Seat cushion tilt for manual seats

[jstand6]

This is something I've complained about in another topic.

For 2003, only the base 6i (no options except perhaps the auto tranny) came without a power driver's seat. Very few people have a base 6i so I'm not surprised I haven't heard more complaints about this. Basically, the manual driver's seat has 6-way adjustment: forward, back, up, down, seatback angle up and down. There is no way to adjust the angle of the seat cushion, and this can become very annoying especially on long trips.

What makes this come to the forefront is that for 2004, ALL Mazda6's come with manual seats as standard equipment. That includes the i sedan and hatchback, the s sedan and hatchback, and the wagon. They also do not include any type of lumbar adjustment. Power seats (which include seat cushion tilt and lumber adjustment) is optional. For years, Mazda has included manual seat cushion adjustment as standard equipment on nearly all their cars, including super-cheap base Protege's. Why Mazda has decided to get rid of this feature is beyond me. Why they decided to take away standard power seats in the s model while at the same time increasing the price of the car is a big mistake.

I can live without the lumber adjustment, but I will never take my 6 on a long trip ever again. I'll live with the more cramped, noisier, and rougher Protege5 for long trips, because the leg cramps and the days of soreness afterwards are just not worth the extra room, quietness, and smoothness.

[Sigma]

...... To each their own I guess.

I've driven as far as 800 miles in a sitting in my 6s (only stopped twice for gas) and always felt fine -- and I'm 6'3".

I've never considered power seats necessary at all, as I've never touched mine since the day I bought the car. And I do a LOT of long driving -- over 2,000 miles a month and I only drive it for fun on the weekends as I travel during the week.

[jstand6]

I'm not complaining that power seats are necessary... I'm complaining that the manual seats don't have the ability to adjust the angle of the seat cushion, power or not. Personally, I would rather have manual seats as long as I can still adjust them the way I want. But, since you can't adjust the seat cushion angle or lumber on the manual seats, then power seats are the only way to go on the Mazda6.

Basically: Mazda needs to make the seat cushion tilt adjustable on the manual seats, or make power seats standard.

[NoUse4Aname]

Hmm, don't think I've ever encountered a car that did that with manual seats. Certainly don't remember such an adjustment on my old 626. Where is the lever/bar/dial for one of those placed?

And heck, even on cross-country trips I've never adjusted my seat from its prime location. But that's probably because I need the furthest back and most spacious setting available, can't adjust much from that.

[Sigma]

The only manual seats in any car I've ever sat in (and it's been a LOT) that ever adjusted that way are Captain's Chairs in an E150 MkIII.

[jstand6]

The Protege and MPV had them, as well as a few other manufacturers. There are two dials on the left side of the seat. The front dial moved the front of the seat cushion up/down; the rear dial moved the rear of the seat cushion up/down. Using them in combination, you could raise/lower the seat cushion and adjust the angle of the seat cushion. For me, this would make a huge difference in the 6.

The way the seat cushion is angled, it feels as if all my weight is on my butt and no support for my thighs. I'm fine for about an hour, but then the cramps start. If I could just angle the front of the cushion up like I could in the Protege, then long distance driving wouldn't be a problem. I guess I like feeling like I'm "in" the seat; in the 6, I feel like I'm "on" the seat.

[Sigma]

I guess I like feeling like I'm "in" the seat; in the 6, I feel like I'm "on" the seat.

Have to say that I feel the total opposite. But car seats are one of those things that everyone feels differently about.

With so many power seated 6's out there, there's bound to be one in a junkyard sooner or later that you could grab for cheap.

I do agree about the weight on the butt thing -- the one thing about the long trips that I have to do is remove my wallet otherwise it can get pretty uncomfortable. Otherwise, I like the seating position.

[jstand6]

Here's a pic of the dual dials on a Mazdaspeed Protege:



As for finding one in a junkyard, I have something else that not many people have... the tan cloth interior. But, I hope not have the 6 long enough to warrant getting another seat.

[NoUse4Aname]

Huh, yeah that's the first time I've ever seen anything like that. But I've never driven a Protege.

[ZoomZoom Diva]

Well, while they are on some cars, I have always found them difficult to use, as they are actually front and rear height adjusters, not tilt adjusters (though changing the height of one side = tilt).

My seat wish is power lumbar. I got so addicted to the SVT Contour 10-way power seat. However, the manual adjustment does work well, just fiddling my ideal position still.