'06 headrest too far forward

It's gotten to the point where my wife's neck hurts. Any suggestions?

Is the '05 different & would it fit?

Any recommended upholstery shops in MD?

My wife has a similar complaint. I haven't tried this yet on the Subaru (we just got it last night) but it worked on the last 3 cars that I tried it on.

 

Just try to remove the headrest and turn it around. You might have to mess a bit with the detents but it should drop down okay. Most of the headrests these days have a slightly different profile when mounted forwards or backwards... probably not as much protection but still more then adequate. Good luck.

Wow, and I always thought mine was not forward enough. You should sit on a BMW, but then again those have the option to move back and forth. I love how those headrests hold your head.

 

X

My head never touches the thing.. It's nearly useless. Are you sure your whiplash protection didn't go off?

I noticed the 06 2.5i seats are different then the 05/06 GT seats, the headrest is a bit bigger and a little more forward. Unfotunetly I don't think their is a way to adjust it.

lean the seat back further?

Leaning the seat back more than usual works for me, but not for her. And it's her car, I'm just the mechanic & test driver.

 

Also tried reversing the headrest, that was like having none! And the rears from out old '98 swapped to the front in the '06 were also too small. Hmmm...maybe using the rears, but adding a bit of foam...

 

And yes, supposedly there were significant changes from '05 to '06, because of a bad safety report.

If you can take the cover off an electric knife works great for shaping foam.

Well, that leads me to the upholsterer. No zipper or velcro.

At least on the 05's you don't need an upholsterer. There is a plastic strip on the bottom that secures the upholstery. Just slide it off.

P 1-6 of the owners manual mentions the Active Head Restraint, but nothing about resetting it.

 

Apparently '05's had it, and then it was "improved" for '06:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_re...nts.aspx?subaru

Making its performance change from "Acceptable" to "Good".

 

Of course, it now causes neck pain...

 

So, vet's comment above indicates the '05 headrest is different; Anyone nearby want to try a comparison?

Any photos of what this looks like?

Like this:

lol.. that looks like the whiplash protection system.. Has the car been in an accident? unreported?

Bought new, no accidents.

yeah, well sometimes new doesn't mean new.

turn them around....see if they fit.

At least on the 05's you don't need an upholsterer. There is a plastic strip on the bottom that secures the upholstery. Just slide it off.

 

Ditto 06 AFAIK. I'll look at mine tonight since they're off the car.

if you raise the hr up a bit, her head may fit more comfortably in the subtle cut-out area.

there is an easy fix for that, just take out the headrest and put it on the floor, then get some visegrip pliers and bent the metal pipes a little, i have done that, and it got rid of my nek pains.

also, make sure that you put the pliers on the end of the pipes, and put something under the spot were you want the bend close to the upholstry.

I used the edge of the sidewalk. It takes some force but it works.

If you feel the headrest are to far forward the seat is not adjusted properly, it usually means the seat is too low and the seatback is too far forward to make up the difference.

 

Have your wife put the seatback way back, then adjust the seat to the highest setting that feels comfortable for your wife, move the seat forward of backward to the most comfortabnle setting for your wife and then as the very last step move the seatback forward until it is comfortable. At this point the headrest should not be touching the back of your wife's head. If it is the seat is still to low.

 

So far every customer that has complained to me about the headrests being to far forward has tried this and has then been very happy with the seat comfort.

If you feel the headrest are to far forward the seat is not adjusted properly, it usually means the seat is too low and the seatback is too far forward to make up the difference.....

I'll put her on to this process. But I think the seat's already high.

also, make sure that you put the pliers on the end of the pipes, and put something under the spot were you want the bend close to the upholstry.

I used the edge of the sidewalk. It takes some force but it works.

 

I've considered putting them in a vice, but I think they are solid, not hollow.

BTW, they're 10mm in diameter, centers 150mm apart.

 

EDIT - OK, they're hollow. Hard to tell if my first attempt to bend them did anything.

Stay tuned...

OK, we've done both - she's adjusted the seat a bit & I straightened the curved headrest supports. So far, she's happier.