Recaro seat nightmare - wish I had my money back!

[FInless Brown Trout]

So 11k miles on my 2019 garage queen that has seen a couple long, high speed Utah trails... but generally helped me get to Starbucks in style. About 1000 miles ago I noticed a squeak under my seat pad every time the road is a bit bumpy, on turns, etc. So playing around with it, I realized the left side of my driver's blue recaro seat pad was feeling softer than the right side. And that the seat pad under the left side was rubbing up and down on the plastic seat base frame. That can't be right, right? Still under warranty (for one more month), so I took it in to the dealership. Probably just a bad seat cushion?

The service advisor told me that this happens to recaro seats if you "roll" out of your truck when you get out, or slide your butt to the edge of the seat to get out. When I just stared at him with a quizzical, pissed-off look, he added that I needed to lift my *** off the seat in a pseudo squat before stepping out of the vehicle onto the runner. Like some serious yoga dance contorsion stuff which I'm too old and broken to do (thanks us air force). And everytime I get out of the raptor. Uhhh...

F&*^ that. I'm 215 lbs, 6'2"... and I can't be the only one with this problem.

So searching here in the forums I've found a couple of articles that mention the left roll out syndrome, but it doesn't seem to be a big issue everyone is tracking. For an $80K purchase though, squeaks and an uneven seat seem pretty stupid to me.

Was the advisor blowing smoke? Just a bad cushion? Are other balding-middle-aged-white-men-in-mid-life-crisis-who-bought-a-raptor doing yoga contorsion shiznat to get out of their truck? Do normal leather seats in raptors have this problem too? (in case I go for a Raptor R instead of TRX)
Thanks for any input.

 

[RamseyF]

every vehicle I have owned had this issue over time they obviously wear, mostly just the exterior material not so much the insides. 11k miles is way to early for that IMO. my 2018 raptor (black leather), still looked like new after 36k miles when I got rid of it. mind you I am a small guy only 175. my yoga skills are not good either but I do kinda step out so not to drag the side of the seat the best I can.

 

[FordTechOne]

Sliding out of the seat damages the bolster. That’s true of any highly bolstered seat, but especially important on trucks, since you’re stepping down instead of up like you would in a sports car.

If I sit on my seat in a certain position I can duplicate the squeak noise from the bolster rubbing the plastic seat side. If you look closely, there is a felt material where the bolster meets the seat. This is supposed to be the contact point, but as the bolster wears from use, the leather can start to contact the seat. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’d like to get some flock tape and apply it to the leather in the contact area; that should eliminate the noise.

 

[goblues38]

Was the advisor blowing smoke? Just a bad cushion? Are other balding-middle-aged-white-men-in-mid-life-crisis-who-bought-a-raptor doing yoga contorsion shiznat to get out of their truck? Do normal leather seats in raptors have this problem too? (in case I go for a Raptor R instead of TRX)
Thanks for any input.

Drivers Side Heated Seat fixed with pictures

Like many, my Gen 2 drivers side heated seat died. 3.2 years and 42,*** miles, so no warranty help. I bought the replacement heating element for $19. Plugged it in and confirmed it worked and the one in the seat did not. So time to get to work. #1 - disconnect battery. No one wants to risk...

www.fordraptorforum.com

I am pretty sure the "roll out" you speak of is what is making everyones heated seats go bad. I am 6-3 250, and I too have to rollout. You can se in my pictures from this thread....my left drivers side bolster is in decent shape still and not broken down. but the stretching is what moves the heating element out of place.

 

[2slo4u]

weird that you didn't see the disclaimer about the Recaros when you purchased your Raptor. I think it was just under the section that mentions Fox shox needing rebuilds often

 

[smurfslayer]

I am pretty sure the "roll out" you speak of is what is making everyones heated seats go bad. I am 6-3 250, and I too have to rollout

Jayzuss. Eat some fruit.

Your truck will thank you.

My ‘fun size’ wife used to love to turn and slide out of the truck. I knew the talk would be a difficult one so, I broached it one Saturday, just before motorcycle racing was on. I got the look, silent treatment for 6 hours and got to watch the races in total peace and harmony, only paying the price at dinner.

Now if she does the slide, she will make a big production out of getting back in the truck and getting out the correct way. :-/

 

[melvimbe]

I don't think I do it intentionally to protect the seat, but don't really care for the slide method. I mean, you enter the truck butt first? If you enter the truck by placing outside foot on the side step, inside foot in the cab, you pretty much can then fall in to place. If you go inside foot on the step first, you got no place to put your outside foot, so you pretty much gotta go in side ways and use your butt. Get out is pretty much reverse. Lift up with the inside foot till you can place the outside foot on the step, and your out.

This is opposite of how you'd want to get into a car or smaller SUV. You go with inside foot first and you can pretty much drop in from there. To get out, you go outside foot first.

 

[Nex]

Jayzuss. Eat some fruit.

Your truck will thank you.

My ‘fun size’ wife used to love to turn and slide out of the truck. I knew the talk would be a difficult one so, I broached it one Saturday, just before motorcycle racing was on. I got the look, silent treatment for 6 hours and got to watch the races in total peace and harmony, only paying the price at dinner.

Now if she does the slide, she will make a big production out of getting back in the truck and getting out the correct way. :-/

Smart man!

The roll out is common for any vehicle as mentioned already. I have had big lifted trucks for years and am always cautious of how I get out. Left leg onto the step, step up and out of the truck, then to the ground. Sure it's a bit of work but if the foam roll out look bothers you, then you need to take the extra steps to limit it.

 

[thatJeepguy]

Yup i noticed this too. I make it a point to not do it. Im 6’4 and its annoying but i make it a point to do it. I step on the running board and grab the handle and head out.

 

[OEMPlus Raptor]

Yup i noticed this too. I make it a point to not do it. Im 6’4 and its annoying but i make it a point to do it. I step on the running board and grab the handle and head out.

That's how I get out. Not a big a deal.