I've read that the head rest needs to be 2 inches from the back of your head to be effective. Any further away and you risk injury. I think with the adjustable kind, people were moving them out of the way to favor comfort. The active restraining headrest are different in that they will move in the event of a rear end collision. The best of the both worlds.

 

The HCH is the first car I've ever driven where the back of my head touches the headrest, a little. It's a bit bothersome because it ruffles my hair as I turn my head to look in the mirrors or before crossing an intersection, for example. I wish it was 1/8 inch further back. Pretty soon I'll have a bald spot at the back of my head. I can imagine that it would be very bothersome for people with better posture than mine.

 

Emily,

I posted an almost exact thread the other day. I'm a guy 5'8" 185 lbs.
I have the precise same discomfort. It's a mystery to me why many others don't encounter this. I currently have mine backwards; but this is not going to be fun if hit in rear.

I will also look into the Accord headrest idea. My first idea was to have a good upholsterer reconfigure the foam in the rest to be about 2 inches thinner and then re-stitch the cover ( the hard part of the job). Don't yet know the cost of this.
Good luck, Let me know how your solutions go,
Jim

 

A recurrent headache every time I spend more than 10 minutes in my car is not an acceptable situation. If the restraint is designed to move forward in the event of a rear end collision, then let it travel an extra inch forward from an extra inch back in that event-not kill me slowly by torture even if I don't get hit!

 

I found that I could adjust the seat to find a comfortable position. A little adjustment leaning back and then extending the driver’s wheel have helped a lot. It does bother my wife a little more, especially when she has her hair tied back in a pony tail, but she also adjusts the seat to lean back a little to overcome the discomfort.

 

Hi Jim,

I never followed up on this! I should have: my headrest discomfort is all better. I went to the dealer and explained the problem, and at first they were going to let me borrow the headrest from the loaner Accord, but instead they just gave it to me! It's perfect: it tilts forward much less than the Civic one, and my head still touches without being forced forward.

So, I'd highly recommend trying to get a new headrest. Maybe there is an aftermarket part you could buy, or maybe your dealer would just be nice like mine. I think the full-priced headrest might be $80, but I might be remembering that wrong.

Since then, I've been enjoying the car, and gas mileage has gone up a lot since winter, which makes me happy.

Best of luck--let me know if it works out!
Emily

 

so, were you all saying that the passenger side one leans foward less? it had me thinking that somehow a lot of the driver's side headrest were already in the actively forward position.

Does the Accord replacement also support the active system? I couldn't imagine Honda making something uncomfortable for people with good posture just to help those out with really poor posture

 

Thanks Em,
I'll see how my negotiating skills fair in the morning.
Jim