Front Seat Head Restraint Problems of Toyota RAV4

Driver's side headrest rises approx. 2-1/2 to 3 inches from lowest position during the normal course of driving. I do not adjust the height of the headrest, ever, other than to correct this unusual phenomenon. This happens constantly and repeatedly in as little as 10-15 miles driving over paved, smooth roads while driving speeds ranging from 45-75mph. Has happened sporadically since we purchased the vehicle new, but happens regularly and consistently now. Interestingly, this same phenomenon has occurred with other Toyotas I purchased new, namely my 2006 corolla and 2008 corolla le. Never thought about it being a potential safety issue until I saw it recurring on my 2017 Rav4. Dealer is experimenting on fix by replacing adjustment buttons on both driver and passenger seats, at my expense (just returned from long road trip and took vehicle to Toyota at 264 miles past end of 36k warranty) but could not have serviced on the road. Unfortunately, dealer informed me that this is only the beginning of the investigation process to determine the cause of the problem and may involve more extensive work (also at my expense) if button replacement does not work.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

We purchased this used car in the fall of 2014. Thanks to the department of transportation national highway traffic safety administration 49 cfr part 571 [docket no. Nhtsa-2004-19807] rin 2127-ah09, head restraints, final rule, the headrests on this vehicle proturde so far forward that the driver has to bend his head and neck forward as well as pull the upper back forward off the back of the seat. This has resulted in straining of the neck and spine while driving, leading to neck injury with nerve pain in the arms, neck and upper back after spending time driving! the headrest is only adjustable up and down, not fore and aft. Please rethink the regulation. Safety protection from whiplash is admirable, but not at the expense of horribly uncomfortable daily driving resulting in head, neck, shoulder and upper spine strain. Humans are not crash test dummies. We can contour our spine to a seat and in our older vehicles we can actually place our entire back flat against the seat with the headrest naturally right behind and in line with the head and neck.

See all problems of the 2011 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The head restraint will not let me sit up comfortably. It pushes my head forward causing neck pain. Can't just lean seat back more as some suggest. That would just decrease the inadequate back support in the seat even further!.

See all problems of the 2012 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The third row seat headrests only have two positions. (all the way up or all the way down) neither covers the head of a child. In the down position my child's head is above the headrest. In the up position, his head is between the two metal bars. The third row seats are very tight and certainly not designed to hold adults comfortably. However the headrests only fit an adult size body.

The angle of the forward-leaning headrests makes it impossible to sit up straight while driving. They push the driver's head forward, causing neck and back pain. Very uncomfortable and dangerous since many people are turning the headrests around in order to drive comfortably. Thank you.

The front headrests on this vehicle, both passenger-side and driver-side, are situated much too far forward. The headrest pushes on the middle of one's head, causing a chin-forward / head-forward posture, which is unnatural and ergonomically incorrect. There are numerous forums and message boards on the internet on which drivers of newer vehicles such as this one are complaining about extreme pain being caused by these headrests. In my case in particular, the malpositioning of the headrest is causing vertebrae in my neck, along with my upper two ribs, to be pushed out of place. This condition causes extreme pain, headaches, and fatigue. Additionally, the middle of the head being pushed so far forward, and no support for the neck, would seem to me a very dangerous combination if a high-speed crash were to occur. This positioning seems that it would be extremely dangerous to the neck vertebrae.

See all problems of the 2010 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Neck not protected during side-impact crash. Injured driver traveling approx 5 mph and other driver ran red light at approx 40 mph. Driver suffered form cervical herniations and cervical bulges even though safety ratings were quite high for yr/make/model of vehicle. Air-bags did not deploy. Headrest is tilted very far out.

See all problems of the 2009 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Headrests very uncomfortable.

This is my effort to submit a comment on your regulations, not a complaint of an incident. I was directed to this form by lou molina at NHTSA. I am a driver who for health reasons wishes to sit erect. I am not fat, and of normal height (5'6"). This last weekend I purchased a Rav4. The headrests intrude intolerably into my head space. In order to sit at my preferred angle and keep my back to the seatback, my head is tilted down so that I must raise my eyes to look over my eyeglasses, or my straight vision is directed to the center of the steering wheel. I trust that these headrests meet your standards. It is my belief that you have engineered this standard for an obese, fat-shouldered person with tight hamstrings, someone who prefers to drive reclined to accommodate his belly and is held away from the seatback by his own padding. My present approach to being able to drive this car is to turn the headrest backwards, and I am fully aware that this deprives me of the neck safety I would have had from an older design of headrest. I would suggest that the comments in section vii of rin 2127-ah09, "specifically, they maintained that smaller female occupants tend to utilize steeper seat back angles. According to these commenters, a backseat of 50 mm may cause significant intrusions into the space where these occupants typically place their heads, forcing their heads into an unnatural forward-tilting position" is descriptive of my situation. It is important for the NHTSA to consider minority as well as majority needs in drafting such regulations. And it is important to provide alternative solutions to drivers whose comfort and safety has been diminished by your decisions. Thank you, melissa reading.

See all problems of the 2008 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The head rests in car push head too far forward, and are not adjustable. I had to turn the head rest around backwards, which is unsafe in the event of a crash. I told Toyota about this, but they have not responded.

See all problems of the 2006 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

During side impact, design/shape of head rest caused neck injury to driver. Accordiing to driver's doctor, shape/hardness of head rest, caused neck injury. Design alright for major crashes, not minor; while at standstill, vehicle side swiped by another vehicle.

See all problems of the 1996 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The upper portion of the head rest juts forward, creating a depression between the drivers head and shoulders. Consumer is concerned that in an accident the force of impact of the airbag will push the drivers neck into this depression, possibly causing serious neck or spinal injury. Nlm.

See all problems of the 1999 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The seat design is very uncomfortable and not supportive to the consumer, the seat back angles back and the headrest angles forward, this offers the consumer no head support.

See all problems of the 1997 Toyota RAV4 🔎.