Thanks for the suggestions. Adjusting the seat has of course been tried, and I am very, very good at seat adjustment. I had to recline the seat further than desirable just to deal with the protruding headrest long enough to take a test drive. The car I drove did not have the lumbar support and it is possible that would take care of the curvature of the seat back. But even if so, the problematic headrest and protruding wings would remain. Removing the headrest is unsafe, and now that you mention it I passed on the RAV4 years ago for that very problem.
What an aptly-named thread! I am so sorry to hear of your situation. I do hope the many responses are helpful to you. Please ask your dealer about a recommendation for someone who could reshape your seat (or even replace it!).
Sounds simple, but - typically front headrests are mounted to the seats with 1/2" steel rods, allowing for vertical adjustment into the seatback. I can't see why the headrest assembly couldn't be removed and the two rods bent a bit to increase the headrest cushion angle back as much as needed. The headrest would still be in place providing protection, but rearward as you need.
Where can I find out about Toyota's preferred upholstery shop? That might be something to look into. I'm a little skeptical about the model of asking the dealer to swap seats simply because my husband got burned by that by a VW dealer in 2001. Once he had the check there was no getting him to keep his promise. I assume the dealer won't exchange or alter the seat unless I pay for the car, and given our history I'm reluctant to pay for the car unless the dealer alters the seat. (I've since learned my lesson about VW dealers, but still.)
Keep in mind that the headrests are "active" and are designed, unlike most, to move during a collision. Changing them means defeating a safety mechanism of the car. Just something to think about.
I took a look at the 2010 seat tonight (someone mentioned putting an 09 seat in an 2010) .... sounds easy, but not feasible. Maybe the parts department will let you try different lumbar cushions and such on the 2010. As for upholstery, I can understand apprehension over modifying an original seat. Dealer can tell you where they send seats for repairs.
Well that explains a lot - it certainly doesn't look like an AC vent and the salesman who told me that was a bit questionable. He didn't seem all that familiar with either the car or the concept of a test drive; he recommended a pin-straight road for the drive and asked, "so what do you think of the handling?"
The dealer told you that was an a/c vent?! That is just inexcusable... How uninformed can someone be about one of the products they are selling? :tsk:
I understand, completely. How ironic. My wife and I tried the 2009 last year, and she could not get comfortable in the drivers' seat, which had no up-down adjustment. She is 5-9 and long-legged. The 2010 fits her great, with the adjustable seat and tilt/telescope steering wheel. We just bought one on Thursday. If the 2009 seat works for you, you can get a good deal on one now. We wished we could have bought an '09, but couldn't, because of the drivers seat. That was a deal-breaker for us! Go figure...
Have you spoken to one of the specialist Toyota Mobility dealers about a solution? Try the following link: Toyota Mobility They would be the ones most likely to be able to assist you to get the modifications necessary to get your preferred car the way you NEED it. I wish we had this facility here in Australia. Good luck, John.
