CX 9 Headrests

djmulloy

Member
My neighbor recently purchase an 09 CX 9 and is finding the way the headrests push her head forward uncomfortable on long trips. I checked some forums and this is not unusual for several cars/suvs. We flipped them over so that the they point backwards, but they do not lock in place. Has anyone heard if Mazda has a fix? Thanks
 
Buy a set of headrest pads from the web. They cushion the neck first before your head hits the headrest. I am shopping for one as well. CX9's headrest design was criticized in IIHS' test of rear impact. Bad design.
 
Agreed. They are positioned at a very uncomfortable angle. The only car I've been in that was worse is the Ford Flex. I believe the Flex has been remedied for 2010. Maybe the CX-9 as well? As uncomfortable as it may be, I think that forward leaning headrests are safer as there is less distance for your head to swing back in a whiplash scenario.
 
Unfortunately, the headrest of 2010 remains the same as those in 2009 model and before.
Mazda should start to put anti-whiplash headrest into their vehicles. The rear impact crash score is the one that keep CX9's overall safety score down. Otherwise, CX9 is excellent in all other categories.

A better headrest design is needed. I don't find the headrest comfortable, either.
 
My head doesn't touch the headrest when I drive, so it doesn't affect me, but I can see how it would bother a woman who has a pony tail or something else on the back of her head.
 
My neighbor recently purchase an 09 CX 9 and is finding the way the headrests push her head forward uncomfortable on long trips. I checked some forums and this is not unusual for several cars/suvs. We flipped them over so that the they point backwards, but they do not lock in place. Has anyone heard if Mazda has a fix? Thanks

It depends on your body position based on how much you have the seat reclined. I sit relatively with a relatively straight seatback and the headrest touches the back of my neck if I sit straight. If you recline the seat a little more , the problem should go away.
 
Have to agree with the other "fit perfectly" posters. The ones in our CX9 feel just right, and now, when I drive my wife's Camry, my head feels almost unprotected because they seem so far back.
 
My husband and I just purchased a 2012 CX 9, and I am finding the same problem with the headrest as your neighbor, except I find it uncomfortable all the time, not just on long trips. My husband doesn't seem to notice a problem,he is 6'8" and I think taller than the headrest, but I am only 5'7" and it is really bothersome.
I am not happy that I didn't notice this while test driving (maybe b/c we didn't get a chance to test drive without dealer sitting in passenger seat, I sat in back and didn't sit in passenger seat...which is completely my bad and I am BS about it). Now I am stuck with the car, which seems to be nice so far, except for the passenger seat (along with the headrest, the entire seat is uncomfortable... it tilts forward and you feel like you are sliding off).
Help!
Any tips/fixes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
 
WRONG NAME: There not Head Rests, there Head Restraints.

People should not have been trained to rest there Heads on them, it's restricts your head movement during driving.

There were never designed to rest your head on, but to protect your neck during a rear end crash.
 
WRONG NAME: There not Head Rests, there Head Restraints.

People should not have been trained to rest there Heads on them, it's restricts your head movement during driving.

There were never designed to rest your head on, but to protect your neck during a rear end crash.

So--if people find the head "restraints" uncomfortable, because it pushes their heads too far forward, the suggested solution is to lean your head further forward so your head doesn't rest on the "restraint"?

This isn't a very practical solution...
 
My husband and I just purchased a 2012 CX 9, and I am finding the same problem with the headrest as your neighbor, except I find it uncomfortable all the time, not just on long trips. My husband doesn't seem to notice a problem,he is 6'8" and I think taller than the headrest, but I am only 5'7" and it is really bothersome.
I am not happy that I didn't notice this while test driving (maybe b/c we didn't get a chance to test drive without dealer sitting in passenger seat, I sat in back and didn't sit in passenger seat...which is completely my bad and I am BS about it). Now I am stuck with the car, which seems to be nice so far, except for the passenger seat (along with the headrest, the entire seat is uncomfortable... it tilts forward and you feel like you are sliding off).
Help!
Any tips/fixes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Does the pass. seat have a front/rear height adjustment? The driver's seat does on my '12 GT; can't remember about the passenger seat (I don't really sit in it).
 
Volvo would hands down call you all sorts of names. Their headRESTS actually sit far forward from the seatback and engage your skull full time so as to prevent whiplash. Look at professional racing seats, look at the HANS device, those guys can't even turn their heads lol.

WRONG NAME: There not Head Rests, there Head Restraints.

People should not have been trained to rest there Heads on them, it's restricts your head movement during driving.

There were never designed to rest your head on, but to protect your neck during a rear end crash.
 
Hi tex2670, no unfortunately the passenger seat only goes forward/back & reclines. I wish there was a height adjustment like the drivers side. That would be great b/c that would probably help/fix both my problems with the seat. :( During the week I will be in the drivers seat which is comfy, but on weekends/vacations when my family and I are traveling around together I'll be sad in the passenger seat...or sitting in the back with my daughter!

Anyone ever try turning the head rests "restraints" around? Is that doable? Safe? Just wondering...
 
Regarding the "headrests/head restraints" issue, the only time they really come into play for me is when I take a nap while my wife is shopping for whatever! Being 5ft 7inches, I simply push the rest down all the way, move the seat all the way forward and then recline the seat back for a very comfortable sleeping position! I agree with the thought that one should not be resting their head on the rest unless in a napping mode!
 
WRONG NAME: There not Head Rests, there Head Restraints.

People should not have been trained to rest there Heads on them, it's restricts your head movement during driving.

There were never designed to rest your head on, but to protect your neck during a rear end crash.

I believe OP was discussing the passenger seat. What is wrong with restricting head movement of the passenger? I might agree if we were talking the driver seat. But even there, contact with the headrest has minimal restriction of the head rotation. And contact with the headrest minimizes, and can even eliminate, whiplash injury in a rearend collision.
 
My husband and I just purchased a 2012 CX 9, and I am finding the same problem with the headrest as your neighbor, except I find it uncomfortable all the time, not just on long trips. My husband doesn't seem to notice a problem,he is 6'8" and I think taller than the headrest, but I am only 5'7" and it is really bothersome.
I am not happy that I didn't notice this while test driving (maybe b/c we didn't get a chance to test drive without dealer sitting in passenger seat, I sat in back and didn't sit in passenger seat...which is completely my bad and I am BS about it). Now I am stuck with the car, which seems to be nice so far, except for the passenger seat (along with the headrest, the entire seat is uncomfortable... it tilts forward and you feel like you are sliding off).
Help!
Any tips/fixes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

I posted the same concern with my passengers seat leaning forward a few years ago. I am glad to hear that myself and my wife aren't the only ones with this issue. She actually relinquishes shotgun if others are riding with us. On long trips she rides in the rear. She feels like she's going to slide off the seat. We hate riding in the front passenger seat.

I brought the concern up during dealer visit quite a while back and they found nothing wrong. They need to take a 500 mile trip with my wife in the passenger seat.

I often thought of raising the seat front by shimming up at the mounting bolts. But I DO NOT want to adversely effect the seat mounting integrity.

Anyone else notice this problem?
 
I don't know if the issue was fixed in the 2013 model, or it's because we have the 8 way power passenger seat, but it is definitely not an issue in our 2013 Touring.

That's really a shame thought because that's something you might not even notice until you take a long trip and by then your only option is to sell or trade in.
 
On the Mazda5, we also ran across the same problem with the headrest angle on the driver's seat being way to far forward for our seating position. We've turned the headrests backwards for now (realizing of course that this is not exactly the safest configuration).

To answer the question on how to at least lock the headrest into position, you can use a Dremel or a tapered file to cut a slot on the opposite headrest post. This will allow the headrest to lock/unlock with the adjuster button. Here is a thread showing pictures of the new slots being cut into the seat post.

Note that this not directly address the angle problem or the safety issue with the headrest being mounted backwards. But at least you can lock it down.

If I could change the angle of the headrest, then none of this hacking would be necessary.
 
The good and bad news about the headrests in the CX-9 is that after 3 and a half years, I got used to them. I am no longer bothered them. But this is because my neck has gotten used to leaning forward slightly so my head doesn't hit the headrest. This can't be good for posture or long term neck/back issues.
 
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