Is it possible to change the head restraints on a greenline 2 estate to ones that don't shove my head forwards? I spend a lot of time driving and its giving me a problem. At the moment the driver's one is on backwards which is more comfortable but not very effective.

Perhaps the restraints on other models are a more forgiving shape. The Greenline ones angle forwards.

Its strange how I happily drove cars for years with no head restraints but am now unwilling to do so!

I wish mine would move forward in my Elegance they are too far back for me, My MB tip forward and I have thought about swapping them. Could I? The ones in my Fabia don't seem to offer any support at all and seem only to be there in case of accident.

They should be adjustable up/down as well as fore / aft. Certainly when I drive my dads greenline the head rests seem to far back for me and would rather them be closer to my head.

Wavetossed, do you sit very upright? I guess you might be. Also, your restraint may be incorrectly adjusted for you. If incorrectly adjusted it will be too close to you. See the attached pics if that helps. Also, please don't take offence at me saying all this as I know you may already be aware of this stuff. It's just in case you or anyone else finds it useful. If the restraint is adjusted correctly, and your seat back is in a fairly 'normal' position (yeah...I know, how do you know what's normal!) the head restraint won't interfere with you. Remember, it is not a 'head rest' but a head restraint designed to protect your neck in an accident so correct adjustment is vital. If your restraint is interferring with you as you drive it means you are almost certainly not correctly seated at the controls. Try extending the steering wheel towards you half inch or so which means you can wind the seat backrest down (backwards) a bit. This will give more clearance between your neck and the restraint. You probably just need to experiment with your driving position. Good luck.

PS. note the girl in the picture with her restraint adjusted correctly is pushing her head backwards slightly into the restraint. There should be a minimum of about 30mm clearance between your head and restraint.

Edited 7 April, 201313 yr by Estate Man

Thanks for your replies folks. If my restraints went straight up like the ones in Estate man's photos then I'd have no problem. Mine slope forward at an angle. If I have them low then the top of it pushes my head forwards below the crown and if I have it right up then the bottom of it shoves my crown forward. There is no fore and aft adjustment. At the moment I've pulled off the cover to leave the polystyrene centre and the metal tube frame. Its not ideal but it saves me backache. I guess my next move is to heat up the frame tubes and straighten the blasted thing out.

I noticed this when I test-drove a 2012 Fabia.

My 2002 Fabia has head restraints that adjust both for height and fore/aft. I'm hoping they'll fit into the Fabia 2's seat, otherwise the whole seat will have to come with me into the new car.

The idea is to protect peoples' necks from whiplash but, given that peoples' backs/necks come in so many shapes, I believe we will instead see more posture-related injuries! (I'm a physio)

Perhaps priorities have been skewed by the number of fradulent whiplash claims that are made??

Full adjustment is even more important on long journeys so that you can vary the recline angle of the seat-back and still have your neck in a "neutral" position (aligned so that your neck isn't being unduly pushed in any particular position).

Anyway, to get to the point: can you try a headrest from a mark 1 fabia?

Edited 1 May, 201313 yr by Another Newbie

The idea is to protect peoples' necks from whiplash but, given that peoples' backs/necks come in so many shapes, I believe we will instead see more posture-related injuries! (I'm a physio)

Perhaps priorities have been skewed by the number of fradulent whiplash claims that are made??

Insurance companies are the ones getting protection. How many people could be refused a layout if their headrest is not properly adjusted? My view on whiplash is that you shouldn't be able to claim until the fire brigade have to cut the roof off ;-)

Two theories, I think they're both true to some degree:

1) Your point exactly Martin:

Insurance companies are the ones getting protection. How many people could be refused a layout if their headrest is not properly adjusted?

Yes, or an adapted one.

2) Stats show (why could this be??) that a high number of people are getting extraordinarily severe whiplash injuries from even minor, low-speed collisions. Cue: "Something must be done!"

And we are stuck with an utterly ill thought-through response.

Don't know if the new restraint design is statutory in the UK, but it seems to be in the US where, of course, litigation is much worse. Rant Rant.

p.s. Like your idea for a 'scammer-filter' :-D

Edited 2 May, 201313 yr by Another Newbie

Insurance companies are the ones getting protection. How many people could be refused a layout if their headrest is not properly adjusted? My view on whiplash is that you shouldn't be able to claim until the fire brigade have to cut the roof off ;-)

Whilst I get that, I myself had a neck injury, at very low speed, causing neck pain even now, a year and a half AFTER the event and after six physio sessions, so not ALL claims are bogus! I did not even think of claiming but my insurance company told me I am paying additional cover to claim for this, so I am still waiting for the check!

BTW, I was travelling at under 20mph, along main road when another driver failed to stop at a give way sign, hitting me in the frontal-wing area. About 2 grand vehicular damage, about ten days duel control car hire, (£65 per), along with loss of earnings, injury etc. A very slow speed accident CAN still be nasty!

Oh, as for insurance... Despite NOT losing my no claims, funnily, the policy leapt from around £500 to £1200 due to "The high amount of claims in the postal code".

With regards to the headrest issue, perhaps try swapping or examining one from an earlier variant, to try fitment. If all is well, order one, with the correct trim (Or re-trim it) for your car. Worth the expense if it is a long term investment!

Mrgf: that sounds terrible and I feel bad now for being so cynical.

My main grumble is that we've been short-changed with an unsatisfactory solution. So many head, neck, shoulder, arm pains are caused by people holding their heads too far forward and now, for many people, our heads are actually being forced into that position. Just the choice would be nice.

Anyway I'll follow your advice and try to order an older-style one in a matching trim. And I'll stop moaning. :-)

For what it's worth I tried swapping my (adjustable) Fabia I head restraints into a Fabia II seat today and they slot straight in.

Happy :-)

I've decided that the whole seat is crap. I've fitted an inflatable lumbar support from Halfords and that has helped. It throws my lower back forward in the seat and I had to set the seat back a little further from the pedals. The heads restraint is still wrong so I shall look for a Mk1 adjustable one.

I'll bet most people don't notice any trouble but I'm a Central London call out electrician and typically spend 3 or 4 hours a day sitting in the wretched seat.