Head Rest Assembly

[WaterDog]

Hi all. Great site! I am about to purchase a LS 460L but after two days of driving a demo, my neck and upper back is sore from the forward lean of the headrests. Same reason my sister sold her Volvo and why my wife wouldn't buy one, many headrests have the excessive forward lean. On the Caddy, it was easy to pull the headrest out, put in a vice and bend the posts about 5 degrees+-, making them much more comfortable. My question is how does the electric HR come out of the seat and/or does someone have a diagram of the Seat set-up?

The HR adjusts its bottom throw, but its the top that needs to be bent back. Have to admit that the seats were better in the STS because the adjustable lumbar support that moved up AND down, besides in and out. If I can get the headrest back a little, the barely noticable lumbar will have more effect, and I'll be able to sit straight and comfortable. (I'm 6' 190 lbs). I love the car but the headrest is a real deal breaker, and I need to make sure I can fix it. Thanks...

[SW03ES]

Interesting, I'm 6' and about 190lbs too and the headrests don't bother me...chock it up to different frame types I guess...

The headrests definately come out, do a search on here for headrest removal, look in both the LS forums a description of how to do it is on here somewhere. I don't know if you'll be able to bend that steel though...have you tried adjusting the headrests a little higher?

The reason they sit forward is for neck protection in a rearend crash. I can tell in Volvos too, but haven't noted it in any of the new Lexus vehicles I've driven...

[WaterDog]

Interesting, I'm 6' and about 190lbs too and the headrests don't bother me...chock it up to different frame types I guess...

The headrests definately come out, do a search on here for headrest removal, look in both the LS forums a description of how to do it is on here somewhere. I don't know if you'll be able to bend that steel though...have you tried adjusting the headrests a little higher?

The reason they sit forward is for neck protection in a rearend crash. I can tell in Volvos too, but haven't noted it in any of the new Lexus vehicles I've driven...

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm endomorph/ectomorph with a long body, but most of all I'm getting to old to sit like I'm in my old Sports car in the recline position! :) The big problem is that their is very litte support at the base of the neck which causes a droop of the shoulders, a leaning neck, and voila, sore neck and back muscles, no matter what the position or height. I understand why the forward lean but any neck support following a 30 degree curve of the neck during impact will suffice. Its simple really, put one post in a vice at about the point of it lowest setting on the seat, bang with a heavy hammer or sledge until you get a slight bend, switch posts and wack it once or twice until it matches, re-insert and test. Always feels better, allowing better posture. Another way is with a pipebender and vice, what ever works.

I have noticed that the Lexus posts are thicker than most, might take a little extra work, but it's do-able.

Update: After searching a few times this seems to be the trick. Its for a LS F1, does anyone know if its the same on the LS460L?

"Have not tried this yet, but after more searching on the web, I found a post in another LS F1 forum a procedure that worked and that actually makes sense if you read the instructions and view that picture in the service manual. What the fellow did was to run the headrest all the way up with the switch, then he pressed downwards on the two plastic surrounds of the metal pillars that support the headrest. This presumably releases the two clips inside the seat that retain the two rods. The downward arrows in the manual picture actually point at these plastic surrounds, so it makes sense. The text is a bit ambiguous. I think this another example of poor translation of a Japanese manual by a person that either was not great at English or Japanese or was not really sure what the Japanese text meant.

Just did it and it was extremely easy."

(Update: Incorrect instructions. See further posts)

[SW03ES]

I would imagine its the same...

The dealers replace the headrests with units that have DVD players in the back so they would know how to remove them too...

[WaterDog]

I would imagine its the same...

The dealers replace the headrests with units that have DVD players in the back so they would know how to remove them too...

Yes, thank you. I'll be seeing them tomorrow. It looks like the HeadRest also splits in half. Anyone ever popped one apart?

[WaterDog]

I would imagine its the same...

The dealers replace the headrests with units that have DVD players in the back so they would know how to remove them too...

Yes, thank you. I'll be seeing them tomorrow. It looks like the HeadRest also splits in half. Anyone ever popped one apart?

Update:

Met with the Service Team Leader and the Service Mgr. of the local Lexus dealer (both a great help)who showed me that the Headrest removes by first unscrewing the the two screws at the base of the seatback, then popping loose the rest of the seatback which has plastic clips holding it.

Once off, the seat mechanism is exposed. Raise headrest, then pull the two pins at the base of the posts. Headrest comes out easily.

They weren't sure how the headrest itself splits apart since they sub out the Headrest DVD installs and the Lexus computer didn't show anything on it. I'm waiting to talk to that party still.

Anyone have any experience splitting the headrest apart?