Head rests

SVTdriver · Apr 27, 2005

While I certainly understand that some people find the headrests uncomfortable. I'm not sure the idea of modifying a safety device. Is such a good idea. What happens if you get in an accident. And since you modified the headrest, you suffer a worse case of whiplash?

billy_tripper · Apr 28, 2005

The headrests are actually a compliment to the car for me. All the other cars I've had it felt like I was looking at the sky when using the head rests, but on this car, my head rests right on them when it's in the normal position. I really like them how they are. I don't lay my seat back really far though, I have the power seat all the way back and then have about 3 inches between the back of the front seat and the back seat.

WSD42 · Apr 28, 2005

One more thought on getting your seat and headrest adjusted right....since I am 6'1+" the seat in my '05 GT is all the way back, then I raised the seat a bit, tilted it back and adjusted the back until I got a better angle for drivnig comfortably, shifting, etc. It is not totally optimal, but now is much more comfortable overall. It would be good if Ford added a telescopic feature to the steering wheel. I will probably add a different shifter (tri-ax type) to move the stick a little further back. If I do that, may look into a custon shifter extension for it. About 2" further back would probably do.....

Very few cars these days with a stick are optimal for tall people, except ones that are more than I care to pay right now. I have sat and driven several of the new sports cars out there like the 350Z, G35 Coupe, Boxter, RX8, etc... but none were as comfortable as the Mustang as to leg room. Sat in a BMW 850csi once.....perfect seating and shifting position....$85K too! The new 6 is similar to the 8......still way too much! But I like the American Muscle Cars best! If I ever get one of the 6's I will put a bumper sticker on it "My Other Car Is A Mustang"....that would get some raised eyebrows.....lol

Ok, I degress....try playing around with the seat height, angle, etc....maybe you will find a good compromise. Funny thing...When I first looked at the new Mustang, I thought the head rest looked like it was way too forward, I then sat down and adjusted the seat back a bit. Felt great for me....

Good luck!

mikiec · May 4, 2005

My wife does not like them either. I tried to remove them so I could take them to an upholstery shop for bending and recovering.

I press in the button to remove.. No, go.

Has anybody removed them?

yes, I know they are for safety and I intend to keep them for that reason. I just need to sit in the seat without having my neck bent over. Leaning the seat back really does not help.

Mike

BLK05GT · May 4, 2005

You need to push a paperclip-sized pin into a small hole on one side of the head rest to release it. One side has the button, the other has the pin hole, then it pulls straight up. Good luck!

upstate · May 6, 2005

I like the headrests. The Chrysler 300 has the same design. There are like that to meet new standards. I think they are great.

mobydickdog · May 7, 2005

So, driving with my chin buried in my chest is the new standard.

There are 3 ways for me to correct the headset problem.

1. Lay the seat back and sleep.
2. Remove it.
3. Bend it to its proper angle.

P.S. Leaning the seat back to TRY and correct the design flaw with the headrest is NOT a fix.

max2000jp · May 7, 2005

This isn't a design flaw; it's there so you don't get injured in a rear end collision. I have never seen the headrest as a problem. Play around with the seat adjustements, as well as the height of the head rest.

stanmckinney · May 7, 2005

Is your head actually supposed to rest on them? I didn't think so. At any rate, I don't rest my head on them and have had no problem.

PolkThug · May 7, 2005

The primary function of a head rest is to prevent whiplash and other neck injuries caused from a vehicle impact. Its not there so you can get all comfy.

However, if you are sitting normally, and it is pushing your chin into your chest then there must be a problem. Pic?

SVTdriver · May 7, 2005

mobydickdog said:
So, driving with my chin buried in my chest is the new standard.

There are 3 ways for me to correct the headset problem.

1. Lay the seat back and sleep.
2. Remove it.
3. Bend it to its proper angle.

P.S. Leaning the seat back to TRY and correct the design flaw with the headrest is NOT a fix.

However I'm not sure snapping your neck if you get rearended is exactly a fix either.

BOSS4.6L · May 7, 2005

I have no problem with the head rests(5' 11"), now if I sat more up right and kept my hands on the three and eight o-clock postions as they teach you in drivers ed then maybe then the head rest could become a problem. It's not a design flaw because their are ways to fix it and people are just too stubborn to admit thier too lazy to try new sitting positions, oh and it is always somebody elses fault. Didnt you notice this before you bought the car.

mobydickdog · May 7, 2005

I AGREE that your head should NOT be resting on the head rest.

That IS the problem.

My wife who is 5' 6'' and myself who is 6' both have the same problem. The back of our head presses against the headrest with our head tilted forward in an unnatural position. The "workaround fix" is to recline the seat to an unnatural feeling so the headrest moves away from the back of your head.

My flying F-16 days with a 30 degree recline of the seat are over. I don't need to pull those kind of G's in an automobile. Nor do I need to lay back in the seat to close in on a bandit.

BOSS4.6L · May 7, 2005

mobydickdog said:
I AGREE that your head should NOT be resting on the head rest.

My flying F-16 days with a 30 degree recline of the seat are over. I don't need to pull those kind of G's in an automobile. Nor do I need to lay back in the seat to close in on a bandit.

Thats funny!! I am a crew chief on F-16's. I understand what you are talking about. Your only bet is to see if ford offers a alternative head rest that you can purchase from them. i would not even think about modifying the current headrests because if you were to get into an accident and the headrests did not do what they were supposed to do. Well all I can say is ford will not like the fact that you modifiyied the headrests, and the insurence company will not cover any injury caused by the modified headrests. You might get some thing but not much. what ever you do just "cover your six". I would hate to see people get hurt because they modified the headrests to gain some comfort.

mobydickdog · May 7, 2005

Haven't modified it yet and probably won't. We will just have to deal with it and keep the seat back reclined a bit.

Anyway, I'm RTB.

Me too!!

jlisle01 · May 8, 2005

ExCon said:
Everyone always knows of changes in a car that has yet to come out. Sometimes they are correct, more often than not its wishful thinkin. Odds are the headrests will be the same damn thing.

Oh my, I'm going to.. agree...with.....ExCon. Must....not...say...it....Damn! He's right, as I understand it, the headrests are angled that way to comply with an upcoming Federal safety reg. Read it in 5.0, they hate them because they interfere with helmet use. Which means yes, first they regulated seatbelt use because they know what's better for you and now they're going to dictate your seating posistion to you too. Next, we'll all be required to drive with a book on our heads.

vacooley · May 9, 2005

jlisle01 said:
Oh my, I'm going to.. agree...with.....ExCon. Must....not...say...it....Damn! He's right, as I understand it, the headrests are angled that way to comply with an upcoming Federal safety reg. Read it in 5.0, they hate them because they interfere with helmet use. Which means yes, first they regulated seatbelt use because they know what's better for you and now they're going to dictate your seating posistion to you too. Next, we'll all be required to drive with a book on our heads.

I too find the headrests to be uncomfortable.

Upcoming regs or not... other manufacturers (and Ford in other vehicles) seem to be able to design headrests that do not have this problem. Ford dropped the ball on this.

05Stangster · May 9, 2005

I believe the other auto makers haven't conformed to the new reg requirements b/c the regs don't go in place until 2006. Ford went ahead and designed to meet the regs so they would not have to the change design 2 years in a row.

05Stangster · May 9, 2005

FYI - From the Autochannel
"Headrests can go a long way toward reducing neck injuries in the event of a rear-end collision ... But they're only effective when positioned correctly relative to the driver's head."

According to research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a correctly positioned headrest should meet the following criteria:

Headrests should ideally be positioned two inches or less from the rear of the driver's head, and never more than four inches.

When adjusting for height, the bulk of the headrest should stand directly behind the driver's head, at ears level. In the event of whiplash, the headrest should contact your head first, not the neck.

klous · May 9, 2005

mobydickdog said:
I AGREE that your head should NOT be resting on the head rest.

That IS the problem.

My wife who is 5' 6'' and myself who is 6' both have the same problem. The back of our head presses against the headrest with our head tilted forward in an unnatural position. The "workaround fix" is to recline the seat to an unnatural feeling so the headrest moves away from the back of your head.

My flying F-16 days with a 30 degree recline of the seat are over. I don't need to pull those kind of G's in an automobile. Nor do I need to lay back in the seat to close in on a bandit.

I stand behind my original assesment your useing the headrest wrong if you head is matching the angle of the headrest. Im 6 foot and some change and have no problem with the headrest in any postion.

Ok here is a little diagram for those that aren't useing the headrest properly
Here is your head O
Here is the headrest /

Now for proper usage
/O

If your matching the angel of the headrest with your head of course your going to be uncomfortable.

Here is a picture I found on page 88 in the owners manual which better shows proper headrest positioning

Head rests

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