Passenger Head Restraint

[damian33]

Hi,

Sorry for the daft question but does anyone know why the passenger side head restraint does not sit fully/flush the the seat but it does on the driver side.

I understand it is supposed to be like that (looks slightly odd though) but no one can explain why - probably safety but can't understand why it is different to the drivers side.

Many thanks,

Damian

[HHGTTG]

Hi,

Sorry for the daft question but does anyone know why the passenger side head restraint does not sit fully/flush the the seat but it does on the driver side.

I understand it is supposed to be like that (looks slightly odd though) but no one can explain why - probably safety but can't understand why it is different to the drivers side.

Many thanks,

Damian
Is it not adjustable by pushing in the little catch at the base of one of the chrome supports where it passes through the top of the seat? - it shold be. I can';t imagine that the passenger's seat head restrainst would not be adjustable.

[damian33]

Hi,

Yes it is adjustable just like the drivers side but unlike the drivers side it doesn't go all the way down so it is touching the seat (about 30mm of the metal runners show).

Took it into the dealers today as I/they initially thought that it was a faulty catch mechanism but having spoken to VW technical and looked at other mk6 Golfs it is supposed to be like that. No one seems to know why though.

I take it yours sits fully onto the seat?

Thanks,

Damian

[HHGTTG]

Hi,

Yes it is adjustable just like the drivers side but unlike the drivers side it doesn't go all the way down so it is touching the seat (about 30mm of the metal runners show).

Took it into the dealers today as I/they initially thought that it was a faulty catch mechanism but having spoken to VW technical and looked at other mk6 Golfs it is supposed to be like that. No one seems to know why though.

I take it yours sits fully onto the seat?

Thanks,

Damian
I have no idea as I don't require it to be flush. My passenger's aren't that short and require the restraint to be raised so as to support the back of the head where it's supposed to be.

[Keithuk]

All the head rests are adjustable with the little catch. When I picked mine up you couldn't see nothing through the interior mirror as the rear head rest had been pulled up. I just pushed in the catch and pushed them right down to the seat. There could be a fault with the catch on the passengers seat. ;)

[damian33]

Hi Keith,

Are you saying your Golf's headrests don't look like the attached photograph?

Its been with the dealer all day and both they and VW technical say that this is the norm.

Thanks,

Damian

[Keithuk]

Hi Keith,

Are you saying your Golf's headrests don't look like the attached photograph?

Its been with the dealer all day and both they and VW technical say that this is the norm.
Yes they look normal, what I'm saying is the each head rest can be adjusted by height using the clip on the base of the head rest. Mine go down to the seat went I adjust them. Maybe there is something wrong with the catch considering you can't get the passenger head rest down when all the other ones do? ;)

[damian33]

Keith,

Both headrests have been adjusted to as low as they can go. That is why I took it into the dealers twice for clarification and the technician rang vw. Looked like a few other GTs on show looked the same.

Seems odd to me and hence trying to understand why it is like that.

[HHGTTG]

Keith,

Both headrests have been adjusted to as low as they can go. That is why I took it into the dealers twice for clarification and the technician rang vw. Looked like a few other GTs on show looked the same.

Seems odd to me and hence trying to understand why it is like that.
I'll have to contradict what I said earlier. I have just been outside to look at my headrests and have discovered that both of my front ones are if fact flush with the seat tops. Any gap there is, is due to the circular plastic guides that are inset into the tops of the seats.
So the answer is really that when fully down, no metal struts should be visible.

[bassmandan]

My passenger head restraint goes all the way down to the plastic guides as well.

[Golfer Phil]

I'll have to contradict what I said earlier. I have just been outside to look at my headrests and have discovered that both of my front ones are if fact flush with the seat tops. Any gap there is, is due to the circular plastic guides that are inset into the tops of the seats.
So the answer is really that when fully down, no metal struts should be visible.
HHGTTG,
If your headrests are flush with the top of the seat they are not adjusted correctly unless you are very short. The top of the headrest should be in line with the top of your or your passengers head for safety reasons as shown in the manual.

[HHGTTG]

HHGTTG,
If your headrests are flush with the top of the seat they are not adjusted correctly unless you are very short. The top of the headrest should be in line with the top of your or your passengers head for safety reasons as shown in the manual.
That's odd then as I'm 6' and a bit a when I bang my head backwards it hits the most bolstered part of the head restraint where my cranium has it most pronounced profile - ideal I would have thought? And there certainly isn't any tendency for my head to ride up over the restraint, at all. Very strange!
Have you got cloth or leather seats which may or may not be relevant? Are the seats in various models all of the same dimensions? I would have thought so.

Incidentally I have just been out to check and whilst agreeing with you now, I have realised that I did have my restraint up further, on the first stop and must have put it down flush when I was messing around some time ago. I have now put it up to where I must have had it originally and so thanks for the prompt.

[percymon]

The top of the headrest should actually be level with the top of the occupants ears for the best whiplash protection

[Golfer Phil]

The top of the headrest should actually be level with the top of the occupants ears for the best whiplash protection
Hi Percymon,
The handbook states that the top of the headrest should be level with the top of your head. Previously the rule was for the top of the headrest to be level with your eyes, but this has since changed due to research into whiplash. As VW spend a great deal of money performing crash tests etc I for one think it wise to follow VW's advice.

[Keithuk]

Actually I had a look at mine today to see it they would go flush with the seat. The rears have a catch on the side but the fronts have no ctahces at all. I can't see how I can get them down, not that I need to as they have always been the correct height for me. Whats the point in having catches on the rear but not on the front? Ok I shall have to read the handbook again. ;)

[damian33]

Hi,

Just to clarify, my car is the GT spec with the standard fabric interior.

I had a quick walkaround an alternative dealer today. All the golfs on display had both their headrests slightly raised (just like my passenger). Couldnt get in the cars to see if this was because they wouldnt go lower.

The thing that bugs me is that whether the headrests sit flush or not, they should both operate the same. Email to vw needed I guess.

[HHGTTG]

Actually I had a look at mine today to see it they would go flush with the seat. The rears have a catch on the side but the fronts have no ctahces at all. I can't see how I can get them down, not that I need to as they have always been the correct height for me. Whats the point in having catches on the rear but not on the front? Ok I shall have to read the handbook again. ;)

This topic is getting ridiculous! See photo I've just taken, of my driver's seat restraint. It shows the release catch quite clearly and I'm 72 and have got myopia!!! :D :confused:

http://i43.tinypic.com/2nqdyg.jpg

[Keithuk]

See photo I've just taken, of my driver's seat restraint. It shows the release catch quite clearly and I'm 72 and have got myopia!!! :D :confused:


Well it might be there on your Golf but I don't have that catch on mine but I have the same type of catch on the rears. That plastic cap is perfectly round on mine the release catch is on the side of the head rest itself. ;)

[HHGTTG]

Well it might be there on your Golf but I don't have that catch on mine but I have the same type of catch on the rears. That plastic cap is perfectly round on mine the release catch is on the side of the head rest itself. ;)
Yes but you have different seats in yours, don't you? I don't know what we are all fussing about, really.
Ah, yes. It was about someone not able to collapse their head restraint fully - now I remember and then we got on to release catches.........................yawn.......zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Keithuk]

Hi Keith,

Are you saying your Golf's headrests don't look like the attached photograph?
No Damian my headrests are slightly different they have an extended piece at the front so it covers the top of the seat and you have no gap, but they all should be fully adjustable somewhere.

I think it would be a good idea for you to put your full car spec in your signature as most regular users do on here. We don't really know which model yours it apart from you saying you've looked at other GT's at dealers. ;)