Passenger Head Restraint

[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!!!

[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!!!

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.