So I bought this lovely car, being a Honda loving gal, this makes for my THIRD Honda. I traded in my '97 Honda Accord with the Luxury type trim (leather seats, moonroof) and all that because it had some mechanical issues that just were not worth fixing at that point. I was assuming the same standard of quality as my older models I have owned but I find the seats are just TOO uncomfortable! I now visit the chiropractor twice a week for my neck and back! Driving for even just a little bit in the vehicle gives me a headache, it hurts my neck because the headrest makes my head tilt into a downward position that is very uncomfortable and provides no support. I can't drive for more than 20 minutes and my whole right leg goes numb! The part that supports my back is okay, but my neck and hips aren't doing good at all and I am pretty positive that Honda is going to reimburse me all my Chiropractor fees. I haven't even had this car for a month, but that is how significant the pain is from sitting in these seats. I can't even enjoy driving my brand new car because it is sheer torture. I understand that the headrest is a "safety feature" and can't be modified, so I found a company that is specially licensed to make modifications to vehicles- they modify it to help the handicapped. They will measure everything out from where my head needs to be and so forth and and then make a safe, but specially designed headrest for me. I also looked for replacement headrests online, but buying them online runs the risk of them being the same or not being compatible with my seat. Honestly, not too long from now I will be trading this car in for a fully loaded Ford Fusion- which costs the same as this basic model Honda Accord and has the same gas mileage but has comfy leather seats, a bad ass stereo system and Sync along with it!!!

I have been having severe neck and upper back pain from driving my new Honda Accord, feeling like I was in a car accident. I hate when I have to drive anywhere. I have been experimenting with pillow and different supports and have not found a solution yet that would make my drive pain free. My call to Honda headquarters was futile. They said they would pass it on and when I asked should I wait before I hear back from someone before I start complaining on line, she said I would not hear back from anyone. It is very disheartening to see the reports from so many car owners of the car and Honda has not done anything (they even claim they have not heard it before). I hate my new Honda Accord, and will probably end up getting rid of it at a loss.

After driving my brand new 2012 Accord EX (manual) over the weekend, my back is killing me. I just bought the car last week and I'm not sure what to do now. There is a large bulge right in the middle of my back which is where the Active Head Restraint activator is which is causing numbness and tingling in my back many hours after driving.

I did not feel any pain on the test drive and spoke to a couple of people who said they didn't have any issue with the seat. I'm not exactly sure how that's possible.

I'm really just shocked at this. This car is in it's last year before a redesign and it looks like the issue has happened since the previous redesign in 2008!

I purchased this car a week ago and the seat has been extremely uncomfortable.

I owned a Honda Prelude for 16 years and had no problems with the seat comfort. I don't see how in all this time they can redesign a seat which is so uncomfortable. I am considering getting rid of this car if I cannot correct this problem. And I will

never buy a Honda again.

Update from Dec 7, 2011: I went back to the Honda dealer with my complaint about the uncomfortable seat. I tried sitting in a few other vehicles on the lot but all the seats seemed the same. They offered to trade for another type vehicle but that was not going to solve the problem. I went to the seat trim shop reccommended by the salesman. The shop added padding to the seat cushion and bolsters so it would feel more comfortable and keep the bolsters from pinching my hips which was causing me pain. It solved the problem with my hips but now it seems the lumbar support is more noticeable and a bit uncomfortable. I am considering adding padding to the reclining part of the seat. I asked the dealer if they would pay for it and they refused since it is not a warranty item. After buying a new car, you shouldn't have to pay additional money for something that Honda failed to do when designing their seats. I am still not sure I keep this car long term.

I just bought a 2012 Accord SE and the driver's seat is beyond uncomfortable--it's causing both back pain and numbness down my right leg. I don't have any back problems and fear it will cause some serious problems. I've put 400 miles on this car. I hate to be in this position but I'm leaning toward trading it in at a several thousand dollar financial loss, thinking the hit is better than ruining my healthy back. When I called Honda to ask if there was any solution, the customer service person said the seat meets government safety standards and Honda has no plans to do anything further. Very unsatisfying. Honda, and this car, just did not turn out to be for me...very disappointing! I wish I had read all of the complaints posted online about the seat BEFORE I purchased the car. Apparently, it has been going on for several years. I've learned my car buying lesson...that a short test drive is just not adequate. It just never dawned on me that I would have any kind of trouble with a Honda. The seat in my 1996 Honda was as comfortable the day I sold it as it was 15 1/2 years earlier when I bought it--as were the seats in two other great Hondas I have owned. So much for innovation!

Shame on Honda for ignoring customer complaints.

Worst ride ever! Honda dealership is the worst and Honda customer service says live with it and that there is nothing they can do. They put lumbar in seat even after telling them that was not the problem. Oops, guess the dealer didn't bother looking at my e-mail or return calls .

I think Honda is trying to avoid this situation. It is a lot like opening Pandora's box because it would require major recall for poor design. Let's get a class action together 100 people works better then 1!

Update from Mar 26, 2012: wrote Japan told me to deal with North America said they would help what a joke that was they don,t even recognize problem

Update from Jul 24, 2012: Pleae let everyone you know to signthe pettion on change .org and maybe something will be done about the seats

I am so disappointed. I have owned this car a week. This car seems to be very well designed except for one thing - the seat is very uncomfortable. It is so uncomfortable that I am contemplating trading in the car. I have a hard time with this - do I just take the loss now or suffer for 10 years to amortize the purchase price. The pain is so bad I'm contemplating trading this car after only one week of ownership.

The seat must have been designed by a little Japanese man. They must have different taste than us. I'm only 5'6" and 160lbs and the seat feels very small and it is hard as a rock. This car is miserable to drive on all but the shortest trips. It is causing me back, hip, and leg pain. The lumbar support is all wrong, the side bolsters are too tight, and the cushion seens non-existant.

On a recent road trip, I noticed that every single ripple in the highway was being transmitted straight into my spine. This is really awful. It seems like a really excellent car that has the most basic design flaw - it is bad to sit in.

I did not notice this problem on my test drive. The sales person took me on a short drive with very smooth residential roads. I noticed then the seat was a little firm. I had no idea it was this bad. A had no idea until after owning it that this is a notorious problem. My suggestion to anyone considering this car is to rent one first and spend some time in it. I've talked to the dealer and they are no help at all.

Update from Nov 22, 2011: I went to a car customizing shop called A&A Royal Auto Trim in Kansas City, MO. They made a custom seat cover for me. Here is the formula: The bottom cushon has a small piece of 1 inch thick high density foam (firm) that fits in between the two bottom bolsters and goes forward to the second pleat in the leather. Then a lower density (softer) foam with a larger cut goes over the top. The back has two pieces of softer foam - one fits inbetween the two side bolsters, the one on top a little bigger. The whole aparatus is covered with black velour and has elastic straps and hooks to clip it in place. Cost was $150. It is presentable and required no permanent modification to the vehicle.

This accomplished several things - The high density foam in the bottom cushon 1. elevates me a little so the bottom bolsters don't press into my butt and thighs 2. changes the slope of the seat a little to make it more level 3. provides real shock absorbtion. The softer foam on top of that provides comfort. On the seat back, the first foam pushes me forward of the side bolsters, second is just insurance for extra comfort. The lumbar, passive head restraint, side bolsters, and head reast are all no longer an issue. The net result is pretty much removing the "sports car" qualities of the seat making it more comfortable. However, this does elevate me a bit, so it may not be a solution for tall people. The next steps will be to add sound dampening material and window tint.

Honda makes a good car, but my next car will be something more comfortable from the start such as a Cadillac even though I know the reliability and economy won't be as good.

A very uncomfortable driver's seat. I haven't ridden in any of the other seats, but I expect the worst. The cushions are too hard, the lumbar is too prominent, and feels like a rock in your back. The bottom cushion, even with it's 10-way power seat, does not allow you to raise the back so as to tilt the seat downward. When you lift the rear of the seat mechanism (which on all of my other cars raises the back of the bottom cushion), it raises the front as well. The angle of the seat is too steep to the rear. I bought it to be a nice long distance road car, but to the store and back is about all I can take. I spent a lot of money on this car, and I am sorry I did. It's been relegated to the garage unless Honda comes up with a fix - which I don't expect.