Headrests are uncomfortable

[Herm]

my neck bothered me for a few hours in a very small way and i was never injured.
the head rest prolly helped a lot.

It did help, head restraints have been mandated since 1969 to reduce the incidence of whiplash.

Some cars used a hinged lever that presses against your upper back.. during a rear impact your back actuates that lever and moves the headrest forward to contact your head, I guess the Leaf does not use that system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_restraint" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[garsh]

I finally fixed my headrests. Much more comfortable!

I bought a 24" long piece of black pipe from Lowes (galvanized would also work). I put the headrest in a vice, with a small piece of carpet to keep the vice jaws from tearing the cloth. Slip the pipe over one of the posts as far as you can, then use the pipe to slowly bend it into position. Repeat with the other post. Works great!

[kubel]

The only problem I have is when I try to sleep in my car. My solution is to just raise the head rest to just before it slips out of the holes. Maybe when I have time I'll get out my dremel and carve a few more notches to let me raise it a few more clicks without the risk of having it fall off.

[tracyv]

I just got a Leaf on lease and found the same thing. I just took the headrests out and turned them around. Still provides restraint in the event of a crash, but doesn't jam into my head anymore.

[LEAFfan]

Hmm, I've never had a problem with them, but I sit up straight in the seat with the seatback all the way upright. Sometimes, I lean my head back and rest it on the headrest.

[garsh]

Hmm, I've never had a problem with them, but I sit up straight in the seat with the seatback all the way upright. Sometimes, I lean my head back and rest it on the headrest.

That's what I do and that's exactly why they bothered me. The only way I could get comfortable was to lean the seat back more so that I would want my head pushed a little more forward.

Anyhow, the mod is working wonderfully. I have my seatback upright the way I like it, and my head doesn't touch the rest unless I want it to.

[KillaWhat]

I have heard that Leaf owners have pulled them off and turned the headrests around, since they are tilted slightly forward.
Should work.

[be236]

I've noticed this problem on all newer cars - the headrests are too far forward! If I try to keep my seatback as upright as possible, then the headrests end up pushing my head forward. I've found a post that suggests that this was a safety change made to vehicles in 2009. I find it quite annoying and would like to fix it.

I've seen a few different suggestions, such as putting the headrest in backwards, swapping the front & rear headrests, and even using a vice or a hydraulic press to bend the headrest posts. Has anybody else found other solutions for the Leaf?

I just noticed this too recently on my Nissan LEAF 2017! Currently, I dont feel my head pushed forward, but getting up and looking at it, it looks tilted way too forward! I wish we could adjust it to be straight/aligned with the seat's back..

[be236]

Certainly in the UK (don't know about the USA) they aren't called headrests, not officially anyway. I know people call them headrests but when you learn to drive they are called head restraints. They aren't designed for resting your head on. Instead, they are a restraint in the event of a rear shunt helping to prevent whiplash.

I now people call them headreasts... I do too... but that is probably why they are not comfortable.

Ah, I didnt know that.. they're head restraints, not head rests... learned something new.

[be236]

I finally fixed my headrests. Much more comfortable!

I bought a 24" long piece of black pipe from Lowes (galvanized would also work). I put the headrest in a vice, with a small piece of carpet to keep the vice jaws from tearing the cloth. Slip the pipe over one of the posts as far as you can, then use the pipe to slowly bend it into position. Repeat with the other post. Works great!

Nice!