Headrest adjustment

Plane_guy · 09-12-2009, 09:26 PM

My wife finally test drove the insight today. Her major complaint was the headrest adjustment. It didn't matter what height we had it, it was hitting the back of her head. Can you adjust them front to rear?

jpleong · 09-12-2009, 10:23 PM

The short answer is: no.

But what do you mean by "hitting the back of her head?" Do you mean that it is causing undesired posture because of how it faces forward? Or something else?

JP

Plane_guy · 09-12-2009, 11:13 PM

Just the fact that it's close to the head. Each time you move your head it's rubbing the hair. That was anonying for her. I even noticed that if I sat straight up my head would touch lightly? If it would move back just a little would be great.

jpleong · 09-13-2009, 01:39 AM

I'm pretty sure that's intentional. It's part of the Active Head Restraint system. In the event of a car accident it's supposed to prevent your head from moving around too much and it starts by not giving your head much sway space to begin with. If you test drive the Insight again you can also push back on the seat (in the area that contacts the small of your back) and you'll notice that the headrest moves forward. This helps to prevent whiplash (or snapping your neck, I suppose).

My SAAB had similar "jutting forward" headrests -which were also part of their Active Head Restraint system. Personally, I don't (and didn't) notice it much unless I'm trying to take a nap (there's nothing to support the neck if you're laying down flat) and my wife hasn't mentioned any annoyance. Does your wife put her hair in a ponytail? I could see how that could be particularly annoying.

JP

Piano Tuner · 09-13-2009, 03:53 AM

I believe in the future more cars, if not all, will be like this.

It's a safety thing.

I am sewing a terry-cloth cover for it that I can launder.

numbness4sound · 09-19-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpleong

I'm pretty sure that's intentional. It's part of the Active Head Restraint system. In the event of a car accident it's supposed to prevent your head from moving around too much and it starts by not giving your head much sway space to begin with. If you test drive the Insight again you can also push back on the seat (in the area that contacts the small of your back) and you'll notice that the headrest moves forward. This helps to prevent whiplash (or snapping your neck, I suppose).

My SAAB had similar "jutting forward" headrests -which were also part of their Active Head Restraint system. Personally, I don't (and didn't) notice it much unless I'm trying to take a nap (there's nothing to support the neck if you're laying down flat) and my wife hasn't mentioned any annoyance. Does your wife put her hair in a ponytail? I could see how that could be particularly annoying.

JP

Yeah, my coworker complains about that in her 2010 Prius too. I think it's a new safety feature. It bothered me at first, because if I have my hair in a bun or ponytail it's always bumping it (particularly the bun is a pain), but I got used to it. I angled the seat back a bit so it's not as close to my head now.

Piano Tuner · 09-19-2009, 07:24 PM

It's a safety thing and I think all cars will eventually be like this.

People used to complain about how safety belts annoyed them too.

ford_jj · 09-19-2009, 08:08 PM

I think the car Headrest is not accord to the ergonomics. The designer should think about all aspects of people. Do you think so?

**AstroInsight** · 05-06-2010, 09:14 PM

On my older Toyotas, I would reverse the headrest, not good here.

I am considering making a bending jig at work and bend the 2 steel bars of the head rest, back about 10 degrees , so my neck does not hurt when driving my car.

**Keen4Green** · 05-07-2010, 12:10 PM

Did you try adjusting the angle of the seat back and/or the height of the seat bottom? If the seat back is too far forward it may bring the head restraint close to her head.