16th Aug 2009, 07:58
They weren't assembled incorrectly. They're supposed to be that way. The only thing I don't like about my '08 Civic is those annoying headrests. But it's only one small flaw on an otherwise excellent vehicle.
17th Aug 2009, 22:48
Original author here.
It took a couple of weeks of actively trying to get used to the headrests and now they don't bother me at all. I found that I needed to have the seat fairly upright to encourage good posture, let my shoulders/torso relax and be supported by the seat, and not TRY to use the headrest as an actual head rest -- I kept unconsciously trying to force my head back to rest against it when I didn't need to.
Once I relaxed and just sat naturally upright, it became far more comfortable and the pain went away.
On an unrelated note, about 1500 miles and the car's running great. Maintenance Minder shows the oil is still at 90% last I checked and I'm might impressed with the car's get-up-and-go at stop lights. Only complaint so far is that it's dirty, and you can't even tell that from a distance XD Taking it this weekend to get washed and all shiny again.
16th Sep 2009, 13:24
I have driven many cars over my lifetime. This one is one of the best. It has comfort, style, and is peppy. One feature that I think is tops and is not mentioned too often is the digital speedometer. I find it hard to exceed the posted speed limit with the in-your-face readout. Good thinking Honda!
29th Sep 2009, 11:38
"Maintenance Minder shows the oil is still at 90%"
Yeah, I wouldn't trust that too much. I checked the oil in my Accord at 2,500 miles when it said it had 70% life left and it was down over a quart. It doesn't tell you that now does it? You should always change your oil between 3K and 5K depending on your driving style. Don't go by Honda's computer to tell you when to do this. I let the oil go to around 7,000 miles before the first change in my Accord and it was like black mud... even with the added oil. It still had 30% left on it according to the computer. Yeah, that's good for the engine!! Never again...
I know really great mechanics that have told me it is better to change often and spend a little more than replace your engine down the road... you know, after the warranty expires. These mechanics are relatives and not looking to cash in on me... just offering real world advice based on experience.
28th Oct 2009, 11:42
Those "annoying " headrests that so many people are complaining about are designed to save your neck in a rear-end collision. It's about time they actually were useful and not just an aesthetic addition to make the seat look better. Volvo has had headrests that functioned for years. I like mine as you can lean back and be supported for long drives taking the tension off of your neck. It took awhile to get used to something touching my head, but it wasn't annoying and I got used to it quickly. It beats having your head snap back 6-8 inches before contacting anything when you get rear-ended.
15th Aug 2009, 16:01
I recently purchased a 2009 Civic Hybrid. The headrests push my head forward which is uncomfortable, but nearly as bad as the 2010 Ford Fusion which I also looked at. I do not want to do anything that would take away from the safety. The manual says not to even use something on behind your back. But the diagrams in the manual do not look like the headrests should be that far forward. In fact the position of the headrests are more like they are supposed to be after you get rear-ended and they move forward. I think I need to take some pictures and send to Honda. Maybe they were all assembled incorrectly.