I thought other members may have come across this issue when trying to fit seat covers to front seats.

I got new seat covers for my Fabia Mk4 and tried to remove the Headrests on front seats but found it impossible to remove them, as they slide up and down but wouldn’t come out completely.

I had to go to local Skoda dealer where a mechanic used a secret button!!! In the back approx. 4 inches from top of  the seat.

You have to feel for this button under fabric, press it down with all your strength and pull the headrest up at the same time. I think it was a two man job, done in less than 15 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t ask for any money !!!
I would like to hear from anyone else who had similar experience.

1 hour ago, Fab4yorki said:

I would like to hear from anyone else who had similar experience.

 

Are you going to create a club?

Useful information.

 

There is a couple of threads on the Skoda Kamiq forum about this.

 

https://www.kamiqforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=116#:~:text=I can confirm that the,head restraint to be removed.

 

https://www.kamiqforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=135

 

I was pleased to see how easy it was to adjust the HEIGHT of my Fabia's front seat headrests (via a release-button on the side of the  headrest) but I've yet to attempt removing a headrest + its 'pillars'.

 

Also see

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HxBLI8p5gY

This image is VW-related, but (based on  Fab4yorki's posting above) the same removal procedure applies to Fabia Mk4 cars.

 

 

I experimented (on both of my Fabia's front seats) but failed miserably. It's probably the case (like locating the elusive G-spot) that, having done it once, the next time will be easy, but I could not 'feel' any obvious release button and, however hard I pushed in the area arrowed on the image, nothing moved. It may be that I wasn't pushing hard enough or in exactly the right place, and/or gorilla-strength (and two gorillas) are really needed to remove the headrests, but I couldn't do it.

 

Anyway, I did eventually manage to update my car's software, so that's something...

You are absolutely correct, I tried in vain more than 20 times so finally went to Skoda dealer and they removed both headrests in less than 15 minutes and for first time in my life I got something without paying any of their sky high hourly labour charges .

I chanced across this...
 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RHx1FXKQvuQ

Good Work and very helpful. 🙏

Comments on the video suggested that the headrest removal procedure was described in the SEAT Owner's Manual, but that's not the case where Fabia Mk 4 Owner's Manuals are concerned.

 

The procedure is covered in the Fabia Mk 4 Workshop Manual, however, which explains why Skoda dealership staff know how to do it.

https://cardiagn.com/skoda/fabia/

 

What the Workshop Manual does not highlight is how tricky it is to find the release 'button', nor that the task really needs two people.

This worked in two Skoda Fabias MK4 (from 2024 and 2025), "Essense" trim.

In this trim the button is centred approximately 10cm (4") from the top.

The button is around 3cm in diameter.

To me it seemed easier to find the button by feeling roughly its circular perimeter.

Pressing quite hard with both thumbs down in its centre I could hear a faint "click",

and then keeping one thumb pushing, using the other hand to push upwards from under the headrest the metal studs slide up.
Like in this video:

You may need to tilt a bit back the seat to be able to slide the headrest with the studs all the way up.

Edited 14 March14 Mar by Walia

Thanks for the feedback.

On my 2024 Fabia SE L's front seats there is definitely something rigid there in the position you've shown, but I can't identify anything that feels like a circular button and, when I press hard in various places using both thumbs, nothing moves.

My car's seats are heavily padded in that area, so obtaining 'feel' for what's underneath the padding is difficult. Might be easy if one has Boston Strangler thumbs, but I can't do it.

This TikTok link shows front-seat head-rest removal for a VW Polo

https://www.tiktok.com/@giuseppe.antolini3/video/7500592321583451414

That car's seat upholstery is a lot less padded than my car's, but it's still apparent that finding the hidden press-button and getting it to release wasn't that simple.

Uploading Attachment...

Edited 18 March18 Mar by DerekU

The 3 images in my last posting (hopefully!) show the head-restraint guide that is fitted to Fabia Mk4 front seats.

The 1st image shows the position of the guide on the seat's back-rest (it is held by 2 screws). The 2nd image clearly shows the button in the centre of the guide. The 3rd image shows the mechanism - but I've no real idea how it actually works.

On 14/03/2026 at 13:12, DerekU said:

On my 2024 Fabia SE L's front seats there is definitely something rigid there in the position you've shown, but I can't identify anything that feels like a circular button and, when I press hard in various places using both thumbs, nothing moves.

My car's seats are heavily padded in that area, so obtaining 'feel' for what's underneath the padding is difficult. Might be easy if one has Boston Strangler thumbs, but I can't do it.

The seats in which I successfully tried are also very padded in the back, and indeed finding the button was by far the most difficult part. To find the button I pressed up and down around the centre line in that area with both thumbs trying to feel for what was under the padding, until I managed to find something that felt like a round raised circle of around 3-4cm.
The interior code for this Fabia with the buttons at 10cm from the top is "NE - Black".

(The indent you can see in the fabric in the picture I attached was the result of my thumbs stretching the fabric when pushing with both thumbs to depress the button.)
(The pictures you tried to attach did not seem to get attached)

(My device of choice for online use is a 2010 Apple iMac and it's plain that this elderly machine has an uncomfortable relationship with the BRISKODA forum. I don't have this image-related problem using my iMac for other forums that run on the Invision Community platform and, although I can walk round the issue, it's a nuisance.)

Anyway, the 2 attached photos should show the head-restraint guide (with central button) that's embedded in the front seat back and there are more photos on this ebay advert

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/297603909635

Edited 29 March29 Mar by DerekU

And these two images show the guide's position in the seat back.

The design of the guide seems to be standardised for use on multiple recent VAG Group vehicles, not just Skoda Fabia Mk 4s.

Edited 29 March29 Mar by DerekU

Still unable to remove my Fabia's front seats' head restraints...

The attached image shows the 'prongs' of the head restraint and it's plain where the wires on the guide fit (arrowed) on to the prongs. I've no difficulty locating the guide's circular button, but pressing it does not seem to move it. It's possible that, if I could simultaneously press the button while moving/shaking/lifting the head restraint, the button would move, but I haven't got enough hands to do that!