Adding rear center seat headrest for crash safety

B&J Aviation · January 26, 2014

Well this 2014 has more rear seat room than our 2007 Tahoe, but I hate the child seating situation. First, there is no rear center car seat lower attach points, so that moves my 4 yr old son to the right rear. Then my 8 yr old daughter wants to sit in the rear center. Well, with the ridiculous upper attach points or "loops", my sons latch has to run through his loop then over to the center loop. This is per factory design.

Problem is, that leaves a buckle and hook right behind my daughters head and if we get rearended, her head is going right into it.

GM, Why is there no center headrest?

Has anyone seen a aftermarket center headrest? I have to do something to protect her head from a rear impact. Even if the car seat was not installed, her head would still hit the rear glass. Would be the same for an adult in the back seat.

MotoMedic · January 26, 2014

You could order an extra rear headrest and possibly also the tubed channels they fit into inside the seat. Seats are hard foam so with two small incisions in the leather, you could force the center headrest in. No idea about cost but install shouldn't be too difficult.

Imcrazy · January 26, 2014

I've noticed that the rear head rests suck on my truck too, too low for anyone over 4' tall lol.

pm26 · January 26, 2014

Interesting topic. My '09 Impala LTZ has three headrests on the rear seat, including the center position. However, I noticed that GM removed this center rear seat headrest on later model Impalas for whatever reason. I suspect there were complaints that the center headrest interfered with rear visibility.

Mutau95 · January 26, 2014

I have noticed the same thing with the rear headrest. I guess GM assumes that crew meant crew of vertically challenged with the crew cab designation. It is a poor safety design for sure. I'm surprised not having a center headrest is even allowed on a modern vehicle. They could have simply designed a low profile one that could be pushed down when not in use.

2016 Sierra Owner · January 26, 2014

I've noticed that the rear head rests suck on my truck too, too low for anyone over 4' tall lol.

Exactly what I thought the 1st time I extended mine all the way up. Thought to myself How the hell do they expect these to work in a crash?

davidryan123 · January 26, 2014

Has anyone noticed that if you adjust the head rests in the rear all the way up they will fall down if you apply any pressure?

Imcrazy · January 27, 2014

I wonder if there is another head rest we could pull from a junkyard or buy online that would work? Besides for that if I had an extra head rest I'd tear it apart and try to put longer tubes in it so it could raise up taller. As for the center one, I dunno I've not had more than four people in my truck yet so I'm not to worried about it personally. I wonder if they just figure the glass is easily broken and you won't get hurt too much if you bust it with your noggin?

MotoMedic · January 27, 2014

I wonder if they just figure the glass is easily broken and you won't get hurt too much if you bust it with your noggin?

It's stronger than it appears on tv/movies. If you punch any window of your truck hard enough to shatter the glass, it's about a 90% chance you'll also break your hand. Head versus glass = large surface impactor = big ouch to head. ha

I've seen guys hit car windows with baseball bats and they bounce off. The glass is good at resisting impacts spread over an area (like the back of your head), however b/c the glass is tempered, you can easily shatter it with the tip of a small screw driver or nail.

Edited January 27, 2014 by MotoMedic

Imcrazy · February 2, 2014

I looked at the head rest in my double cab this morning. I am tall enough that my head hits the ceiling and wouldn't make contact with the head rest regardless of how high it went up, I'm 5'10 with fairly short legs and long torso.

I pulled the head rest out, looks like you could add more notches to allow it to stay up in a higher position.

MNDaveC · July 3, 2014

Anyone find a solution?

Spurshot · July 3, 2014

I have no interest in doing anything for my truck, but I would think an upholstery shop could make up a decent matching headrest that could be innovatively secured when needed and removed and stored under the seat. I'd think something that strapped to the two outer headrests and had a plastic plate that slid behind the seatback would be enough. I'd concentrate on keeping it very light to reduce its inertia in a crash.

Edited July 3, 2014 by spurshot

Spurshot · July 3, 2014

Just some more thoughts...in the interest of keeping your kids safe you might consider not letting them ride there until you're happy with a solution.

That being said, a piece of 3-4" thick expanded polyethylene foam is super light and firm. Cut a piece to the appropriate size and carpet tape it to the back window. 5 min fix and while it's ugly, it will do the job. Spend a little more time on it and cover it with something that pleases you or get it upholstered and its a done deal for a quick fix.

russ9443 · July 4, 2014

Here is what I did. I took the headrest off from behind the car seat to try it out in the middle seat. Just ran the rods down behind the seat. It has been working good so far. I can open the back window still and it's an ok height for my center seat passengers. I also noticed that the headrests don't lock in the up position at all. You would think this would be a safety standard. Anyway, it's a free thing to try. If you like it just order another oem headrest.

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