Mazda 3 Headrests

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Opening a new thread so as not to further hijack the 2008.5 gas cap thread topic.

Anyway, I went and checked all of the headrests in both my wife's 2005 Sport Hatch and my new 2008.5 Speed3 as noted. As I figured, all of them move freely upwards if you pull on them and will stop at the last setting. You need to push in the button to actually remove the headrests. They will also not come back down unless you push the button in to lower them.

As I made mention before, all of the Mazda's I have ever driven have been like this, although granted, the headrests in the Protege were of a different design and not so easy to push up, nor pull down for that matter.

I doubt very much this is a defect as otherwise, this would have been addressed. Sounds more like a quirky and somewhat silly design issue unless there are specific reasons the headrests were designed like this...

[06Touring3]

Opening a new thread so as not to further hijack the 2008.5 gas cap thread topic.

Anyway, I went and checked all of the headrests in both my wife's 2005 Sport Hatch and my new 2008.5 Speed3 as noted. As I figured, all of them move freely upwards if you pull on them and will stop at the last setting. You need to push in the button to actually remove the headrests. They will also not come back down unless you push the button in to lower them.

As I made mention before, all of the Mazda's I have ever driven have been like this, although granted, the headrests in the Protege were of a different design and not so easy to push up, nor pull down for that matter.

I doubt very much this is a defect as otherwise, this would have been addressed. Sounds more like a quirky and somewhat silly design issue unless there are specific reasons the headrests were designed like this...

every car i've ever been in in my life has been like this.....it's not a defect

edit: i DID however notice when i first got my car that my headrest would move up very easily....hasn't been the case in the last almost 2 years now though

[Go_Habs_Go]

hmmm, interesting...I've had my car 5 weeks now and haven't really noticed anything funky with the headrests. Mind you, I haven't touched the headrests since the driver side was fine once I sat in the seat and I don't really sit anywhere else in the car LOL!

Gonna check it out a bit more carefully when I leave work tonite.

[06Touring3]

my case could ahve just been my head pushing it up without me really paying attention....this still however shouldn't be considered an issue since headrests moving up freely is NORMAL

[Noisy Crow]

I found mine going up mysteriously as well.. I finally tracked it down to it being pushed up by my head when I twist around so I can see out the back window when I am backing the car up.

The fix is: If you pull the headrest out you will see that the last notch on the support rod is a bit different than the others. So: file the notch you want to "stick" a bit deeper so that it catches going up and down, and you are set.

[Flagrum_3]

This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that I've had this problem with the headrests!...The conclusion IMO, is that the 3's headrests are of 'Poor Design', so not necessarily a defect.

Noisy crow hit it right on the head with the 'notchs' being different and the problem.... its just a stupid design which doesn't allow the headrests to be 'locked in position', which IS the proper way a headrest should function, for safety.


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[Zoom Zoom Boy]

This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that I've had this problem with the headrests!...The conclusion IMO, is that the 3's headrests are of 'Poor Design', so not necessarily a defect.

its just a stupid design which doesn't allow the headrests to be 'locked in position', which IS the proper way a headrest should function, for safety.


_3

Hey Flagrum, i do agree that this does seem, at least on the surface, to be a silly design. However, to purely play devil's advocate here, I doubt very much the car would meet safety compliance with such a design if it were potentially dangerous and that Mazda engineers would actually overlook this. The headrests must be designed this way for a reason, otherwise there would be massive safety recalls on this issue if it was going to put passengers at risk.

Surely there must be a design reason for this...collision reasons etc. al. I don't obviously know what they are, but I would find it hard to believe there isn't a reason...

Maybe someone on here does know and can chime in...

[Go_Habs_Go]

Hey Flagrum, i do agree that this does seem, at least on the surface, to be a silly design. However, to purely play devil's advocate here, I doubt very much the car would meet safety compliance with such a design if it were potentially dangerous and that Mazda engineers would actually overlook this. The headrests must be designed this way for a reason, otherwise there would be massive safety recalls on this issue if it was going to put passengers at risk.

Surely there must be a design reason for this...collision reasons etc. al. I don't obviously know what they are, but I would find it hard to believe there isn't a reason...

Maybe someone on here does know and can chime in...

When I was shopping for a car I looked at the Toyota Corolla. They had something called 'Active Head Restraints' on the front seats where supposedly the head rests would move upwards during an accident to minimze the impact of neck injury to the occupant.

I don't know exactly how the system worked or if Mazda has anything like this but as you said, there must be some logic to the construction Mazda employs for their head rests. Otherwise no way would it pass federal safety standards in either Canada or the US.

If any Mazda employees have any info about the mystery of the rising Mazda head restraints please let us know! LOL

[Flagrum_3]

Hey Flagrum, i do agree that this does seem, at least on the surface, to be a silly design. However, to purely play devil's advocate here, I doubt very much the car would meet safety compliance with such a design if it were potentially dangerous and that Mazda engineers would actually overlook this. The headrests must be designed this way for a reason, otherwise there would be massive safety recalls on this issue if it was going to put passengers at risk.

Surely there must be a design reason for this...collision reasons etc. al. I don't obviously know what they are, but I would find it hard to believe there isn't a reason...

Maybe someone on here does know and can chime in...

It's been 'Common Knowledge' (as far as I know) for over twenty years now that 'Seat' and Headrest' design has been lacking in the sense of safety! Only a few companies can say they have spent considerable amount of time and money on improving it...Volvo and Mercedes come to mind. Safety issues must be forced upon Manufacturers by Government Safety Regulations to see any improvements in 'most cases' and this is one area where it has not been pressed upon them!.... Why?...beats me! But I have seen footage of rear end collisions and how improper seat and headrest design can effect injury....I'm hoping that Majestic can chime in here (I'm sure he would have knowledge on what I'm talking about) and sure he would be able to explain it better then I! ...but basically the position of the headrest is very important in rear-end collisions and having it 'Set and Locked Properly', to the drivers height is detrimental in some cases as to how you would fare in one.


_3

[shootemup]

I have found that mine go up easily as well, more so when I reach around to the passenger seat to put my hand on the back of it when reversing. My tricep wedges between the restraint and the seat. I just readjust after wards. This design is actually safety standard. As someone mentioned, it is an active head restraint. Common injuries in a collision are whiplash or other neck injury, caused by the quick stop throwing your head forward and the recoil of your muscles throwing it back... or vise versa in a rear end collision. With the head restraint properly set, it will help prevent serious injury. However, the majority of occupants (especially passengers) do not set their head restraints correctly and use them more for comfort then function. Head restraints are not designed be used as a comfort function to lean your head against... they are solely for preventing injury in a collision. So with this said, the active head restraint is designed to freely move upward as a response to the pressure put on it and help slow down the backward motion of your head. You will notice the angle of the head restraint slopes backward from the top down, so when your head hits against it, causes it to go up. This prevents a sudden stop of your head and results in a more controled deceleration as your head slows down as the restaint goes up.

As for proper settings... the top of the head restraint should be slightly above the top of your ears and ensure that all your passengers have it set properly.

[shootemup]

Food for thought to help back up what I was trying to say:

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/saf...2/article.html

http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/gui...umentid=635369

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

thanks for the extra info Shootmeup.

[Flagrum_3]

So all that info just goes to prove my point! The head restraints should be able to be set and to lock in the appropriate position (to the height) of the occupant! And in the active system, then be able to move upward, but not before! Where ours do, basically rendering them 'UseLess'

I noticed that the Mazda 3 is on the list of having the 'Active System', this is very weird because I've seen the 'inside' of our seats and all to do with the head restraints and did not see any 'mechanisms' which would help in the function.

It as also been a beef of mine that manufacturers will not put head restraints in vehicles that can be adjusted in the horizontal position. (It can''t cost that much!) and if you pay attention, some of the 'Better designed' seats will have this feature....Some Recarros have it! (Pivoting Head Restraint that is)


_3

[06Touring3]

You will notice the angle of the head restraint slopes backward from the top down, so when your head hits against it, causes it to go up. This prevents a sudden stop of your head and results in a more controled deceleration as your head slows down as the restaint goes up.

I believe this explains Noisy Crows findings:

If you pull the headrest out you will see that the last notch on the support rod is a bit different than the others

so maybe filing it to make it deeper has ruined the "functionality" that makes the headrest "active"

[ds2chan]

Anyway, I went and checked all of the headrests in both my wife's 2005 Sport Hatch and my new 2008.5 Speed3 as noted. As I figured, all of them move freely upwards if you pull on them and will stop at the last setting. You need to push in the button to actually remove the headrests. They will also not come back down unless you push the button in to lower them.

I think this is the design on all of my familiy's cars. I can't remember 100% but I think I remember them being like this. so I wouldn't consider this a defect or silly design. maybe try going to some other car dealerships and check out the headrests for their cars to see if they're the same design or not.

[ICEBOX]

Ya even my 94 Integra's headrests do that.

[ziegs2020]

I don't see how you could push them up with your head anyways, since they're so far back

[06Touring3]

i'm assuming the theory is that in the moment of impact your head will snap back so hard that bcause the rests are angled your head will fit into the angle and thus push the head rest upwards

[Flagrum_3]

i'm assuming the theory is that in the moment of impact your head will snap back so hard that bcause the rests are angled your head will fit into the angle and thus push the head rest upwards

That is the way they are suppose to work, but only during an 'Impact'the rest of the time they should 'stay' in the position I have placed them in, in accordence to directions, i.e; slightly above ear level!....that is my point here folks!! My headrest is moving 'UP' on its own and not staying in the position set by myself!!......this is not normal and is unsafe !!As the head retraint moves up on it's own the HR will be out of position to provide proper protection, when and if I am ever in a rear-end collision.


_3

[shootemup]

Hmm... I guess some are more senstive to movement than others. The only time I find mine moving is if I physically connect with them when doing something, like reaching around the seat to back up. But I know when it moves, cause I hear the clicks... so I just re-adjust and move on with my life. I have yet to find my head restraints self-adjust. As for filing down the notch so it stays in place... this is a HUGE safety concern in my books.

[06Touring3]

some people just probably move their head more when they drive than others and perhaps don't realise....that's how it seems to me because msot people that have commented have either noticed or realised that moving their head has been the culprit...so i personally don't think theirs an issue with them (or at the very lest MINE)

[Flagrum_3]

some people just probably move their head more when they drive than others and perhaps don't realise....that's how it seems to me because msot people that have commented have either noticed or realised that moving their head has been the culprit...so i personally don't think theirs an issue with them (or at the very lest MINE)

Adio, That's alot of assuming! Most people here were assuming that they possibly touched the headrest when turning their heads....Now I can't see this happening; for instance, my headrests sit a good 3 inches behind my head.I have to purposely bend my head backwards in able to touch my HR....Another thing is even if that is the case "that people are inadvertently touching the HRs with thier heads; It should not allow the HRs to move out of the set position "by design" or else it basically renders them useless.The HR should be designed to only move upwards (As described in the 'Active' system) when there is a force equivalent to an impact involved and not before! ...that is the point that seems to be overlooked here.Therefore I conclude that if anyones HRs are able to move out of position either on their own or by possibly 'touching them' then there is a design flaw, which may have been overlooked by many including the manufacturer by assumption.


_3

[06Touring3]

this whole thread is assumptions...it could very well be what you said Ron or what any of us said but we don't know unless we find some sort of technical info about the headrests

and although you may not drive with your head back it is possible to do so and some people here might actually do it...which could be "assumed" (new buzz word for this thread) that it's causing the mysterious raising of the headrest

but again...none of us have the answer only speculation

[Flagrum_3]

this whole thread is assumptions...it could very well be what you said Ron or what any of us said but we don't know unless we find some sort of technical info about the headrests

and although you may not drive with your head back it is possible to do so and some people here might actually do it...which could be "assumed" (new buzz word for this thread) that it's causing the mysterious raising of the headrest

but again...none of us have the answer only speculation

I'm not making any assumptions!!. My headrest keeps going up on its own!. I've had it looked at by the dealer and had parts changed!...yet it keeps raising!!....to everyones bewilderment and amusement. We've had my seat apart and everything seems to be in order....so it stands as a mystery and as I mentioned long ago even the Techs said it was not normal......so no assuming here.


_3

[06Touring3]

Therefore I conclude that if anyones HRs are able to move out of position either on their own or by possibly 'touching them' then there is a design flaw, which may have been overlooked by many including the manufacturer by assumption

I'm glad at least you've put forth some credible effort to figure out why the head rest is like that. But neither of us or anyone else so far has come forth with fact regarding the design.

There very well could be (a design flaw). My point is as of now I have no reason to believe so whole heartedly