I love my new Fit!....but, oy, my aching back????
Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 373
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
neteng101 great idea to check the position of the steering wheel....which brings up another idea for Honeycombe to drive your FIT to your dealership and ask for their opinion regarding your back.. talk to the service manager. He/She may have some more ideas to adjust eg steering wheel, seat etc
Honeycombe, if I were you, I would asked for the opinions of your physiotherapist and perhaps a Honda dealership service manager before making the decision whether to keep or dispose of your FIT. It is too great an investment but then, your health and quality of life is more important.
All the best to your decision
Honeycombe, if I were you, I would asked for the opinions of your physiotherapist and perhaps a Honda dealership service manager before making the decision whether to keep or dispose of your FIT. It is too great an investment but then, your health and quality of life is more important.
All the best to your decision
[quote=Honeycombe;1018810]. I NEVER wake up stiff like that in the mornings.)
lol.... always stiff in the morning..
Anyway on a more serious note i just tilded the seat forward more and got the circuit hero shift extender so i dont lean forward when i shift, in stock form i found i leaned forward to shift so with a little extension it helped.. and i always make my gf rub my lower back
helps too. eventually i will just switch them out for some bride seats or hell even an s2000 seat keep it honda!
lol.... always stiff in the morning..
Anyway on a more serious note i just tilded the seat forward more and got the circuit hero shift extender so i dont lean forward when i shift, in stock form i found i leaned forward to shift so with a little extension it helped.. and i always make my gf rub my lower back
helps too. eventually i will just switch them out for some bride seats or hell even an s2000 seat keep it honda!
New Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12
From: Elkhart Lake
I also have the same lower back pain during/after my drives to work and home, 1 hour/56 miles, and today was the worst. I have 43 years on my odometer and at 5'10" 165lbs, I'm really hoping it's just a seat break-in issue. Or maybe it's just needing to get acclimated to the seat.
I just bought my 2011 M/T sport last week, like it, but really hope the back pain goes away. If it does continue I'll give the lumbar support tricks a try.
Glad I'm not the only one having issues.
I just bought my 2011 M/T sport last week, like it, but really hope the back pain goes away. If it does continue I'll give the lumbar support tricks a try.
Glad I'm not the only one having issues.
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 462
From: Columbus OH
It's the best mod i've done to any car. Totally worth it. I'm almost exactly the same size/age as you and I spent 20 hours in the Fit last weekend driving 1400 miles and my back feels perfect.
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 345
From: San Antonio, Texas
I'm 6' 260 lbs... while I did have some trouble with the seats
early on I have adjusted.
I think it was a combination of the seats breaking-in some and
me getting the adjustment right.
The adjustment is pushed all the way back and I have the seat
back angle adjusted fairly upright.
I'd like another 1 - 2" of rearward seat travel but can live with
what is available.
early on I have adjusted.
I think it was a combination of the seats breaking-in some and
me getting the adjustment right.
The adjustment is pushed all the way back and I have the seat
back angle adjusted fairly upright.
I'd like another 1 - 2" of rearward seat travel but can live with
what is available.
I'd also like to know if you've adjusted the steering wheel. This is important for comfort. I don't love or hate the seats but then again i'm younger and probably wouldn't care if the car came with an unpadded bucket seat.
PLEASE put the headrest back on, as uncomfortable as it is, i'd rather you sell the car than get rear-ended and break your neck from whiplash.
My head never touches the headrest unless i'm sitting in traffic? I've noticed that I have to sit more upright in the Fit than I have in other cars i've had, not sure why.
PLEASE put the headrest back on, as uncomfortable as it is, i'd rather you sell the car than get rear-ended and break your neck from whiplash.
My head never touches the headrest unless i'm sitting in traffic? I've noticed that I have to sit more upright in the Fit than I have in other cars i've had, not sure why.
But yes, put that thing back on...
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,417
From: Capital Distric New York
Honeycombe A simple solution to comfort is to raise the front of the seat rails. It provides a bit more thigh support and repositions the lower back somewhat.
Remove the front rail bolts. Lift the rail and place 3-4 3/8" washers under each and reinstall the bolts.
This will rack the seat bottom to support the thighs.
Then it's a matter of finding the sweet-spot in the seating and steering wheel position. There's been threads regarding this and the 'need' for a seat position memory option.
Toooo luxury for the lowly Fit.
This was first suggested by Occam, who ended up selling his Fit because it didn't fit him. He's got huge feet_
I, and others, have done this and can report added comfort.
When I first bought my 2010 sport I began to experience similar issues as the you. After this mod I've had no issues at all. btw I'm 64@210#.
Give it a shot - cheaper than new seats and I've always found those pillow things more a pain than a solution.
K_C_
Remove the front rail bolts. Lift the rail and place 3-4 3/8" washers under each and reinstall the bolts.
This will rack the seat bottom to support the thighs.
Then it's a matter of finding the sweet-spot in the seating and steering wheel position. There's been threads regarding this and the 'need' for a seat position memory option.
Toooo luxury for the lowly Fit.
This was first suggested by Occam, who ended up selling his Fit because it didn't fit him. He's got huge feet_
I, and others, have done this and can report added comfort.
When I first bought my 2010 sport I began to experience similar issues as the you. After this mod I've had no issues at all. btw I'm 64@210#.
Give it a shot - cheaper than new seats and I've always found those pillow things more a pain than a solution.
K_C_
Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 115
From: SF Bay Area, CA
I had lower back pain on Day 1. It went away after I made meticulous adjustments to the seat and steering wheel positions.
I now also take out my wallet and stuff it into one of those slots next to the hand brake.
I now also take out my wallet and stuff it into one of those slots next to the hand brake.
I love my Fit but I would love to have a good set of racing seats in there. My Fit is used for a short commute to and from work everyday but then on the weekend it is my show car and we do some long distance driving. I do notice by the time we get to the shows my legs will hurt and feel stiff but I do chalk that up to arthrist in both my knees. Adjusting the seat and steering wheel seems to help me the most.
New Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1
From: Colorado
I'm wondering how you resolved this, Honeycomb? Did you use the Forester head rests?
This is a problem I'm having with every recent car, since '08 or so. The latest crash regs push headrests way too far forward, pinning our heads down like astronauts awaiting liftoff, or a dental patient leaned way back... they call it "gangsta lean," don't they? Today's headrests are designed for them, and crash test dummies. I see I'm going to have to start a collection of old headrests, or just buy a good car from '07 and keep it a long time.
I'm just beginning to consider a Fit now, so I look forward to your latest findings.
This is a problem I'm having with every recent car, since '08 or so. The latest crash regs push headrests way too far forward, pinning our heads down like astronauts awaiting liftoff, or a dental patient leaned way back... they call it "gangsta lean," don't they? Today's headrests are designed for them, and crash test dummies. I see I'm going to have to start a collection of old headrests, or just buy a good car from '07 and keep it a long time.
I'm just beginning to consider a Fit now, so I look forward to your latest findings.
32 years ago I was told by a doctor that I had the back of an 80 year old man that had spent his life working in a coal mine.. The Dallas VA hospital still uses the x rays taken back then as a teaching aid for anesthesiologist and orthopedic interns... I have had good results from using a long wool sheep skin seat cover, morphine along with a couple of other prescription drugs.. Wearing driving shoes or wearing no shoes at all also helps.... Everyone should do Polaski's throttle pedal spring fix. It allows you to relax your right leg and that lets you sit with equal weight distribution of both sides of your rear end instead of it being on just one side aggravating the sciatic nerve.
^^^^ agreed on the throttle spring! i have no complaints on the seats, and i've driven on several 13+ hour drives (i'm 42) and i find the head (restraint) rest quite comfortable most the time even wish my crx had fit seats in it when i drive it but i picked up a mesh headrest that has elastic on it to hold it on the seat and it is close to the fit now (till i put the non adjustable race seat in for the track)
you might laugh but i say swing into a truckstop and see what they have, truckers (the back bone of this country - well next to the military IMHO) have a few things made up from time to time that make it into production and they might help you (lumbar supports, arm rests, beaded seat covers, etc...)
you might laugh but i say swing into a truckstop and see what they have, truckers (the back bone of this country - well next to the military IMHO) have a few things made up from time to time that make it into production and they might help you (lumbar supports, arm rests, beaded seat covers, etc...)
Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 118
From: Canada
I should post some pics someday... this was my main problem with the Fit.
Now it's ok... I did put some cushion on the back, I did put some washer behind the seats, I did put a book on the rest pedal... and I did buy the central console and I have the cruise control.
Now it's great.
But you have to work to get it. The seats, without any improvement, are horrible.
Now it's ok... I did put some cushion on the back, I did put some washer behind the seats, I did put a book on the rest pedal... and I did buy the central console and I have the cruise control.
Now it's great.
But you have to work to get it. The seats, without any improvement, are horrible.
Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 65
From: Good Old Texas
I just bought my brand new 2011 white Honda Fit Sport eight days ago. I love it, love it, love it! What an amazing little car. How did they get that much space into such a little car? A great little urban car that I hope to bop around town in for about two years, until I get a larger car.
But.....after four days of driving my Fit to work (about 1 hour or so round trip), my lower back started hurting. Bad. And a bit of achiness in the mid-back region, but mainly my lumbar area.
My back doesn't hurt while I'm in the car. In fact, the seats feel pretty comfy to me. (I'm trying to get that darned headrest out of the way and stop it from bopping me in the back of the head.) It's just that when I wake up in the mornings, suddenly after four days of driving the Fit daily, I was so stiff that I had trouble walking. My back loosened up in about half an hour. Classic arthritis symptoms. (I'm middle aged and have the typical touch of middle aged arthritis, but I NEVER wake up stiff like that in the mornings.)
I did do some new exercises last week. Nothing that I noticed strained my back, but still, that was something new. OR...maybe I'm going through an adjustment period, where my body is getting used to the new car seats and sitting position?
Before anyone chastises me for not test driving, I DID test drive the car. And as I said, my back pain appeared after four days of driving it daily for at least an hour a day. And my back still doesn't hurt actually while I'm in the car. It's later.
I'm wondering if anyone had to go through an adjustment period to get used to the new seats? I'm hoping it's either the new exercises I did last week, or an adjustment period. How bad would it be that I got this brand new way cute little car, and I would have to lose thousands of dollars selling it because it hurt my back? Tell me that's not gonna happen! The seats are firm, but my last car's seats were firm; many car seats are firm.
But.....after four days of driving my Fit to work (about 1 hour or so round trip), my lower back started hurting. Bad. And a bit of achiness in the mid-back region, but mainly my lumbar area.
My back doesn't hurt while I'm in the car. In fact, the seats feel pretty comfy to me. (I'm trying to get that darned headrest out of the way and stop it from bopping me in the back of the head.) It's just that when I wake up in the mornings, suddenly after four days of driving the Fit daily, I was so stiff that I had trouble walking. My back loosened up in about half an hour. Classic arthritis symptoms. (I'm middle aged and have the typical touch of middle aged arthritis, but I NEVER wake up stiff like that in the mornings.)
I did do some new exercises last week. Nothing that I noticed strained my back, but still, that was something new. OR...maybe I'm going through an adjustment period, where my body is getting used to the new car seats and sitting position?
Before anyone chastises me for not test driving, I DID test drive the car. And as I said, my back pain appeared after four days of driving it daily for at least an hour a day. And my back still doesn't hurt actually while I'm in the car. It's later.
I'm wondering if anyone had to go through an adjustment period to get used to the new seats? I'm hoping it's either the new exercises I did last week, or an adjustment period. How bad would it be that I got this brand new way cute little car, and I would have to lose thousands of dollars selling it because it hurt my back? Tell me that's not gonna happen! The seats are firm, but my last car's seats were firm; many car seats are firm.