Hello Folks. New dude here - Joe from Herndon VA. Just got a 04 S80. First Volvo.
I did not notice when I was testing the vehicle but realized once I got home and starting really getting to know the car that I have an issue with those damn huge uncomfortable NONADJUSTABLE front headrests. When testing I assumed I would just adjust the headrest to my liking if and when I bought it - like every other car on the planet with an obvious separate headrest component, right!? . Well... mistake.

Beautiful car, but I just cannot believe those things are nonadjustable. My partner also agrees; the headrests are uncomfortable. This is making me crazy. Having this nice car but having to tolerate this uncomfortable sitting posture. I am 6'5" tall and like a straight-up driving style, and the forward angling headrest prohibit me from having a more natural head/neck angle in line with the seat back. I am even thinking about just hacking the things off! (Well... not really, but the thought crosses my mind... like every time I drive it.)[&o]

Is it just me? Just this model? Any possible way to modify these things?

 

Hey. Did some searching and found a post on removing headrests on an 850. Seats look similar. Think I found the two secret release holes in the seat back, but cannot move the headrest by myself. Will try again when I have help. Am I on the right track here?

 

I beleive they do come out the same way.

 

my parents have the fixed molded headrests, and i hate them..my dad found someplace that makes aftermarket headrests that are adjustable and nice and comfy.

 

Patrick, can you pass the info on? Someplace with mail order inventory, or local? I would love to replace them (ASSUMING I can remove them).

 

Joe,

I happend across your post and I wanted to drop a quick tale of a very minor traffic accident I had just a few weeks ago. I was sitting at a stop light in my '00 Toyota Tundra when an 18 Wheeler in front of me Stopped short just after the light turned green. I caught it and stopped but the guy behind me in another pick-up, he was lighting a cigarette, did not and rear-ended me.
It was a pretty good slam. I was OK and the Truck was fine but the thing I noticed more than anything else was the extrodinary job the head rest did of catching my head. I had had a stiff neck all day and between the hit and the head rest catching me, I actually loosened things up a bit and was better off in the end. Now that's a good head rest.
The moral of the story? My wife hates those heads rests. She's complained about them ever time we've taken a trip in the truck. Now she loves love them because my head and neck are in one piece. They may seem to be hatefully uncomfortable... but they were made with a purpose - I'm sure your partner will be glad to know they are there as you navigate the DC metro traffic
BTW, The Tundra is for sale, I've picked up an XC.

Steve

 

The reason the headrests are not adjustable is that they are part of the W.H.I.P.S. system which is supposed to reduce the severity of the whiplash scenario when you are rear ended. I understand the discomfort, however, you may want to rethink removing them as they are part of the overall safety features of the car, along with the seatbelts, crumple zones in the frame and airbags.

 

Hey Steve,
Thanks for the story. No doubt the headrests serve an essential purpose. My purpose was not to remove them, but adjust them for SOME modicum of comfort. The idea being that the headrest can be simultaneously functional and comfortable, ie., non-intrusive. Fortunately I have not had to rely upon a headrest for protection, but I assume other make headrests provide protection; though agreeably not as much as those designed with the highest of safety concerns like Volvo and your Toyota. So was thinking that I should be able to get a good compromise..

Did get the headrests out. Then I was able to ever so slightly bend the mounting posts back about an inch, then put them back in. Wow, what a world of difference! So now I feel I still have the presence of substantial rests, but not FEEL them... if you will. That one inch differential certainly make its no worse than any other stock rest out there; and probably still better than most.

(Bet you like your XC)

JKS2 - yeah, I can appreciate the concept. But somehow I would think that with all of the sophisticated engineering available, Volvo could achieve that level of function without discomfort. For me, it is just very hard to accept that notion of discomfort in a supposed mid-luxury vehicle. I sit in any other vehicle - luxury, sport, truck - no such issue. (...may not have any leg and headroom, but that's another story.) And I do not have any particular sense of apprehension about the seating whiplash inadequacy. But maybe that is just me...

 

I am so glad to have found this post! (And another on a different forum, which told me how to remove the headrests by pressing the two "Secret Buttons" on the back.

I would like to know how to bend back the bars?

I find these headrests so incredibly uncomfortable. Unfortunately I did not have time for test drives, I ordered the car based on the reviews I read, as my Land Cruiser was due to the end of its contract hire term. I just assumed that Volvo would be as good as Toyota, BMW, etc.

I was tempted to write to Volvo UK but I know I would be wasting my time and just receive the "Dear John, our Safety Research and testing shows, whiplash, etc blah blah" in response.

These headrests are very slightly wacky I have to say!

These headrest design is way too far forward, so irritating that they give me head and neck ache even on a short journey, which makes me irritable and tired, and is therefore FAR MORE LIKELY to then cause me to lose concentration and become involved in an accident compared to driving a comfortable car e.g. BMW, Toyota, Porsche cars which still have got headrests but that don't get in your way all the time and force you to adopt a bad posture or keep reminding you of their presence by bumping your head (now that is very irritating on a tightly sprung car like the XC90). I remember the seats on my old Porsche 911 were great - all in one from rump to over your crown, like a dentists chair, but completely unobtrusive. And BMW (5-Series) have lovely headrests, fantastically comfortable for a long journey. The Land Cruiser has very soft seats but again, no problem with the headrests, you can adjust them and they are soft.

Why do Volvo insist on this? It utterly spoils an otherwise good car.

Apart from this rather major issue, love the car so far, but I do wish Volvo's safety-obsessed boffins would and climb out of the box occasionally to check out the real world. I've been motoring for nearly 20 years and never suffered a rear-end shunt, OK these things happen and whiplash is a problem, but how likely is this?

All help and tips on making the necessary mods greatly appreciated - I've now removed one headrest and look forward to doing some bending to get rid of this most irritating problem!!



richard

 

I hear you Rich.

I used my workshop vise to clamp the headrest rods (individually) at the point of desired bend - right at the base of the headrest. Then used a long length of larger diameter sturdy pipe to put over the rod(s). The over-pipe provided good leverage to easily bend the rod(s). The rods are very stiff and will not bend easily, and not at all by hand; so some sort of stabilization/leverage helps much. Wanted to go slow so as not to overbend the rods, so did this in about three increments - ie. unclamping, putting back in seat, checking, taking out, bending again - to get the them where they felt perfectly good.

==========
Sad to report I no longer have the S80.[] Broke my heart, but with gas going stupid and the future looking stupider, decided to finally go economy big time. Traded for a Scion XB at 30mpg.
I know... I know... How could I!!??
Either the Volvo or the hopped-up Dodge Durango had to go. Though the Durango uses more gas, kept it for the perfucntory testosterone rush. (Yeah... like once a month... gee.)
The S80 certainly was class and fun while it lasted. I miss it soo...

But hey, call me ugly... but I smile everytime I pass a gas station.
(What is the price these days?... Don't seem to be aware as much as I used to.)

That being the case - I have the Volvo VADIS system. Covers everything up to 2004. I'll let it go cheap. Anybody interested let me know.