Uhhhhh... have you checked for a stick? :D

Seriously. Since I don't have my 8 yet, I can't go to my garage and check myself. Have you tried to feel from the underside of the seat while pushing down from the top with your other hand? Perhaps using more pressure this way will give your fingers a clearer picture of what is poking you than your butt can provide.

Had an old Mazda 808 and had this type of problem and it turned out to be a small (1/4') ball of twine used in upholstry.

 

I checked and was surprised to find there was no stick :D

I know what it was hitting my butt . . . it's a sensor in the seat which is located where the red arrow is in the picture above . . . there is no doubt it's there,. Strange thing is sometimes I can feel the sensor when pushing down on my seat with my fingers and other times I can't . . .

 

You didn't buy that RX8 in Amityville (sp) did you?

 

No I bought it at Country Mazda in Huntington ... I don't think there is a Mazda dealer in Amityville ..

 

Mod edit: Not appropriate for this forum. Thanks.

 

LMAO . . . thanks for explaining that, now I can just sit back and enjoy the ride :D

 

Okay, NOT appropriate at all. noahprtlnd, I sent you a pm about this post. Apologies, but I have to edit it now. And sorry to do this here, but I don't know how else to get your attention since you're not reading your private messages.

 

Just to fill in anyone checking out this thread, this is defnitely not limited to my car, I just drove my step fathers RX8 and he has the same exact feeling in his seat and I again felt the sensor though if you look at the green arrow in the picutre I put on the board, both my car and his, feel like there is something else in that spot though when I feel it with my hand, I don't feel anything like a sensor like I do with the one with the red arrow.

 

Alan... take it to the dealer and show them, both on your car and others in the dealership. Log the complaint... it just might make a difference.

 

Dave, I am leaving on vacation tomorrow but will back on February 8th so when I get back I will take a trip down to the dealer and see what they say.
Also I sent an email to Mazda about it and here is what they said

Dear Alan,

Thank you for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.

In regards to your question, I've personally inspected my RX-8 and another RX-8 that also that the Grand Touring Package with heated seats. However, I was not able to find any "stick" or sensors that was sticking out. I could clearly put my hand across the seat.

I've looked at the picture on the website you had provided on your message. Unfortunately, I was not able to find anything. You may want to have your local Mazda dealership inspect your vehicle to determine what it may be.

You may locate your nearby authorized Mazda dealership by visiting our website at www.mazdausa.com/dealers/default.asp.

Please let me know how your visit goes with the dealership. If you have any additional question, please don't hesitate to ask.

 

I can feel this 'stick' which could be the temp sensor? Similar to the old sensors under a waterbed mattress? Anyways, it is not something I feel when sitting but I will aks my service people about it cause it does feel close to the surface and not well padded.

My car is a very early vin# BTW, 4901.

 

That was we that posted the thread b4. My problem is actually after checking it out more was the seat frame in the bottom of the seat back not at the back of the seat cushon. I gotta call Mazda again and update the problem. If you all want to complain call mazda usa at 800-222-5500 and ask to have this fixed. I'm going to call my guy at my dealership to get this looked at and see if it can be adjusted.

 

There are a few solutions for those who are unhappy about this.

Protoolskid, please check you private messages and email, I sent you both.

Have you considered going to an upholstery shop and asking them to make something in a black leather that is cushiony that can be attached to the bottom of the seat back . . . I am sure they can make it look beautiful

If after some more time I am not used to the feel of the seat then I am going to have a leather shop make a cover for the seat or something along those lines to make the seat more cushiony & comfortable while still retaining the same look the seat has.

There are so many talented people out there that can do this while maintaining a nice look to the seat so it doesn't look cheesy. Though I will still let my dealer and Mazda USA know about this I am not going to wait for them to have the answer when for a few $$$ I can fix it myself and enjoy my car.

 

Alan... don't be so quick to take the car to an upholstery shop.

My friend used to work at a Ford dealer. If a customer complained about an uncomfortable seat that needed more, or less, padding in an area to make it comfortable, the dealership (with Ford $$ I believe) would send the car and customer to an upholstery shop to "tweak" the seat for them... with NO cost to the customer.

I see no reason why a Mazda dealership couldn't do the same.

 

ALthough it may not answer the question, this (and few other things I've seen) is SO much better than the generic BS responses that we get from BMWNA.

I'm liking this Mazda ownership thing more and more each day.

 

This problem is not confined to US cars. I took delivery of my cloth 8 here in Sydney last week (Dec 03 build) and have exactly the same issue. No matter how I adjust the seat, the horizontal frame at the base of the backrest really DIGS into the lower spine. It's simply lacks sufficient padding. I'd be interested to hear how you guys get on.
I'll certainly be raising it with my dealer at the first 1000km service... As it doesn't seem to affect all cars, perhaps its a recurrent production fault. Hard to believe they could have got the basic design that wrong, expecially as most Japanese, like me, have fairly light frames ( = limited padding in the crucial b... zone!).

 

Well I got my shop manual and looked up what is in the seat . . . the thing I was feeling is something that has to do with the heated seat, it's a sensor there for it. So I would think if you don't have heated seats, this sensor wouldn't be there unless all seats are manufactured with it !?

I will take a closer look tonight and post exactly what it is called if someone wants me to.