2009 Ford Flex Limited: Headrests From Hell

It bewilders me that auto engineers put so little thought into seat design.....

They do. Blame the government. Technically, they're no longer called 'headrests', they're 'head restraints'. The increased angle supposedly minimizes the rearward movement of the head in a rear end collision. Many newer vehicles (without active head restraints) have this design.

It's odd-Volvo has a fixed headrest in a lot (maybe all) of their cars, including mine, and while it looks almost as awkward as these ones, everyone likes them. Too bad they screwed up with the headrests and telescoping, this thing has been growing on me.

@jerrywimer,

Then why don't I have this problem with any other current car in our LT fleet, aside from the Focus and Edge?

-S.B. True

Yeah, that does suck... seems a common complaint on the intertubes as well. Mine ('06 M3) look like they're meant to be at that angle, but the top can be pushed back (fulcrum point at the lower end of the headrest), which I do, everywhere but the track. Wonder why Ford didn't consider this approach? Can they be removed completely?

One slight fix-recline the seat more. But a pain, for sure.

@texases,

Not only still a pain, but then I can't reach the steering wheel!

There are a number of comments about this issue
in the Edmunds CTS forum:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?ed_searchResults@@.f0efe1c!keywords=allin%3Amsgtext%20limit%3A.f0efe1c%20headrests&count=20

My new 2009 Pontiac G8 allows me an inch
or so of clearance....
- Ray
Also rented a CTS & had no issues....

I can understand the sentiment after having the same issue in the current-gen Civic. I was never able to both sit comfortable and not have my head jutted forward by the headrest. I wasn't crazy about the car to begin with, but more than a minute or two had me going insane.

@rayainsw,

That's interesting. I've spent a lot of time with our long-term CTS and haven't had this problem, but that could be because I favor what we call a "birthing position" behind the wheel -- seat cushion tilted back to the max -- which naturally puts the headrest at a more accommodating angle.

The birthing position is not possible in the Flex, because (1) the seat cushion isn't that adjustable, and (2) even if it were possible, I wouldn't be able to reach the non-telescoping wheel.

My previous car, a 2006 Subaru Legacy, had headrests like these. Ergonomically awful in my opinion. My current car, a 2004 Jetta, has headrests that can be tilted forward like this, or tilted back for greater comfort.

I have this same problem in about 50% of the cars that I've driven in the last five years. It's not limited to a particular manufacture. They all do it and I hate it.

great to be five eight!

"birthing position" - hilarious!

Really though, can you take them out and turn them around?

I tend to sit up strait (my head usually doesn't touch the headrest) so I don't think this would bother me which is good because this car is growing on me. If they adapt the 2010 Fusion front end on the Flex I think they would have a winner.

My head never touches the head rest on any car I've owned but I sit with the seat back and somewhat reclined. If I put my head on the headrest, I would be looking at the sun visor.

I don't think they were ever intended to be rests, they always were for the purpose of prevent whiplash.

I'm convinced that the seats on the '96 Taurus I had were upside down. The lower half of the seatback was sunken in (negative lumbar support) and the upper portion protruded forward. It made you hunch forward while you were driving and it was very uncomfortable.

"I tend to sit up strait (my head usually doesn't touch the headrest) so I don't think this would bother me "

Me too...and I drove the car 7,000 miles.
-mike

"Then why don't I have this problem with any other current car in our LT fleet, aside from the Focus and Edge?"

Different overall seat designs maybe?
At the car show a year ago the base Impreza was comfortable but the WRX seats seemed to hit just wrong like that. Depending on the adjustment and how you sit they will likely hit different people differently.
I do agree that the modern ones are bad, I didn't notice it in one rental car till towards the end of the day when I started sitting back in the seat more and my head just couldn't sit at a normal angle.

It sucks how little bitty details like that can basically ruin a car.

That's the only complaint I have about my Focus: the headrests., which are at an identically absurd angle. I end up hunching over a little just to avoid the damn thing poking my head with every road bump. It makes long trips uncomfortable.

I agree with your picture. Grrr.

"I tend to sit up strait (my head usually doesn't touch the headrest) so I don't think this would bother me "

Same for me.

I had a Lincoln MKX as a rental and it had that problem as well. To bad it isn't adjustable like most cars.

OK, let's not blame the government. Yes, there's a new standard for head restraints (which is what they've always been, not just rests). And it does allow for only 2.5" backset (the distance between the restraint and the head) with the seat at a 25 degree angle. But as the NHTSA noted when it made the rules, many cars, including Ford's own Ranger and the Camry had such designs since 2001 and no one had complained. So the standard itself doesn't require uncomfortable head restraints. Also, if the maker wants to certify them dynamically rather than by static measurements, as many active designs are, the backset can be more than 2.5".

I can testify 2002 Camry headrest is UNcomfortable.
Nissan Murano headrest is very very comfortable.
Nissan headrests all tend to be very very comfortable. Seems to be the foam chosen for the task.
1. shape.
2. softer foam.
The headrest can still have that forward tilt shape. But if it's made of softer foam, it's comfortable.

The Hyundai Genesis has the best headrest of any car I've sat in. Perfect angle, position...and they're soft!

I love the ones that have the big gaping hole in the middle like my dads '84 Volvo.

I rented a Ford Focus last week. The head rest pushed my head forward so uncomfortably that I had to use a pillow wedged behind my back. I will never rent another even though I was happy with the gas mileage. The seat also has a C shaped curve that exacerbates the head rest problem and is very uncomfortable to a driver's back.

"Can you take them out and re-insert them backwards? I am only half kidding :), you should try."

I'll be driving a 2008 Ford Focus for work for the next year or so, and this is exactly what I had to do! There is no way I can drive the car more than a mile or two with that headrest in its place. At first I took it out completely, but then realized I could put it in backwards. That worked great. Much more comfortable!
I also had a problem with the C shaped curve of the seat at first, but I don't notice it now that I have turned the headrest around.
I'm hoping to find a "normal" headrest from an older car to replace it with, but until I do, it's going to remain backwards lol.