Anyone one know how to remove/extend the headrest past the first two detents. I am six three and the bottom of the headrest hits me at the wrong place.

There's a little button on the outside of the plastic inserts that the steel headrest posts are inserted in....I think if you press in on the buttons you can pull the headrest up more, or out entirely.

Nope, does not release the head rest completely, whcih I need to do to add an extenstion.

Maybe you can't take them out as they are part of the safety restraint system? I think this is something new.... Not sure, but an idea. I think in a rear accident, they tilt forward to help with whiplash.

Are active head restraints a standard feature on these cars? If it is, there's your answer.

Yes, according to the brochures the G8 has active head rests. Odds are they don't come out at all.

Another example of how Congress designs better cars than Holden or Pontiac engineers. Boy they sure are smart in D.C. Soon they will give us 35 MPG in addition to fixed headrests. That Nancy Pelosi is sure one fine engineer.

Another example of how Congress designs better cars than Holden or Pontiac engineers. Boy they sure are smart in D.C. Soon they will give us 35 MPG in addition to fixed headrests. That Nancy Pelosi is sure one fine engineer.

That's a pretty crazy statement to make. Active headrests aren't some congress-mandated garbage, they're recent technology designed to save your neck (both figuratively and literally.)

Perhaps you should look at this (http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/46912/article.html) article from Edmunds.

Figured it out. Insert a eye glass screwdriver into the hole at the base of the head rest post nearest to the center counsel (for the driver's side head rest) and push in the spring while pushing in the button on the other post. This releases the head rest from the seat back. It looks like additional notches could be cut into the posts to raise the head rest for taller folks like me. I flipped the head rest around to eliminate the forward thrust of the head rest. It looks sort of hokey but hey, its my car and now its more comfortable for me.

Way to be creative.

That's a pretty crazy statement to make. Active headrests aren't some congress-mandated garbage, they're recent technology designed to save your neck (both figuratively and literally.)

Perhaps you should look at this (http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/46912/article.html) article from Edmunds.
I wonder how much R&D money has been wasted across all manufactures / models for this "feature" because of the 5 people a year that suffer whiplash:cursin::cursin: you can bet the NHSTA has thier filthy hands in this one as well.

I wonder how much R&D money has been wasted across all manufactures / models for this "feature" because of the 5 people a year that suffer whiplash:cursin::cursin: you can bet the NHSTA has thier filthy hands in this one as well.

Why does everyone keep trying to blame US government agencies for this? There is no requirement in the US for active head restraints. The first vehicles I ever saw it on were BMWs, Mercedes and other high-end European brands. And don't forget that the seats in the G8 come from the Commodore, they're not of US origin anyway.

I though Volvo was the first with AHR.

There is no requirement for AHR in the US, but the government has a back handed way of requiring technologies. It's called the 5-star system. Since the government is now rating rear end collisions, there is a push to show 5 stars or a company will reported as having a substandard safety rating. Now, if you know anything about these things, you know it's an arbitrary line drawn through a graph that determines what star you get. In fact, there are discussions right now about redrawing the lines, at least for forward collisions, as almost every automaker is getting a 5 star on just about every vehicle. The government sees this as not acceptable.

Also, get used to the head restraints (rest is an abriviation) becoming more obtrusive as the government is regulating a very short distance away from the head in "design" position. If you tend to sit more errect, you will be constantly hitting your head against these things.

FWIW, flipping the headrest around may feel better in everyday driving but I can guarantee in a rear end collision it will do more harm than good. In the forward position, there is energy absorbing material. The back side, not so much.

FWIW, flipping the headrest around may feel better in everyday driving but I can guarantee in a rear end collision it will do more harm than good. In the forward position, there is energy absorbing material. The back side, not so much.[/QUOTE]

Probably, but I'm confortable now. GM's lawyers likely have this thread on file for when I get hurt.

Question: I know the headrest can be raised up and down, but is there any forward and back adjustment to it?? I absolutely can't stand where it hits me in the back of the head and would like to be able to push it back an inch or two.

nope, no way to adjust laterally, that is why I removed and reversed the driver's side. Much better now.

I'm 6'3" and have zero issues with the head rest.

H3ll, it mostly will depend on your seat back angle. I sit more errect than most people I know so the new mandated headrest positions really bother me. With a more reclined seat back angle, a persons head will get further away from the restraint.

I wonder if there is an allowance for the WIPS type system (whiplash protection, head rest moves forward in a rearward collision) that would allow it to sit further back. I haven't looked for that.

I flipped the head rest around to eliminate the forward thrust of the head rest. It looks sort of hokey but hey, its my car and now its more comfortable for me.
I wish I had read all the way through this thread three months ago. That's exactly what I'm going to do, too. :)

I'm 6'3" and have zero issues with the head rest.


Me too (6'3").... no issues. This guy must have a huge torso... maybe he's sitting on phonebooks or something....LOL :wink2:

nope, no way to adjust laterally, that is why I removed and reversed the driver's side. Much better now.

Im 6'0 and the headrest drives me nuts. When all the way down it feels if i were to get it a crash it would snap my head off, not keep it on because the "point" hits the lower part of my head. If i raise it up, it makes me tilts my head forward. I like the back of my seat almost straight up and down. and the head rest pushes inward too far. My trailblazer was much more comfortable. I'm going to try and reverse it.

6' 4" no problem but HR did not work for wife...we tried to adjust but no luck..the HR is too far forward...turn around may be only choice when she rides/drives?? strange?

OK, I reversed the headrest, and it's much better now. But how do I *unreverse* it when I'm ready? The normal button won't work to raise or lower it.

Figured it out. Insert a eye glass screwdriver into the hole at the base of the head rest post nearest to the center counsel (for the driver's side head rest) and push in the spring while pushing in the button on the other post. This releases the head rest from the seat back. It looks like additional notches could be cut into the posts to raise the head rest for taller folks like me. I flipped the head rest around to eliminate the forward thrust of the head rest. It looks sort of hokey but hey, its my car and now its more comfortable for me.

So how would this idea hold up in court then?????? :)