George993

Hi, the headrests of the modern cars (or at least the luxury cars starting about 10 years ago) are very uncomfortably bent forward. I realize that's a good position for crush test dummies and for all the young people with rounded backs, goose necks and heads sticking about a foot ahead of the torso due to smart phone addictions. But it does not work for us in the older generation with straight backs, who enjoy seating straight.

Has anyone figured out a way to correct it? For a while I've been driving my S600 with a simple correction of removing the top seat tubes which hold the headrest. It allows for the headrest to sufficiently move back, but it's wobbly and looks ugly without the plastic finishing around the mounting holes. I've disassembled the headrest and tried to bent the two metal tubes which go into the seat, putting one end in a vice but it's quite stiff and does not bend. Before I put a few feet extension tube for more torque and break something, has anyone figures out a simpler and cleaner way? Does anyone else see it as a problem?

(To preempt all the "don't touch it, it's for your safety, dummy!" messages, it's not for MY safety as constant bending the head forward makes me uncomfortable and more prone to causing accidents :-)

Thanks!!!

tonylinc

I agree, I like the headrests from the W124s and the W140s better,
they tilted and you could get it just right and have it support your head
while you drive, like it was a "HeadRest" or something.
Wish they hadn't changed them.

George993

Thanks. BTW, I've fixed mine now. The trick was to put the metal support tubes (one at a time) in a slightly larger hole drilled in a thick, unmovable steel (1/4 or 1/2 inch thick), put about 3ft long steel pipe onto the tube and bend it into shape. It was not even necessary to disassemble the headrest. Just headrest removal, bending both tubes out (as closely to the headrest as possible without putting any pressure on the headrest itself), and putting the headrest back in.

Now the seating position is almost as comfortable as in the W124 and W140 :-). It just needs a bit more firmness in the seat itself, but that will be another project...

pillowshot

I hope you realise you're not necessarily supposed to rest your head against the headrest. Headrest is supposed to be a shortened form of head restraint. It's purpose is to prevent your head from moving too far back in a collision.

joseluu

You are not necessarily supposed to have massage in you seat either, but...