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New Head Restraints – Safety, Torture, or Both? - READ ONLY

39 messages,  Last post on Jul 06, 2012 at 10:21 AM

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What is this discussion about? Safety Technology, Automotive News

Messages Page 5 of 5

#35 of 39 NHTSA 2007 Head restraint proposal by powderhound

Jul 18, 2011 (7:50 pm)

This is why all cars' headrests are terribly uncomforatble:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/HeadRest/PEA/Index.html
 
Headrests are now designed to accomodate a male who is 50th percentile in height. Short people like myself suffer. Headrests no longer adjust back and forward, they just crank your neck down. Every car I have test driven and rented since 2007 has this problem.
 
Thanks, but I'll keep my 06 Subaru until there is a better option.

#36 of 39 Re: NHTSA 2007 Head restraint proposal [powderhound] by hpmctorque

Jul 20, 2011 (4:08 am)

Replying to: powderhound (Jul 18, 2011 7:50 pm)
I've experienced the same problem with some newer models. Reclining the seat back, or a combination of tilting the seat back and reclining the seat back can mitigate the headrest problem. I suggest you try it.

#37 of 39 Tried it on many cars, by powderhound

Jul 21, 2011 (11:32 am)

. . . it didn't work. Otherwise I wouldn't mind the issue. I travel frequently for work and leisure and usually rent a car. GM's, Ford's, Hyundai's, even a Volvo S40 had the issue to some extent. What a pain in the neck! Another member mentioned reshaping the headrests and having them reupholstered -- that is what I'll have to do.

#38 of 39 Re: New restraint design is horrible [nine51] by shorty43

Jul 06, 2012 (8:39 am)

Replying to: nine51 (Nov 24, 2010 12:21 pm)
I am 5'3" and my husband is 6'3". He has a much easier time with the new head restraints than I do, but still finds them uncomfortable unless the seat is reclined. At best, a telescoping steering wheel helps with the reclining seat, but you still feel like you are driving from the back seat. I, on the other hand, have found very few newer vehicles that accommodate my short stature. Even highly adjustable seats are not really able to get me in the prime driving position. I typically sit up straight and slightly rest my head against the head rest/restraint due to past neck surgery and fusions in 3 vertebrae, and since I curently drive a 2002 VW Jetta, I am able to do so.
I have been looking for over a year at newer model vehicles with very little luck finding one that is comfortable enough to commute in without laying me almost flat on my back to avoid the head restraint nightmare. Comfort is imperative because I commute. I have had several salesmen try to switch out and turn head rests around but then you end up with nothing to protect your head at all. It seems to me that if they insist on building a head restraint that forces your head forward and down that they could at least build up the top of the seat so that you aren't sunk in at the shoulders. Sounds like we are either forced to be uncomfortable or pay extra on top of the vehicle cost to modify the interior. I realize that almost everything is manufactured for a set height range, but a few little added adjustments to the head restraints like I have seen on one Focus and Kia Sorento would solve this issue in it's entirety.

#39 of 39 Re: New restraint design is horrible [shorty43] by powderhound

Jul 06, 2012 (10:21 am)

Replying to: shorty43 (Jul 06, 2012 8:39 am)
The 2012 Impreza has a tilting headrest, too.

Messages Page 5 of 5

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