they adjust for tilt and were probably tilted all the way forward.
and even the non-power seats have height adjustment.
The 2013 Honda Accord has horrible headrests. My SO is taller than me, and it fits him ok. Since he is the main driver for that car, I put up with it. As a passenger, I actualyl have to raise the headrest to it’s tallest setting, and let my head sit under the cushion. Otherwise the headrest is pushing my head forward, chin into my chest. I would never buy that car for myself, for exactly that reason.
Good idea! I’ve been twisting the belt 5 or 6 times before I buckle. But it’s probably not as safe that way.
Again on the subject of headrests, I’ve always thought the airline seats push your head down at an uncomfortable position too. I’d love to see the shape of this person that they use to model these things for! He must look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
I take the gel seat pad from my wheelchair [I am NOT leaving a fairly important piece of my equipment where it can be lost or stolen out of the cargo areas of an airport.] and shove it behind my back. It props me forward from the back of the seat by a smidge over an inch and brings my upper shoulders and head far enough away from the seat backs to make the flight worlds more comfortable. The little head pillows they provide I surmise could be used in the same manner.
I chose to buy a 2007 Accord instead of a newer model because the older head rests were so much more comfortable. I’m dreading the next round of car shopping. I tried one of the newer models and ended up with terrible back pain after only a short drive. I don’t like driving with my head forced forward and my chin touching my neck…
I still don’t understand why the headrests cannot be contoured and comfortable-it would seem to me, that having the head in continuous contact with the rest would prevent whiplash.
I was car shopping recently and remarked on the uncomfortable headrest. The salesman showed me how to remove it and then put it on backwards so that it wasn’t angled so far forward. Might be something to try for those of you in misery.
I removed the headrests and reversed them so that they lean toward the rear seats. In doing so, I can tilt the seat back to a comfortable position without my head being bend forward and touching the headrest. This works Great!!
I removed the headrests and reversed them so that they lean toward the rear seats. In doing so, I can tilt the seat back to a comfortable position without my head being bend forward and touching the headrest. This works great!!
^Driver’s & passenger’s sides, huh?
I was thinking she reversed them twice, and they’re back to normal.
This makes me crazy. In the car I usually drive, turning the headrest around moves the contact point about three inches backwards, and that makes it reasonably comfortable, but I drive with my head against it all the time. Note that moving my head away from the rest makes the bent neck WORSE, not better.
In our other car it was practically impossible to lean against the seat back, and so I got curious and measured, and found that the headrest goes six inches forward of the plane of the back of the seat. Six inches! Turning these around also helped.
Somewhere I read that the problem was that car users normally slouch. Well, we don’t all do that. And they can’t make us start.
I’ve noticed the same problem in nearly all of the newer cars that I’ve driven as rentals. The head restraint will move up and down (about an inch) but any front to back adjustment has been eliminated. I hate them and would end up modifying them if I owned the car.
The seats in my 10 year old SAAB have a mechanism that moves the head restraint closer to your head when needed. Its a simple lever that is activated by your back pressing into the seat. I love SAAB seats - really comfortable and so far safe enough.
I just saw a new
Porsch 911-looked like really uncomfortable ones… (they are integral with the seats)-it looks like your head is pushed a good 6-8" forward. this looks really bad to me…anyone have experience with Porsche seats?
I thought I was the only one who hated this. When I mention it to my friends or family they act like I’m crazy. I am so tired of having to slouch while I drive, it is very tiring. Not only does the seat curve top to bottom along with the unnatural angle of the headrest but it also curves side to side which makes me have to totally round my back.
Who designed these? They certainly didn’t do it for humans. Seriously, why are they doing this? It’s not for whiplash , that doesn’t require your head to be forward, just to not whip back. Why the concave seat backs? I am miserable every time we go on a drive longer than an hour.
OK, I’m wrong. Having the head tilted forward causes fewer whiplash injuries. How many injuries does the forward position cause though?
DH just bought a 2013 Toyota RAV4; I’m the primary driver. The headrests do not adjust fore and aft, just up and down. I’m very petite as well - 4’10" - and yes, it’s chin-to-chest time. I’ll look into reversing the darned thing. It’s driving me crazy!
On the seatbelt front, though, Toyota’s made a significant improvement. In my 2002 RAV4, the seatbelt hit me right across the neck too. In the 2013, there’s a ‘slide and lock’ adjustment where you can move the top of the seatbelt down within the frame of the car so that this one actually restrains me across the chest where it’s supposed to. I always thought that the old seatbelt was a hazard, but the rest of the RAV4 felt and drove so well, I put up with it. The new RAV4 doesn’t fit me nearly as well EXCEPT for the seatbelt. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
@Zulema: Yes, exactly!!! My husband doesn’t mind it, but that’s because he slouches and leans the seat back so his upper back and neck and head are no where near the seat!! Many people have suggested to lean the seat back slightly so that your head is not pushed forward. If you do this, then you have to slouch even MORE just to get your back to touch the seat and there is no lumbar/back support this way. I’ve had whiplash several times, and a fancy headrest doesn’t prevent it if you aren’t even leaning against the seat! Duh!
And movie theater seats as well! As though we need to be concerned about whiplash in a movie theater!!
I’m 5’6 and my husband is 5’11 and airline and auto headrest positions are uncomfortable for both our heights too. So, it really isn’t a height issue.
Hah, I have this problem too with rental cars. I don’t recline in a car, ever. I don’t even recline on airplanes, you’re welcome all the people in back of me. I prefer to sit upright. Who made the brilliant decision that we are all slouchers?
This confuses me too. The headrest in my car is about 6 inches forward of the plane of the seat back, but my head never touches it. Probably because at 6’5" I need the seat leaned back a bit for the headroom. Maybe the people with headrest problems have the seat bolt upright?