Exploding Headrest
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Glk 350
Exploding Headrest
Today, while driving my son and his friend to the park, I was suddenly struck in the back of the head by my headrest. I pulled over and stopped my car and could see the headrest on my 2010 GLK 350 had literally exploded? Has this ever happend to anyone???
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From: Seattle, WA
99 ML430, 01 CLK55, 07 R63, 15 E63 Wagon
These headrests have airbag explosives in it as part of the Neck Pro feature to help prevent whiplash in a collision. Odd that it did that out of the blue, though?
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Tromsø, 69° 41' N
2010 GLK 220CDI 4M BlueEFFICIENCY
As the NECK-PRO is an electronically controlled spring-based system, it might have been activated by a spurious impulse, triggering only one of the two headrests. Or most likely caused by the "mechanics" of the headrest in question by itself.
I've never heard of it "activated by itself" - until now.
How does the NECK-PRO work: http://www.daimler.com/dccom/0-5-121...0-0-0-0-0.html
How to reset the NECK-PRO: https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/owner...007c184335RCRD
I've never heard of it "activated by itself" - until now.
How does the NECK-PRO work: http://www.daimler.com/dccom/0-5-121...0-0-0-0-0.html
How to reset the NECK-PRO: https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/owner...007c184335RCRD
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From: Los Angeles
2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
Years ago I saw a comic that likened airbags to a shotgun, loaded and pointing at you at all times. 
Guess yours went off...
Guess yours went off...
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Glk 350
Exploding head rest update
The Mercedez dealership has had my car for 3 days now. They are saying that they need to have an engineer look at it to try to figure out why the head rest exploded hitting me in the back of the head. I was going no more than 15 mph and didn't experience any kind of bump or impact? I don't have confidence in my car. What if it happens to me again on the freeway? My neck is still sore and I have tenderness where the head rest hit. If this is a safety mechanism that is suppose to deploy in an accident... I don't know if I want something hitting me in the back of my head that hard while trying to avoid getting smashed in the face by a deploying airbag from my steering wheel? 
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04 CL55 (sold), 2012 CLS550 (sold), 2014 S550 (sold), 2015 ES300H (DAILY)
wow that sounds dangerous.....the dealership is covering ALL costs right?? I would be so angry if that happened to me.
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From: Los Angeles
2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
[QUOTE=erins;5565694]Today, while driving my son and his friend to the park, I was suddenly struck in the back of the head by my headrest. I pulled over and stopped my car and could see the headrest on my 2010 GLK 350 had literally exploded? Has this ever happend to anyone???[/QUOTE]
I've never even heard of it happening to anyone before now...
I've never even heard of it happening to anyone before now...
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Super Member
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Tromsø, 69° 41' N
2010 GLK 220CDI 4M BlueEFFICIENCY
Did anyone by any chance use a mobile phone at the time of the incidence, or are you aware of any (transmitting) antennas in the area?
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From: Tennessee, USA
Red GLK350, blue '87 Toyota Land Cruiser
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99 ML430, 01 CLK55, 07 R63, 15 E63 Wagon
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From: Northern New Jersey
2010 GLK Black, Premium 1, Lighting, Multimedia, Appearance and Media Pkg, 2012 Corvette Grand Sport
Having had the unfortunate experience of being in a head on collision I can tell you that the airbag catches you and as the impact throws you forward then back the idea of the head restraint is to have it move forward before your head come back which in theory is supposed to prevent additional injury. The fact that it moved forward while your head was stationary is unfortunate. Hope you are OK and never have to rely on the great safety features built into today's MB's
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From: Los Angeles
2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
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From: Westchester County, NY
GLK350,Ford Escape,Camry,C280
Now you have me paranoid about RF in the car. I am a ham operator and see myself putting radio transmitters in my new GLK. Never mind the miliwatts from a cellphone. I mean 100+Watts from a low band transceiver. Yeah, time will tell.
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2010 GLK
Headrest Exploded
My 2010 Glk headrest exploded and was not preceeded by any accidents, bumps etc. I am seeing that others have posted that this has happened to them as well. Has anyone recd a response from Mercedes on this very dangerous flaw? How do I reset the headrests now that they are popped open??
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
My wife's C280 had a slight hit in the rear and the headrest popped. I tried the tool using the technique in the manual and could not get it to reset. When the vehicle was repaired by the dealer, his tech's could not reset it either, but this was back in 2007. They had to call in MB specialist as this was the first they had see this. By now, I am sure every MB dealer has seen this and knows how to reset but there is a special technique and not well explained in the manual. Fortunately for me but unfortunately for you this has not happened again so I don't know the technique. However, a dealer should be able to reset this in a few minutes.
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Joined: Aug 2020
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2010 GLK350, 2015 CLA250
[QUOTE=erins;5565694]Today, while driving my son and his friend to the park, I was suddenly struck in the back of the head by my headrest. I pulled over and stopped my car and could see the headrest on my 2010 GLK 350 had literally exploded? Has thisi have a 2010 GLK350.
I also have a 2010 GLK 350. Today while driving, I noticed my head was pitched forward awkwardly and attributed it to my ponytail. Later, I realized that the headrest had literally exploded open, and the plastic casing holding the metal pin had given way. I see several comments regarding this. What did MB do for you to resolve this? Thanks for any information regarding this issue.
I also have a 2010 GLK 350. Today while driving, I noticed my head was pitched forward awkwardly and attributed it to my ponytail. Later, I realized that the headrest had literally exploded open, and the plastic casing holding the metal pin had given way. I see several comments regarding this. What did MB do for you to resolve this? Thanks for any information regarding this issue.
