Is Chevy investigating seat complaints?

[ScooterCT]

This is for Chevy only, please. No need for other forum comments - we already have tons of seat threads.

A few of us have sat in multiple Bolts at auto shows, dealers, etc, and have had inconsistent experiences. I've personally sat in one Bolt that had the best seat ever, and one that had the worst seat ever. Inexplicable.

Is Chevrolet aware of the wide range of customer seat reactions, and also apparent inconsistency in seat consistency between individual Bolts? Can we hope for production changes anytime soon?

Thanks in advance for answering Chevy! The Bolt is a real shot across the EV bow to all other makers. Can't wait to see it mature and other products on that platform arrive.

 

[ChevyCustomerCare]

This is for Chevy only, please. No need for other forum comments - we already have tons of seat threads.

A few of us have sat in multiple Bolts at auto shows, dealers, etc, and have had inconsistent experiences. I've personally sat in one Bolt that had the best seat ever, and one that had the worst seat ever. Inexplicable.

Is Chevrolet aware of the wide range of customer seat reactions, and also apparent inconsistency in seat consistency between individual Bolts? Can we hope for production changes anytime soon?

Thanks in advance for answering Chevy! The Bolt is a real shot across the EV bow to all other makers. Can't wait to see it mature and other products on that platform arrive.

Thanks for reaching out, ScooterCT! At this time, we recommend reaching that customers connect with their selling dealerships, if they are dissatisfied with the seat comfort in their Bolt. We can do some vehicle inspections and proceed accordingly at that point.

We always appreciate customer input, and I've made sure to pass along your seat comments to our internal development teams. The only way we can help better the Bolt is with feedback like yours. Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns in this regard.

Warm Wishes,

Amber G.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[flamaest]

I know you said CHEVY only, but I just got a call from Chevy on 3/10/17 and I was on the phone with their excellent customer care folks for over an hour, in part to discuss the front seats. I don't know if they are gonna do anything, but the looming nationwide roll-out will make this issue blowup IMHO.

They are the worst seats ever.

 

[dan2112]

How did you initiate the conversation - here or at a local dealer. I have filled out the survey Chevy sent me and wondering if anybody cared.. Called them the worse seats ever and gave them a "1" on the front seats.

 

[ChevyCustomerCare]

How did you initiate the conversation - here or at a local dealer. I have filled out the survey Chevy sent me and wondering if anybody cared.. Called them the worse seats ever and gave them a "1" on the front seats.

We definitely care, dan2112! If you haven't been contacted yet in regards to your seat concerns or the survey you sent in, please feel free to follow up with me personally. I can be reached over this forum via private message or via email at [email protected].

Best,

Amber G.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[dan2112]

PM Sent

 

[Zago]

3 months and 5300 miles later and I have not received a single call or a mail survey about my car from the dealer, so yeah I also think they do not care! mean time when I get asked about how I like the car from potential buyers, my first complain is "how much the seats hurt" !!!!!

Consumers are getting the information about the Bolt likes and dislikes directly from buyers like myself.

How is that for customer awareness Chevy?

 

[NaCl]

I can certainly attest to Chevy/dealership not appearing to care one iota about the seat issue. I have complained on numerous occasions to my dealership and all I got was "Sorry. Hehe, there's nothing I can do about that." If Chevy/GM cared, there would have been recall, or the like, notices to get them replaced.

I know of a few people that have had to either get their seat re-stuffed, purchase special seat cushions, or the like. I went a bit further than merely adding additional foam/re-stuffing wrt to my own resolution. Look here -> http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/162-...likes/6506-front-seats-ouch-11.html#post99194 and the next 2 posts from me on that same page. I include a writeup of what was done and photos. The idea of having to spend an additional $700 US to make a seat in a $44K car _merely_ _tolerable_ is pretty poor form.

Note that what I did does _nothing_ for the back rest. The upholsterer that did the work on the bottom of the seat commented that he'd never seen a more poorly designed seat wrt comfort. He mentioned they couldn't touch the back bolsters because of the airbags since it would potentially negatively impact their deployment. So, while I can, _now_, tolerate the glute/thigh/hamstring experience, I'm now left with choosing which back-side of my ribcage gets tortured upon each driving session.

I would _LOVE_ to talk to the 'engineers' that a) designed the seats and/or b) approved their use. This individual(s) must possess the stature of a 10 year old girl or never sat in the thing. :x

Unless/until Chevy/GM fix make this right, it sickens me at the realization that I have wasted $44K. Or however much depreciation I will have to bend over for, when the 2018 LEAF shows up and I have to trade the Bolt in on that. :evil:

EDITED: Punctuation and corrected 'not' to 'now' regarding the which side of ribcage to be tortured.

 

[Posatronic]

I can certainly attest to Chevy/dealership not appearing to care one iota about the seat issue. I have complained on numerous occasions to my dealership and all I got was "Sorry. Hehe, there's nothing I can do about that." If Chevy/GM cared, there would have been recall, or the like, notices to get them replaced.

I know of a few people that have had to either get their seat re-stuffed, purchase, special seat cushions or the like. I went a bit further than merely adding additional foam/re-stuffing wrt to my own resolution. Look here -> http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/162-...likes/6506-front-seats-ouch-11.html#post99194 and the next 2 posts from me on that same page. I include a writeup of what was done and photos. The idea of having to spend an additional $700 US to make a seat in a $44K car _merely_ _tolerable_ is pretty poor form.

Note that what I did does _nothing_ for the back rest. The upholsterer that did the work on the bottom of the seat commented that he'd never seen a more poorly designed seat wrt comfort. He mentioned they couldn't touch the back bolsters because of the airbags since it would potentially negatively impact their deployment. So, while I can, _now_, tolerate the glute/thigh/hamstring experience, I'm not left with choosing which back-side of my ribcage gets tortured upon each driving session.

I would _LOVE_ to talk to the 'engineers' that a) designed the seats and/or b) approved their use. This individual(s) must possess the stature of a 10 year old girl or never sat in the thing. :x

Unless/until Chevy/GM fix make this right, it sickens me at the realization that I have wasted $44K. Or however much depreciation I will have to bend over for, when the 2018 LEAF shows up and I have to trade the Bolt in on that. :evil:

Unless it's a safety issue they will never issue a recall. In fact the have non-safety recalls that they don't inform you. You have to discover on your own. The seats are not a Safty issue. They are an issue for many people. The only thing that will happen will be a redesign . I believe they know that a lot of people don't like them. They will have to change them. But please stop saying they will recall them. That will NEVER happen.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I would _LOVE_ to talk to the 'engineers' that a) designed the seats and/or b) approved their use. This individual(s) must possess the stature of a 10 year old girl or never sat in the thing. :x

Someone posted a photo of him a while back, and he's built like a 3/4 scale adult male with mild anorexia. As for a "recall" just start asking for a "TSB" instead. That could happen. Someone complains about the seat and they fix it. No complaint, no repair.

 

[dan2112]

I would _LOVE_ to talk to the 'engineers' that a) designed the seats and/or b) approved their use. This individual(s) must possess the stature of a 10 year old girl or never sat in the thing. :x

Someone posted a photo of him a while back, and he's built like a 3/4 scale adult male with mild anorexia. As for a "recall" just start asking for a "TSB" instead. That could happen. Someone complains about the seat and they fix it. No complaint, no repair.

Well the Bolt was designed in Korea so that may explain the narrow seat - it wasn't designed with American Butts in mind:
(http://www.autonews.com/article/20160807/OEM03/160809904/gms-korea-studio-broke-the-mold-with-bolt)

 

[Zago]

I agree this is not grounds for a recall, but also doubt that GM will issue a "Technical Service Bulletin" no matter how many people complain.

I think we are going to have to bite the bullet on this... But I really hope GM proves me wrong.

 

[emv]

Well the Bolt was designed in Korea so that may explain the narrow seat - it wasn't designed with American Butts in mind:
(http://www.autonews.com/article/20160807/OEM03/160809904/gms-korea-studio-broke-the-mold-with-bolt)

But the Spark EV, definitely designed in Korea, has much better seats. It the Bolt has as seats that are good as the Spark EV I'd be waiting for delivery of a Bolt right now.

 

[NaCl]

I can certainly attest to Chevy/dealership not appearing to care one iota about the seat issue. I have complained on numerous occasions to my dealership and all I got was "Sorry. Hehe, there's nothing I can do about that." If Chevy/GM cared, there would have been recall, or the like, notices to get them replaced.

I know of a few people that have had to either get their seat re-stuffed, purchase, special seat cushions or the like. I went a bit further than merely adding additional foam/re-stuffing wrt to my own resolution. Look here -> http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/162-...likes/6506-front-seats-ouch-11.html#post99194 and the next 2 posts from me on that same page. I include a writeup of what was done and photos. The idea of having to spend an additional $700 US to make a seat in a $44K car _merely_ _tolerable_ is pretty poor form.

Note that what I did does _nothing_ for the back rest. The upholsterer that did the work on the bottom of the seat commented that he'd never seen a more poorly designed seat wrt comfort. He mentioned they couldn't touch the back bolsters because of the airbags since it would potentially negatively impact their deployment. So, while I can, _now_, tolerate the glute/thigh/hamstring experience, I'm not left with choosing which back-side of my ribcage gets tortured upon each driving session.

I would _LOVE_ to talk to the 'engineers' that a) designed the seats and/or b) approved their use. This individual(s) must possess the stature of a 10 year old girl or never sat in the thing. :x

Unless/until Chevy/GM fix make this right, it sickens me at the realization that I have wasted $44K. Or however much depreciation I will have to bend over for, when the 2018 LEAF shows up and I have to trade the Bolt in on that. :evil:

Unless it's a safety issue they will never issue a recall. In fact the have non-safety recalls that they don't inform you. You have to discover on your own. The seats are not a Safty issue. They are an issue for many people. The only thing that will happen will be a redesign . I believe they know that a lot of people don't like them. They will have to change them. But please stop saying they will recall them. That will NEVER happen.

Reading is hard I know, but do note that I never said that Chevy/GM would _do_ _anything_ much less that they would issue a recall.

It is is true that 'recalls' are, TMK, at least prompted by safety issues. What I meant, as the subsequent poster mentioned, was a TSB.

Although, I think there is an argument that can be made that driving while under such duress, is a safety issue. One is likely to be driving under a nigh constant state of heightened agitation and/or lowered alertness due to primary focus on the continuing infliction of pain. Whether or not, in the case of a fatal accident where such is the cited primary cause, a court would place the fault on GM/Chevy or the driver is another matter. I could see it both ways. One the one hand the driver is choosing to operate the vehicle under those conditions. On the other if that's, now, one's only means to/fro work or risk job loss, i.e. no real choice, it could be that Chevy/GM is at fault due to 'engineering'/approval of a seriously flawed intrinsic piece of equipment.

 

[leonine0]

I have some discomfort with the front seat.

I've stopped by the service center today and my complain has been taken. So I'll be waiting to hear back from the service center.

 

[boltage]

Someone posted a photo of him a while back, and he's built like a 3/4 scale adult male with mild anorexia.

Josh Tavel is a skinny guy who like sporty driving. Presumably, he has no complaints about the seats as designed.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2016/12/10/payne-qauto-chevy-bolt-evs-chief-speed-freak/95259830/

 

[LeftieBiker]

See what I meant? The Bolt next to him looks like an SUV.

 

[Anonymous]

Looking for an EV, I drove a Bolt the other day and loved everything about it EXCEPT the seat comfort. Seat was too narrow, not enough lumbar support and a lot of pressure on my left hip which is always mildly sore. When I got back in to my Nissan Altima I immediately noticed the improvement in comfort! Would love to purchase the car, but uncomfortable seats are deal breaker for me. Agree that Chevy needs to fix this and then watch sales take off!

 

[gpsman]

The $64 solution:

Chevy air bag compatible seat cover: $25
Purple gel seat cushion: $39

 

[ChevyCustomerCare]

Looking for an EV, I drove a Bolt the other day and loved everything about it EXCEPT the seat comfort. Seat was too narrow, not enough lumbar support and a lot of pressure on my left hip which is always mildly sore. When I got back in to my Nissan Altima I immediately noticed the improvement in comfort! Would love to purchase the car, but uncomfortable seats are deal breaker for me. Agree that Chevy needs to fix this and then watch sales take off!

Hi joelsg,

We are truly sorry to hear that the seats may have negatively impacted your perception of the Bolt EV! Rest assured that this is something we take seriously and we've brought your comments to the attention of the appropriate teams on our end.

Please feel free to follow up with us via private message or via email at [email protected] if you'd like to discuss the Bolt EV further.

Best,

Amber G.
Chevrolet Customer Care