[ccog]

My wife has had a problem with most new cars over the last 8-9 years. The problem is forward angled headrests. All my cars are quick, so when I put my foot down my wife ends up staring at her navel. Even in more passive driving, these headrests push the head forward. The problem was overcome on one of our more recent cars by reversing the headrest. That car has now become the comfort benchmark.

Unfortunately my new I-pace FE has the same problem. The dealership originally said they could do something, but after taking delivery now say they won't. It looks like I should be able to do the same trick, but I can't find a release mechanism. Has anyone any ideas?

 

[tomsurfer]

I don't have an answer yet, but I do agree with you, so I am responding to show a consensus that there is an issue.

Compared to my XJ which allows front/back movement, the head restraints are uncomfortable for me. On my long test drive in an SE I ended up with an aching neck. I had another drive in an FE last week on the "Art of Performance" tour and found that adjusting the seat back to be less upright helped me a bit. I expect to get my FE by the end of next week ( the date seems to move every day !), so I am already committed.

I did try pressing the button on the side of the head restraint to see if I could adjust it, but it did not seem to move, I need more time to experiment.

I will update this thread on how I get on.

 

[Snoerd]

Could it be a safety thing? Anti whiplash?

 

[MjrPayne]

Which seat you have? Did you select performance seat option? I found those performance seats with solid headrest bad for me, sport seats are much better. But I know the problem, same in Volvo, headrests pushes head bit too much forward.

 

[ccog]

I got the sports seats which look like they have a removable headrest - but haven't found out how yet.

 

[tomsurfer]

This is from the handbook - let me know how you get on

http://www.ownerinfo.jaguar.com/document/4K/2019/T22673/29937_en_GBR/proc/G2185052

 

[ccog]

Tom - you're a hero - just going to try it now!

 

[ccog]

Just tried on my own - the books right you need two people to do it. Will get another helper tomorrow and update.

 

[Thincat]

I had the same problem with my F-Pace and with the two XF's I had before that. The solution that I found with the XF was to buy a second-hand head restraint from a crashed car (which actually had some back-forward adjustment but not enough) and get my local Jaguar restoration specialist to bend the uprights straiter. So I'm keeping the original head restraint in store ready for when I sell the car. My modified one might even fit the I-Pace if I'm lucky. If not I will have the one it comes with modified and look out for a spare over the next couple of years or even buy a new one.

The one problem I did have with the F-Pace and it might be the same with your I-Pace is that although the handbook and instructional videos say you can remove the head restraint I could not get mine out, even with help from a friend! The problem was eventually solved my dealer who's trim specialist had been on a course to learn about the then-new F-Pace: The head restraint was fixed in place with a clip at the bottom of the upright rods inside the seat back and that has to be removed by putting your hand up inside the seat from the bottom. It was a 5-minute job for him because he knew where to put his hand. Now that the clip has been removed the head restraint comes out easily when I need it to.

Going back to the modification; don't just put the head restraint in a vice and try to bend the bars, its a safety issue and they might crack; they need to be heated up with a blow torch at the point where the bend is to avoid fracturing the steel and that requires making sure that the leather and foam are kept cool with damp rags (or removing them altogether which is a bigger job). If anyone wants me to post pictures of the modification or the contact info of the Jaguar specialist who found the second-hand restraint and did the modification for me it for me just let me know. By the way, the Jaguar dealer didn't charge me for releasing the head restraint and the second-hand one, including the modification, only cost me £25.

 

[ccog]

Thanks thincat that's a really useful post. I did give the headrest a lot of grief last night without even a hint of it moving. I've checked this morning and the F-Pace manual is almost identical in indicating the removal method. I suspect you're right - there is an additional clip. Can you let me know your dealer who released the headrest? I'm tempted to drive to Leicester (from Henley) if I can't resolve it locally. At the moment I'm still hoping I can just flip the headrests around.

 

[ccog]

UPDATE

Tried releasing the headrests again today - no joy. Thincat's F-Pace had some hand room inside the seat, there is no room on the I-pace. I've even got a 10mm borescope (£10 from Amazon) and there's no room for that. Spoke to another dealer today and also a body shop, but nothing concrete yet.

 

[ccog]

Another Update

Haven't been getting very far with Jag dealerships - tried three. I did find out that anyone registered as a TOPix garage has access to Jag workshop manuals. I duly found a local TOPix independent garage. I met the owner who seemed to know his way around. The workshop manual described the same headrest removal technique described in the owners manual. After quite a lot or wrestling, nothing happened. He confirmed my suspicions that the removal technique is wrongly described. He's promised to find out the correct technique. I await his call.

 

[Thincat]

Another Update

Haven't been getting very far with Jag dealerships - tried three. I did find out that anyone registered as a TOPix garage has access to Jag workshop manuals. I duly found a local TOPix independent garage. I met the owner who seemed to know his way around. The workshop manual described the same headrest removal technique described in the owners manual. After quite a lot or wrestling, nothing happened. He confirmed my suspicions that the removal technique is wrongly described. He's promised to find out the correct technique. I await his call.

I haven't posted anyhting on this subject recently because I did not have the first hand experience of having my I-Pace. Now I do!
I got my I-Pace HSE two days ago from Lancaster Jaguar in Tamworth. I had requested that they release the retaining clip in both front headrests so that I could turn them around if my wife wasn't comfortable or I if wanted to use a helmet on a track day. When I picked the car up they had actually turned the headrests round on both seats but I found that they are really too far back and might hurt someone if you are demonstrating the acceleration without warning!
So I turned mine back before driving away (its very easy once the retaining clip has been removed) and I'm very happy with it in standard form but when making the change I noticed that the 'legs' that go into the seat are straight (unlike the ones fitted to both the F-Pace and XF which are both bent towards the front). Prior to part exchanging my F-Pace I had removed the modified headrest I was using on the passenger side which I had obtained second hand from an old XF and then had the legs partially straightened by my local Jaguar Specialist in Coalville (see my earlier post). So I thought I would try it out in the I-Pace. I am pleased to say that It worked perfectly and my wife is happy. So I have put the I-Pace passenger headrest into storage for when I come to sell the car and left the modified XF one in its place. The only thing is that the replacement headrest is a slightly different shape and does not have the white stitching on it - but I am the only person ever likely to notice that.

If anyone is interested I can take some photos of the I-Pace head restraint and my modified XF one so that you can see the difference.

 

[vwlee2008]

Dear Thincat

thanks your advice is very helpful! I own a 2018 f pace, and the driver head rest is causing so much problems on my neck.

I am thinking of the same solution as you: to buy a used xf head rest which can be tilted, and install into my drive seat

may I ask you a few questions
- does it fit into an f pace?
- when you tilt the head rest, can you solve the problem that it push your head forward?
- would it cause safety issue in case of collision?

thanks for your help!

 

[Thincat]

Dear Thincat

thanks your advice is very helpful! I own a 2018 f pace, and the driver head rest is causing so much problems on my neck.

I am thinking of the same solution as you: to buy a used xf head rest which can be tilted, and install into my drive seat

may I ask you a few questions
- does it fit into an f pace?
- when you tilt the head rest, can you solve the problem that it push your head forward?
- would it cause safety issue in case of collision?

thanks for your help!

Here are two photos I took today with the seats adjusted to the same position. You can see that the passenger head restraint (nearest the camera!) leans backwards. This is the head restraint from the XF that had been modified and previously used in my 3L Sport F-Pace. So in answer to your questions:
- It does fit in an F-Pace.
- Having the head restraint tilted by bending the support tube has the effect of moving it backwards. I think I remember that the F-Pace standard head restraint is more upright than the I-Pace one, which appears to bend forward. You might solve your problem just by taking it out and turning it around. That will not work on an I-Pace because it makes the head restraint lean too far back. The modified XF head restraint worked fine in both the F-Pace and the I-Pace without any changes.
- I can't advise you on safety but it is something that has not concerned me over the past 5 years
[/list]

 

[vwlee2008]

hi thincat - thank you so much for your advice. this is of great help, so I don't need to keep testing different xf head rest

my f pace is lower model than yours

I am also planning to buy a xf 2010-15 second hand headrest, wonder if it will work the same way as yours?

 

[vwlee2008]

hi thincat - another question. what do you need to modify on your xf head restraint to plug into f pace? do you just simply plug into the seat?

 

[Thincat]

As you can see from the attached picture, the bars have been bent at the point they emerge from the bottom so that they are at right angles with the base (compare that with the bend on your photo). The mechanic managed to heat the bars with a welding torch without setting fire to the leather and foam. I didn't see him do it but I think I remember him saying he managed to avoid taking the padding off.
You can see where the heat was applied (red arrow) because the metal is discoloured.

 

[vwlee2008]

Dear Thincat,

thanks for your pic and help. Now I have such hard time taking the head rest out of the seat! I think the jag manual is not right.

I read your previous post, that you have to go under the seat and take out some clip? Where is that clip located exactly? I am totally foreign to these stuff

any help will be appreciated

Victor.

 

[Thincat]

To be honest I don't know for sure where the clip is and how to get to it but I am sure that you will never get the head restraint out without it being removed. I remember trying that on my XF and hurt my hands and nearly did my back in without budging it at all.
The person that fixed it for me was the trim specialist at my Jaguar dealer in Tamworth (now closed down) he said that it required some patience and dexterity, apparently you have to undo the seat cover at the bottom of the back and put your hand up inside.

I've just remembered that I have downloaded part of the I-Pace workshop manual which might help - if you send me a private message with your email address I will email the relevant section to you. However, I have had a quick look and it glosses over the 'easy' part of taking the head restraint off saying; 1) Remove the seat backrest cover trim; (2) Remove the 3 lower retaining clips from the seat frame; (3) Using a suitable tool (picture of a soft-faced hammer!) carefully release the head restraint from the seat frame. There are pictures as well but they are relatively low resolution and hard to work out.
It looks as though the bottom of the seat has a fabric panel fixed over the gap between the base and the back, held on by some clips. You might, if you know what you are doing, be able to unclip that fabric and insert something to dislodge the retaining clip but if you are inexperienced you may have to take off the whole rear panel to find the clip you need.