Toto SS114 toilet seat premature failure?

[johnhnhn]

I purchased two Toto toilets 17 months age. Both have # SS114 toilet seats. Both have the same problem. That is that the soft close seat no longer soft closes. The bottom part (that you sit on) will soft close if it is lifted, but the top seat cover just falls when let go. They both worked for a little over 12 months (the warranty is 12 months). I've looked on Toto's website for fixes or adjustments, but didn't find any.
So my question is: Can these be fixed? And if not what OTHER brand of soft close seats to replace them with that is reliable and won't quickly fail?

Thanks, John

[stephenk]

Perform a search. I believe there are a couple threads about this topic.

I recently purchased the SS114 and decided to return it. I had read the reviews about early failure and I wasn't satisfied with the quality of the construction for the price.

EDIT-
Here's a thread to get you started:
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/show...t-Close-Repair

[Terry]

I sell a few hundred of the SS114 and SS113 every year.
I've almost never had a return.
I do see a lot of Church and Bemis composte wood seats with problems though.

[jadnashua]

Someone found a suitable silicon grease that can be used to fill the hinge. If the o-rings are damaged, that may be harder to find exact replacements for. The things tend to fail if people push them down. this can generate a lot of hydraulic pressure, and blow out the seal. They work fine for a long time if you let them do their thing, though. There's only a very small path for that thick fluid to go through - it doesn't like to be rushed!

[Gary Swart]

I have 2 of these seats and have had no problems. I wonder if some one using these toilets of yours, has been forcing them to close. Now that's just a question, not an accusation.

[johnhnhn]

Thanks, for all the replies.
Toto sent me two in warranty replacements, even though they were over 1 year old!

As far as forcing them closed...would not forcing them open exert the same forces on the hydraulics as forcing them closed? I certainly do not want to take ~30 seconds to open them every time I use the toilet. I chose to leave the seats closed to keep my dog from drinking from the toilet, and also we use the toilets to sit on when dressing or undressing. If moving these seats rapidly will destroy the mechanism, then maybe "soft-close" seats are not practical for frequent opening & closing.

Do other brands of "Slow-close" seats use a different design?

[jadnashua]

Little check valves make for safe opening.

[Gary Swart]

I was not suggesting forcing them open, just closed. The should open like any other seat.