The Mazda5 2012+ models have annoyingly large headrests in the third row. Perhaps many of you do not have your 3rd seats up that often, but this family is always using that back row and those headrests are too low or too high in my opinion. Therefore, I got out my imitation dremel tool and cutting wheel and modified the headrest shaft to give it two more notches so now it is adjustable. Not sure why Mazda didn't make them this way to start with. I probably violated some stress test safety precaution by doing this, but at least now my kids can sit more comfortably and I can see a little more out the back window.
Here is my imitation dremel tool beginning to make one of the notches above the existing factory notch.
I spaced my notches about 2 inches apart. I kept going back to the car and inserting the headrest until I felt like the catch and the notch were secure enough that my kids wouldn't have any difficulty with the height positioning.
Here you can see the three notches, bottom one is the factory notch, and then my crudely scratched ones above it.
Now I have much more visibility as each headrest is about 4 inches lower than before. I may make another notch down the road after I have driven and had the kids sit back there to give me some feedback.
I realize this is likely not useful to many out there, but it was a nice afternoon for Feb. 4 and I had my camera phone on me so here you go.
Here is my imitation dremel tool beginning to make one of the notches above the existing factory notch.
I spaced my notches about 2 inches apart. I kept going back to the car and inserting the headrest until I felt like the catch and the notch were secure enough that my kids wouldn't have any difficulty with the height positioning.
Here you can see the three notches, bottom one is the factory notch, and then my crudely scratched ones above it.
Now I have much more visibility as each headrest is about 4 inches lower than before. I may make another notch down the road after I have driven and had the kids sit back there to give me some feedback.
I realize this is likely not useful to many out there, but it was a nice afternoon for Feb. 4 and I had my camera phone on me so here you go.