing.
You must have that gray interior because they only make the padded console rest in the gray color but I'm sure it fits your CE...I have the black interior and was going to buy one and spray it black but the dealer wants to much and there is no aftermarket that I have found yet...also I was going to have an auto upholster place do the padding thing on my stock with black crushed leather but they wanted just as much..Good idea about slipping the sales person $20 ...Radd Guy

Indeed, my car interior is grey.

The dead pedal pulls right out. It sits and clips on 2 plastic shafts in the middle of it. You cut around and then shorten the 2 shafts, try to fit and readjust by cutting some more where needed. It is much better now. I'm glad I did it. I had a look at it before but was afraid to break it if I pulled too hard. An hour or 2 of fiddling but worth it.

Good luck