JerryR

My fiance is configured such that when sitting in the front passenger seat, her head hits the hard part of the rotor emblem in the headrest. For a long trip we're making next week, we need a solution for this.

Some kind of pillow or foam pad on the seat would probably work, but it would be nice to have a more permanent solution for this that looked better than a pillow. Perhaps there will eventually be an aftermarket something that clips onto the rotor, but does anyone have any clever ideas in the meantime?

brothervoodoo

Maybe changing the tilt of the chair could help a little?

cueball

Get some egg crate foam padding and cut it to the shape of the rotor and stick it in. An ugly, but effective solution.

Any type of foam or cushion would work, egg crate foam just seems like the most viable solution.

Donny Boy

Get new fiance. Keep car.



Just kiddin!! Maybe!!

RotoRooter

Or perhaps have her simply lean her head onto your lap while you drive . . . problem solved

rooster

Very Good.. :D :p :D :p :D :D :p

Smoker

JerryR, hope you don't mind me of asking but how tall is your fiance ? I'm just curious since my girlfriend is rather petite herself. Just wondering if I'll run into the same problem that you are having.

zoom44

i'll work on that as soon as my car gets here(this week sometime!) and as soon as i patent it i will sell you one! see me in a month or so

TJRX8

YukYukYukYuk!
Sounds good to me.

How about having her sit on a small cushion?

mac

I didn't noticed when checking out the car but isn't the headrest adjustable?

P00Man

pretty sure its one peice
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TJRX8

The seat back is one piece, yes.

Ren-gen

What!? No 200$ rotary shaped pillow accessory? Come on Mazda....get on it.

Toadman

Configure? LOL, you must be an engineer. :D

DijabutiA

lmao... engineer hahahahhhah; takes one to know one... that or go to a school with a bunch of em........ miserable SOBS

im engineer in training myself, lol ; can you say PAIN?

Superfan

If anything just have her sit in the backseat.

jtdwab

I noticed this when while riding in the passenger seat (while my wife drove). I had the seat leaned back so I could look out the sunroof at the stars. Anyway depending on the angle of the seat it changed where my head hit. Normally its above but as I leaned the seat back I slid down a little and my head centered the rotor hole.

That said I might suggest seeing if different angle will work. The suggestion of a cusion under to sit on sounds better than a cover for the hole.

Hope it helps.

JerryR

After doing some more research, it seems the back of her head touches the seat just at the apex of the rotor, so there is really no support below that and the seat ends up bouncing her head at the slightest provocation.

brothervoodoo: I don't think changing the seat angle will help. At least not without putting her at an awkward angle. Pity the passenger seat doesn't have a height-adjust like the driver seat.

Donny Boy, RotoRooter: she was amused by your suggestions, although I think she had to look me in the eye to make sure I wasn't seriously considering the fiance trade-in option.

Smoker: she's between 5'2" and 5'3".

Zoom44: how much?

TJRX8: that will probably be the temporary solution.

Toadman: you got me, but I sort of used that wording intentionally. I'm just surprised it took so many responses before someone commented on it!

Superfan: she ain't having none of that.

jtdwab: is it comfortable with your head centered on the rotor?

-Jerry

chikai

reading this thread has made me think of a larger concern...

Head rests are designed to cushion the head in the event of an accident.

If an automobile is involved in a head on collision, the occupants will accelerate forward until the seat belt tensioner stops the acceleration, at which point the occupant is flung back against the seat.

What's more alarming is when a automobile is hit from behind. I would imagine the acceleartion of the occupant's head rearward towards the headrest would be much greater.

In either scenario, if the head strikes the plastic piece within the headrest, chances are it would incur much larger injuries than a normally cushioned head rest.

Don't mean to alarm you JerryR, but if I had someone I cared about in the passenger seat in your situation, this would certainly be a worrying point.

I smell redesign flaw...

BRx8

perhaps reclining forward isn't the answer as it will put her in an uncomfortable "configuration" , how bout reclining back more? yea, she'll be almost lying down but maybe her head will go under the rotor symbol as opposed to trying to get her head above it

RotaryStalker

So what happens if you get hit from behind? Your head impacts the rotor... ouch

RotaryStalker

eccles

I don't believe this to be a serious problem. The plastic insert is (a) very lightweight plastic, and (b) attached to the seat material rather than the rigid seat frame. I don't believe any injuries will result from its presence.

Tell you what, if you think it might be a problem, try banging your head against it and let us know how it feels. My guess is that it will move back in the seat and your head will be cushioned by the padded material around the hole.

desmo996

You'll become a true "Rotor Head"!

Smoker

I believe the 8 does come with Active HeadRest right ? The the top of the head rest should come forward in case of emergency right ?

eccles

That's the first I've heard of that one. I know it has pretensioners and "jolt relievers" (or whatever the correct term is) built in to the seatbelts, but I'm not aware of any active safety devices built in to the seats except the side airbags.