2009 Prius Drivers Seat Tilted Back too much?

I was hit at speed from backside a while ago, and the driver's seat broken into 45 degree back. Since then when I am driving the seat never feels comfortable: my head is 6-7 inches away from the headrest at the most upright seat back position.

I then push both driver and passenger seat into the most forward position, and put them into fully upright, then push back to lock, the driver's seatback is visibly tilted back more than the passenger's seat. The headrest difference is about 5 inches.

Have anybody compared your seats? Is it designed this way?

 

Yeah, that is the funny thing: they found a reclaimed seat and installed the whole seat and the position looks the same. Maybe it is just designed that way because of the steering wheel? Unless the reclaimed seat was from a similar accident and has deformed similarly.

 

Well, I think my next step will be to have Toyota dealer check it out to see whether it should be that way.

Anybody wants to go to our garage and push the seats forward and compare?

Lesson may be of common interest: adjust your head rest height to match the head, don't forget rear seats which are often ignored when there are only guests using them. I had a pretty bad neck injury and post concussion syndromes. I will save the medical terms for another day. They make me sick.

Drive safely, and watch out for people behind you as well, though there is not too much you can do about it in commuting hour traffic.

 

Thanks Yakoma for the picture. I fiddled with the replaced seat whenever I have time, and at one point it came back to the right position. So I am good in that sense.

However, that is a reclaimed seat costing Geico $150. It has a terrible smell, nothing I have smelled before. Having no pets my self, I guess it is pets. It is getting around the car and my clothes. Brought back to auto shop, they did an overnight deoderization, didn't work, now they want to use an upholstery shop to move the cushion of fabric from my bent seat to the replacement seat. Anybody has experience about that? Can they handle the airbag and sensors properly? If there is a problem I won't find out until the next accident.

Geico agent is fine with a factory seat, but I don't know why body shop adviser doesn't want to. Money issue? It is supplement to the initial estimates, but eventually the other insurance will pay Geico back everything.

 

Just got the Prius from Toyota dealer yesterday, they get me a new seat frame, but instead of putting on my original upholstery, they put on the one from LKQ reclaim seat, the one with horrible smell. So I will see them again. Doh!

Wish there is a way to attach *SMELL* to posts, so you can get an idea. Or maybe not such a good idea.

 

Yeah. I gave them a printout with giant letters telling them which seat is which and the mechanic guy didn't read. Swapping seat upholstery only costs $220, so it is not a difficult job.

I have to take passengers a few times over the days and truly had some Seinfeld moments!!!