06 S60 rear headrest won't flip down Topic is solved

[BlackBart]

...nothing beats smacking the rear passengers now and then

haha!

So...let me get this straight....there is a button...for electric headrests....in a sedan. This sounds like waving your foot so you don't have to strain yourself lifting the hatch, or having your pickup truck tailgate lower itself quietly.

I apologize for being so insulting, but I've never heard of this. What is it for, so you can see better to back up?!

[mrbrian200]

I apologize for being so insulting, but I've never heard of this. What is it for, so you can see better to back up?!

When you don't have rear seat passengers the headrests flip forward and down to clear the rear window so that the rear view mirror becomes more useful to look at again. Many cars allow you to remove the rear headrests if you so wish by manually pulling them up and out of the rear seat cushion. But most people don't realize you can do this and/or its fussy to take them out/store in the trunk/put them back for a passenger. Volvo (and some other luxury makes) offer an electric option to fold them down at the touch of a button without having to stash the headrests in the trunk. And they flip back up into position in a literally in a second, no fuss.
I personally appreciate the improved rear visibility a lot, especially in dense city traffic.

[erikv11]

... I apologize for being so insulting, but I've never heard of this. What is it for, so you can see better to back up?!

I know can you believe it??? There are people like seeing well out the rear window!!!!

[abscate]

You guys in the Square States have to realize we have people here - with people, comes traffic.

I apologize for being so insulting, but I've never heard of this. What is it for, so you can see better to back up?!

bart - i do confess, this pretty much defines First World Problem. The first time I saw this was on MB and it pretty much left me SMH, too (shaking my head)

[mrbrian200]

Oh-Iowa. If I never left small town Indiana for Chicago or Indianapolis I might not be as aware of how some of those little things can make a big difference in city traffic. If someone has become accustomed to the rear window being mostly blocked by tall fixed rear headrests or a truck cap/trailer they can't do anything about they simply may not realize how helpful it is to be able to see back there.

[BlackBart]

But...there are these two things called side view mirrors to see behind you with....

This is all very entertaining - I honestly didn't know such a thing existed. I clearly don't get out much. I'll have to check a 122 manual to see if those were available. The answer, clearly, is to drive only a BMW 2002 or a real sports car with the top down all the time. Unlimited visibility. You just need a coat and a hat.

Come to think of it, my middle headrest is missing, ah ha, so I have a clear mirror view behind. Come to think of it, my seats are always folded down so I have a fantastic view!

Being from a large square state with a bumpy edge, I think I will have to order one of these new pickup trucks with electric tailgate and those little stepper things and a handrail so that I don't have to make that difficult trip up via the bumper!

Carry on!

[abscate]

Being from a large square state with a bumpy edge,

+1000 points

[erikv11]

... I apologize for being so insulting, but I've never heard of this. What is it for, so you can see better to back up?!

I know can you believe it??? There are people like seeing well out the rear window!!!!

Folks, this is sarcasm on my part, seems that eluded some. Iowa has bumpy edges. And it turns out you can drive these car things all the way to the big cities, where people have real problems!

Anyway, back on topic: I figured out how to drop the headrest manually using an allen key and a nut driver. The offending solenoid with its first-world-problem button works fine to move the latch when there is no tension (while the headrest is manually "flipped down"), but fails to release the latch when the headrest is up, with tension on the latch.

What do you think, is this a symptom of a failing solenoid mechanism, or likely something that can be solved by just cleaning and lubrication?

Still don't know how to get it out of there without stretching/ruining the seat leather, will work on that next.

[oragex]

By the way, I've also removed the center head rest, must be sitting in the dust somewhere www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDvouo1idFg

[abscate]

Im hoping everyone is giggling at this thread and hasn't taken any offense, erik. It is amazing what car makers think of that become 'must have accessories'