Headrest too far forward

FYI, it does not brush against my head, so I don't consider it too far forward for me. In order for the head restraints to work properly, they do need to be pretty close to the head and at the height shown in the manual for the driver and passengers. You want to avoid whiplash, and the closer it is the better in that situation. Proper height supports the neck better in the event of a collision. Page 78 in the manual has an illustration of the "active head restraint"--it moves forward and upward when pressure has been applied to the seat back during a rear-end collision (or even slight pressure per the manual). Any chance that happened or the back was jolted unusually and it moved forward? It does not say how to move it back, but I guess just apply pressure if that has happened.

 

Yes, I agree with you. I think all new headrests are too far forward. My guess is that auto manufacturers want to minimize the chance of whiplash, by setting the headrest very close to the back of your head.

My Toyota dealer said he gets quite a few complaints about it, usually from people with a lot of hair. Having a pony-tail would make the headrest especially annoying.

He also said he gets fewer headrest complaints from Prius drivers than from some other Toyota models, such as their SUVs and the Camry. I rented a Camry for a long drive last year, and I found the headrest so annoying (I kept hitting it with the back of my head) that I couldn't wait to turn the car back in.

 

As pointed out above, the headrest needs to be forward or it won't do its job.

Tom

 

If I have my Gen II seat in the full upright position, then the headrest is too far forward.

But I always recline my seat one notch back because that's the most comfortable position for my aching back. In this position the headrest is OK.

 

+1. I have my seat reclined way back to find my comfort level. Yes the headrest is way too far forward. I like my Kia van as the headrest is adjustable front to rear.

 

Yes, it's too far forward. If I leave my seat at the angle that is comfortable for me, it pushes my neck out of alignment. I tried reclining my seat an extra notch, but that is too hard on my lower back pain.

In 2001 I had to rule out the RAV4 because the headrests cannot be adjusted. And now the same issue is keeping me from buying the Prius I want so badly. That's just sad.

 

The more you recline your seat, the more severe the angle of the headrest, as mine seems to be hinged so that it remains perpendicular to the ground (meaning alwats pointing upwards). Thus, while I do not mind the headrest when driving, when I recline the seat, say when parked and waiting for my teenage daughter to come to the car, I will recline, and the headrest now is too far 'forward' relative to the seat back.

 

Oddly enough, it was the headrests cutting across my shoulderblades on the XC60 which pushed me away from that car. I could have had x-plan on it, but for the discomfort.

 

You can blame the NHTSA and DOT for the headrest. All new designs after 2008 requires the auto maker to have active headrests on the vehicle. Active headrests are not required for models that were in production before MY2008. However all new designs MY2008 and after require active headrests and the forward leaning design.

 

Active headrests have been proven to significantly reduce whiplash injuries from rear-end crashes.

Toyota's slow adoption of active headrests was the main reason its cars (including the Gen II Prius) had long performed poorly in this type of crash test.

My Gen II Prius' NON-active headrests protrude further forward than my Volvo's active headrests. [EDIT CORRECTION: My Volvo did not have active headrests -- it had essentially an active seatback system that Volvo called WHIPS for WHiplash Injury Prevention System. But my Gen II Prius' headrests still protrude further forward than my Volvo headrests did.]

 

Yes, they seem too far forward. We looked at a Corolla a couple years ago. As I remember, the same situation came up and the salesman removed the headrest and placed it back in facing the other way. Not sure how badly that would affect the safeness of the headrest, and I haven't tried it in my Prius yet (its cold out there and I don't want to go out at midnight to find out!)

 

Or maybe your head and/or neck is kinked a couple inches farther forward now and you're used to it?

Urp, while checking the secret maintenance setup menu a few minutes ago, it should have occurred to me to check also for the backwards facing headrest possibility. Crap. I'm not going out there again tonight. Bah.

 

I thought I had read in a previous thread on the same topic that on the Gen III 2010 Prius, you couldn't reverse the headrest like you could sort of do with the Gen II.

 

It's too far forward for comfort, in my opinion, too. We won't have whiplash, if rear-ended, but you wouldn't be able to tell, because your neck would already be stiff from its "normal" driving position...:crutch:

 

my wife has complained about it being to far forward since day one.

 

Someone on here posted a fix for raising the front of the seat a wee bit to eliminate that sliding off feeling. I never got around to doing it myself though.

 

How odd. My brother and I were complaining yesterday how all headrest are too far back. When I drove a 2010 it was slightly better yet still a problem. (odd eh?)