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      08-05-2012, 12:58 PM   #1
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I was very annoyed by the fact that the headrest was not able to go all the way down or you couldnt take it all the way out. Here is the simple fix.

Tools: 7mm socket and ratchet. And a pick tool.

You may have to move the seat back and forth to give you more room.

1. At the Rear base of your front seat locate the 2 push pins. This is basically the only thing holding the back plastic part on. Gently pull down with both hands and the pins will come free. Slide the Plastic panel straight down. This gives you access to the headrest clamp.

2. Look for the 7mm clamp usually on the left headrest stem. Undo it and slide the clamp off. This will allow you to remove the headrest completely out of the seat.

3. Locate the black plastic cap with out the adjustor. Its on the Right hand side. Gently pry up on the cap. Take your time be careful. This will expose the 2 springs that need to be removed.

4. Using a pick tool romove the 2 springs. Dont throwh them away you may want to reverse this process one day. This allows the plastic clip inside to move freely. Its whats preventing the head rest from moving all the way down. Reinstall the cap. And then the headrest. Then the plastic backing cover.

I also left out the clamp so I can take out the headrest if I want.
YOURE DONE! Very simple.
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Last edited by Jadar; 08-11-2012 at 08:10 AM..
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      08-05-2012, 01:25 PM   #2
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nice write up! ill be doing this, once i receive my car next week!
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      08-05-2012, 02:31 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 328i4me View Post
nice write up! ill be doing this, once i receive my car next week!
Literally took me 15-20 minutes. And I stopped to take pics.
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      08-06-2012, 04:00 PM   #4
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Cool thanks!
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      08-06-2012, 04:34 PM   #5
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very nice !! Thanks for Sharing !
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      08-20-2012, 06:04 AM   #6
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Re: Diy Headrest Fix

hello all. we can all agree this headrest issue just seemed a little off..(must be the ocd) but its in place for a reason: TO MOD! jk so i also tried this mod but noticed that i didn't have the clamps on mine instead it was a 20 torx screw on one of the bars. anyway so after doing one side per dd1981 just going through the steps, it dawned to me years later that i didn't even need to do steps 1-2. the only thing i needed to do was pry up on the cap that you cant squeeze down-on while the head rest is still on there (bc the cap covers the internal adjuster thingy), bring down the head rest and then pressed down on both of them simultaneously once you are on the last knotch to bring it down all the way. too late to bare with me but you'll have about 1-2 inches of space to snap the cap back on and your done.

ps still be gentle when prying the cap and make sure u snap it back on real good. it has 3 groves that need to be snapped down

still or cant figure it out then just go through with all the steps noted before. it just depends what you want and how much time you have.. ie i only wanted the headrest to be flush down so i went through all the steps on the passenger side and cut the steps in half for the driver side whatever works for you. if you pull up on it then it'll snap back in place and you will have to do it again
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Last edited by steadymoddn504; 08-23-2012 at 02:15 PM..
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      08-20-2012, 08:02 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steadymoddn504 View Post
hello all. we can all agree this headrest issue just seemed a little off..(must be the ocd) but its in place for a reason: TO MOD! jk so i also tried this mod but noticed that i didn't have the clamps on mine instead it was a 20 torx screw on one of the bars. anyway so after doing one side per dd1981 just going through the steps, it dawned to me years later that i didn't even need to do steps 1-2. the only thing i needed to do was pry up on the cap that you cant squeeze down-on while the head rest is still on there (bc the cap covers the internal adjuster thingy), bring down the head rest and then pressed down on both of them simultaneously once you are on the last knotch to bring it down all the way. too late to bare with me but you'll have about 1-2 inches of space to snap the cap back on and your done.

ps still be gentle when prying the cap and make sure u snap it back on real good. it has 3 groves that need to be snapped down

still or cant figure it out then just go through with all the steps noted before. it just depends what you want and how much time you have.. ie i only wanted the headrest to be flush down so i went through all the steps on the passenger side and cut the steps in half for the driver side whatever works for you. if you pull up on it then it'll snap back in place and you will have to do it again
Yep indeed you can skip the 1st two steps, I covered that in another post. The reason I did the whole thing is I want to be able to remove my headrests so I wanted the clamp off on the stem.

Good job and thanks for adding. Headrests Lookin much better.
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      08-21-2012, 03:31 AM   #8
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I have to do this one. Maybe this weekend. Good stuff and thank you.
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      08-23-2012, 05:17 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dd1981
Quote:
Originally Posted by steadymoddn504 View Post
hello all. we can all agree this headrest issue just seemed a little off..(must be the ocd) but its in place for a reason: TO MOD! jk so i also tried this mod but noticed that i didn't have the clamps on mine instead it was a 20 torx screw on one of the bars. anyway so after doing one side per dd1981 just going through the steps, it dawned to me years later that i didn't even need to do steps 1-2. the only thing i needed to do was pry up on the cap that you cant squeeze down-on while the head rest is still on there (bc the cap covers the internal adjuster thingy), bring down the head rest and then pressed down on both of them simultaneously once you are on the last knotch to bring it down all the way. too late to bare with me but you'll have about 1-2 inches of space to snap the cap back on and your done.

ps still be gentle when prying the cap and make sure u snap it back on real good. it has 3 groves that need to be snapped down

still or cant figure it out then just go through with all the steps noted before. it just depends what you want and how much time you have.. ie i only wanted the headrest to be flush down so i went through all the steps on the passenger side and cut the steps in half for the driver side whatever works for you. if you pull up on it then it'll snap back in place and you will have to do it again
Yep indeed you can skip the 1st two steps, I covered that in another post. The reason I did the whole thing is I want to be able to remove my headrests so I wanted the clamp off on the stem.

Good job and thanks for adding. Headrests Lookin much better.
good stuff! thanks for sharing in the first place, it definetly helped
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Last edited by steadymoddn504; 08-23-2012 at 03:26 PM..
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      09-13-2012, 08:59 PM   #10
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Just did this "the easy way" and it was pretty darn easy. Took 3 minutes. Thanks good idea!
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      09-14-2012, 09:43 AM   #11
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Maybe it's because I'm on the taller side so have never had my headrests all the way down on any vehicle I have ever owned...but what it the point of this mod? Cosmetic only or is there a functional purpose.
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      09-17-2012, 01:27 PM   #12
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Thank you for this fix. Was very simple to do. Took me 5 mins
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      09-17-2012, 01:44 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diesel86 View Post
Maybe it's because I'm on the taller side so have never had my headrests all the way down on any vehicle I have ever owned...but what it the point of this mod? Cosmetic only or is there a functional purpose.
Only drawback is you can't tilt the headrest forward when its all the way down..which also looks good and might be a bit more functional. But I notice some F30s don't have that button to tilt forward on the side of the headrest. Not sure if that's a 2013 thing or something in the trim ordered.
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      09-17-2012, 08:58 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RonSwanson View Post
Only drawback is you can't tilt the headrest forward when its all the way down..which also looks good and might be a bit more functional. But I notice some F30s don't have that button to tilt forward on the side of the headrest. Not sure if that's a 2013 thing or something in the trim ordered.
Yeah thats kind of the only bad thing, but I never tilt mine. I have that button on the side, not sure wich models have it and wich dont. Its not something I would opt for, I never use it.
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      10-10-2012, 09:15 PM   #15
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Thats a good idea. Thanks
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      12-27-2012, 10:17 AM   #16
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Interesting... but I think you might be removing a safety feature by doing this. In the stock set up the head rest has a movement (front to back) that seems to be for neck injury prevention. I might be wrong but just a thought.
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      12-27-2012, 06:05 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeThirtyFiveI View Post
Interesting... but I think you might be removing a safety feature by doing this. In the stock set up the head rest has a movement (front to back) that seems to be for neck injury prevention. I might be wrong but just a thought.
It could very well be for safety, it still does tilt just not as much.
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      12-29-2012, 04:25 PM   #18
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This was done to comply with Federal safety standards. In fact, there was a recall on early production F30 models due to this fact.
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      04-06-2013, 06:14 AM   #19
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Just completed my set up. Appreciate the DIY. I may opt to buy the switched cover and replace with the fixed cover.
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      04-22-2013, 03:23 PM   #20
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Great help. Thanks
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      04-25-2013, 09:27 AM   #21
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Thanks

Great DIY.
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      05-04-2013, 12:35 PM   #22
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I dont' get how you guys got the spring out? I was trying now, I almost bent/broke the plastic piece at the end the spring is on, there almost no room for manuevering the spring out???? Help! lol
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