SC430driver seat will not recline back enough
07-09-09, 07:12 PM
#16
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: sc
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
07-10-09, 04:23 AM
#17
Originally posted by GINSUSC430:
"I have a question as to the SC430 reclining position.. my SC430 will not recline far back as I would like for my normal driving position.. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me.. or my car. My GS300 reclines far back as I want. Any input greatly appreicated."
Hey there GINSUSC430 - (Are you REALLY the Heir Apparent of the World Famous "GINSUS STEAK KNIVES" Family from Tokyo?) I've found that when I put my Mother-In-Law in the Rear Seat directly behind my Driver's Seat, and move my Driver's Seat all the way to the Rear, all the way down, and tilted all the way back, she tends to fuss some about having the Driver's Seat Blocking her vision, and making her feel very much Clausterphobic, or something! With the top down, it's hard to really hear what she's trying to tell me, but it's sure sounds like the circulation has been cut off again about her ankle level, and her feet color are starting to match those pretty little Blue Suade High- Heel Swing Pumps that she likes to sometimes wear on trips.
Geeeeez - With all that Fresh Crisp Air to enjoy back there, you'd think she'd appear more grateful than that!
What will she crab about this summer when the tempratures climb back up out of the 30's? She shouldn't expect "Treats" like this All the time!
Too bad I never learned to read lips. When I catch a quick glance at her in the Rear View Mirror, it looks kind of like she's trying to say "FORGET ABOUT THE ESTATE PLAN, COMPOST BRAIN!"
"MR Obvious", what could I be missing here?
"Clueless In Fishers!"
"I have a question as to the SC430 reclining position.. my SC430 will not recline far back as I would like for my normal driving position.. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me.. or my car. My GS300 reclines far back as I want. Any input greatly appreicated."
Hey there GINSUSC430 - (Are you REALLY the Heir Apparent of the World Famous "GINSUS STEAK KNIVES" Family from Tokyo?) I've found that when I put my Mother-In-Law in the Rear Seat directly behind my Driver's Seat, and move my Driver's Seat all the way to the Rear, all the way down, and tilted all the way back, she tends to fuss some about having the Driver's Seat Blocking her vision, and making her feel very much Clausterphobic, or something! With the top down, it's hard to really hear what she's trying to tell me, but it's sure sounds like the circulation has been cut off again about her ankle level, and her feet color are starting to match those pretty little Blue Suade High- Heel Swing Pumps that she likes to sometimes wear on trips.
Geeeeez - With all that Fresh Crisp Air to enjoy back there, you'd think she'd appear more grateful than that!
What will she crab about this summer when the tempratures climb back up out of the 30's? She shouldn't expect "Treats" like this All the time!
Too bad I never learned to read lips. When I catch a quick glance at her in the Rear View Mirror, it looks kind of like she's trying to say "FORGET ABOUT THE ESTATE PLAN, COMPOST BRAIN!"
"MR Obvious", what could I be missing here?
"Clueless In Fishers!"
The following users liked this post:
Hotspur (06-22-23)
07-11-09, 08:45 AM
#19
I agree. The seat tilt is severely limited in my 02 SC430. The resultant, scrunched forward driving position means trips longer than 3 hours induce a back ache and fatigue. In stark contrast, the more reclined driving position in my DB9 allows an 8 hour hour run without back ache and almost no fatigue. The SC430 is a smoother and quieter ride, but the driving position is more straining. The DB9 is much louder but it easily leaves me feeling refreshed instead of tired after the same number of hours on the road.
Did Lexus liberalize the seat back tilt in later years?
Did Lexus liberalize the seat back tilt in later years?
12-27-11, 08:03 PM
#21
Sounds like the OP needs to get together with a driving expert and learn how a seat should be adjusted. You should be closer to the wheel and in a more upright position. Once your wrists can rest on the steering wheel, your seating position is adjusted correctly.
03-20-12, 03:26 PM
#22
So has anyone ever figured this out? Not trying to be rude, but I wonder why this is even in the FAQ, because it doesn't help much other than give me a chuckle. My girlfriend refuses to take a road trip with me because she can't recline at all..
03-21-12, 05:52 AM
#23
The seats in the earlier SC430's don't recline back as far as the latter ones. I think the '05 is the model year where they started reclining further.
I have it on my list to remove a seat from my '03 and tinker with it to see if there's a limiter that can be moved or removed, but have not had a chance. Worst case, you could shop for a newer seat after you verify what year the change was done in.
ds
I have it on my list to remove a seat from my '03 and tinker with it to see if there's a limiter that can be moved or removed, but have not had a chance. Worst case, you could shop for a newer seat after you verify what year the change was done in.
ds
03-21-12, 04:11 PM
#27
So I took my passenger seat out and partially apart today. In the attached image, you can see the motor for reclining the seat and the rod from the motor to the gearbox (white plastic).
I suspect that the reclining limitation is a mechanical limitation, either based on the position/orientation of the gears inside or the actual construction of the gears.
I found no hard stop outside of this mechanism that would indicate that the seat could not recline further.
Taking the gear assembly off will be quite a chore, not worth it for me at this point. But if someone wants to attempt it, you can see what you'll be looking at in the pic.
Taking the seat out and exposing the gear box includes (mostly in the correct order):
- 4 bolts holding the seat to the floor (and plastic covers over those bolts)
- 2 small screws holding the front carpeted facia on
- removing 2 seat movement buttons and 3 screws behind them
- removing the recline lever handle
- un-popping the plastic holder from the frame of the seat and area in the back.
- unplugging the lumbar support switch
I do not know if there is an identical gearbox situation on the other side of the seat, but I think there probably is.
Good luck to anyone who decides to go further, and please report back any successes, failures, etc.
ds
I suspect that the reclining limitation is a mechanical limitation, either based on the position/orientation of the gears inside or the actual construction of the gears.
I found no hard stop outside of this mechanism that would indicate that the seat could not recline further.
Taking the gear assembly off will be quite a chore, not worth it for me at this point. But if someone wants to attempt it, you can see what you'll be looking at in the pic.
Taking the seat out and exposing the gear box includes (mostly in the correct order):
- 4 bolts holding the seat to the floor (and plastic covers over those bolts)
- 2 small screws holding the front carpeted facia on
- removing 2 seat movement buttons and 3 screws behind them
- removing the recline lever handle
- un-popping the plastic holder from the frame of the seat and area in the back.
- unplugging the lumbar support switch
I do not know if there is an identical gearbox situation on the other side of the seat, but I think there probably is.
Good luck to anyone who decides to go further, and please report back any successes, failures, etc.
ds
Last edited by donnieS; 03-21-12 at 04:14 PM.
03-22-12, 09:29 AM
#29
I'm just speculating here, but rather than a limit switch (functioning as a mechanical limiter) or a hard stop, you may also want to consider a rotational sensor or encoder (counting revolutions - look for a little cylinder driven by a gear or the axle shaft of a gear or motor) that is then used by a processor in the chassis controller computer to control the seats. This fits with the calibration procedure for the seat memory function that some have had to run through after the battery is disconnected, etc.
Again, just pure speculation without any real-world research or data!
Kelly
Again, just pure speculation without any real-world research or data!
Kelly
03-22-12, 12:30 PM
#30
I'm just speculating here, but rather than a limit switch (functioning as a mechanical limiter) or a hard stop, you may also want to consider a rotational sensor or encoder (counting revolutions - look for a little cylinder driven by a gear or the axle shaft of a gear or motor) that is then used by a processor in the chassis controller computer to control the seats. This fits with the calibration procedure for the seat memory function that some have had to run through after the battery is disconnected, etc.
Again, just pure speculation without any real-world research or data!
Kelly
Again, just pure speculation without any real-world research or data!
Kelly
One of the reasons that I think it's a mechanical stop is that when the seat is fully 'reclined', if you press the recline button, the motor engages and tries to move the seat, but it will not turn. When you let off the switch, there's a little back lash in the motor, so it appears to me that it's hitting a stop of some sort somewhere down the line (which led me to think maybe the gearbox). I'm not saying that I'm right, but this is one of the major clues that led me to that hypothesis.
ds
The following users liked this post:
rouge (05-09-23)