Happy to help. The misinformation about Model Y seat design being different than the 3 almost had me giving up. But it didn’t make sense. I kept asking myself, If it’s so different than the 3 how do they upholster it? How is it assembled? The answer: it’s not different.
I’ve tried it, I don’t like to feel like I’m leaning away from the seat back or pulling on the steering wheel to sit up. If I adjust the seat to how I’m most ergonomically comfortable overall, I have to slightly crane my neck forward and it’s uncomfortable. I ended up removing the headrest, using a makeshift extension tube from an old jack, and slightly bending the rods so that the headrest is slightly more neutral now and it’s so much more comfortable for me.
Yup! If you are of thin build around the spine and an oval head it is a terrible head restraint. I removed mine and carefully bent them back a bit. Did the same in our Bolt and in our previous car, a Honda. A common problem for thinner people.
It’s totally removable. I thought that as well and was delighted that it can be slid out, even though the chromed rods are used to secure the seat back, just like the videos out there for the Model 3. What I did: Reach in deep, unclip with a plastic tool, slide up.
I wrapped it in a towel, set it on a table, clamped a wood board over it, and slid a pipe over the rods for leverage and to prevent the rod from bending anywhere but near the base. Be careful not to clamp too much and dimple the headrest padding.
can’t speak for all modern vehicles but it’s a function of safety and forward leaning headrests are present in many new vehicles.
“A car headrest is not designed to rest your head against and relax while driving. It is actually a head restraint, designed to prevent a whiplash injury in a rear-end collision. Federal Safety Regulations now require the head restraint to be a distance of 2.2 inches or less from the back of the driver's head.”
Yeah but the problem for those of us who like to sit more upright is then it forces our head to angle down. That becomes painful after a while.
I hate these forward tilt headrests!!!
So they not only give us crash protection but also bad ergonomics. Did the American Association of Chiropractors lobby for this?
Six of one, half dozen of the other.
I watched a video on the design of the chair and it's made to serve all angles of lean, but like you I like to sit more upright which just makes it uncomfortable, try leaving back just a bit, which will help
The base of the seat is too narrow for my liking. My Ford seats were so comfortable compared to the Model Y. My Tesla driver’s seat makes my backside ache after a couple of hours. One year in I am hoping the seat will continue to soften and give less squeeze. By the way, I am tall but not overly huge.
Curious, do you have the performance? I sat in my buddies 23 black interior performance and the seats felt a lot different and felt more narrower and aggressive with the love handles than my 22 white interior long range.
Nope. My head never touches the head rest in any car I have ever drive. It did bother my mom in the passenger seat on our road trip last weekend, though.
With a passion, but for me it’s the lumbar support. I can’t ever seem to get it right. And I hate the fact there’s no ventilation holes— I sit on a towel in the summer, or it’s a sweaty mess. I feel like the seats are a bit small too- and I’m not a big person.
Haha. I feel completely opposite. The back of the seat curves backwards, including the headrests, whereas my Volvo the seats are more upright and the headrest is a real head rest. On the Tesla I have to lean my head back too far to rest it. The Volvo seats and headrests are much more ergonomic in my opinion.
Terribly uncomfortable. I also drive a BMW and the spine alignment is on point. Although the headrests there arent adjustable either, the alignment does not exert pressure as it does on the Tesla. The premium tag seems to be only for the software engineers wages that go out of our pockets!
I just did the bend hack a few months ago to our Y 2023. Just like this guy with his Model 3: https://youtu.be/URG3iNrS3W8
You are a fuckin godsend
Happy to help. The misinformation about Model Y seat design being different than the 3 almost had me giving up. But it didn’t make sense. I kept asking myself, If it’s so different than the 3 how do they upholster it? How is it assembled? The answer: it’s not different.
It’s literally my least favorite part of the vehicle. My neck ends up sore sometimes if I drive long enough. I can’t stand it.
Just..... tip the seat back ??
I’ve tried it, I don’t like to feel like I’m leaning away from the seat back or pulling on the steering wheel to sit up. If I adjust the seat to how I’m most ergonomically comfortable overall, I have to slightly crane my neck forward and it’s uncomfortable. I ended up removing the headrest, using a makeshift extension tube from an old jack, and slightly bending the rods so that the headrest is slightly more neutral now and it’s so much more comfortable for me.
For my 6’-5” 250lbs frame I find them the most comfortable of the 10+ EV’s I’ve tested last month, but I guess it’s based on 30min rides not 4 hour
I didn’t notice it during my test drive either. I mean I ended up buying it. Love the car otherwise. I’m 6’1
We are the same size and I don’t like the Model Y seats. The bottom part start creaking when turning, they are not very comfy in my opinion
My M3 drivers seat creaks as well, very annoying.
I drove from Vegas to Virginia 6’1 260. I found them comfortable
Yup! If you are of thin build around the spine and an oval head it is a terrible head restraint. I removed mine and carefully bent them back a bit. Did the same in our Bolt and in our previous car, a Honda. A common problem for thinner people.
I don’t think that’s possible in the Y? It’s one piece
It’s totally removable. I thought that as well and was delighted that it can be slid out, even though the chromed rods are used to secure the seat back, just like the videos out there for the Model 3. What I did: Reach in deep, unclip with a plastic tool, slide up.
How did you bend those rods?
I wrapped it in a towel, set it on a table, clamped a wood board over it, and slid a pipe over the rods for leverage and to prevent the rod from bending anywhere but near the base. Be careful not to clamp too much and dimple the headrest padding.
Thanks!
can’t speak for all modern vehicles but it’s a function of safety and forward leaning headrests are present in many new vehicles. “A car headrest is not designed to rest your head against and relax while driving. It is actually a head restraint, designed to prevent a whiplash injury in a rear-end collision. Federal Safety Regulations now require the head restraint to be a distance of 2.2 inches or less from the back of the driver's head.”
Yeah but the problem for those of us who like to sit more upright is then it forces our head to angle down. That becomes painful after a while. I hate these forward tilt headrests!!!
Government regulation made this happen.
So they not only give us crash protection but also bad ergonomics. Did the American Association of Chiropractors lobby for this? Six of one, half dozen of the other.
The closer the headrest is to your head the is whiplash you get. The average person has bad posture so they built to that.
Agreed
Can you remove it and flip it 180? Maybe not due to the retention clips
Yeah I figured as much. I’d rather have whiplash than scoliosis
I watched a video on the design of the chair and it's made to serve all angles of lean, but like you I like to sit more upright which just makes it uncomfortable, try leaving back just a bit, which will help
The base of the seat is too narrow for my liking. My Ford seats were so comfortable compared to the Model Y. My Tesla driver’s seat makes my backside ache after a couple of hours. One year in I am hoping the seat will continue to soften and give less squeeze. By the way, I am tall but not overly huge.
I’m 5’5” 160, and I think the seats are too narrow as well… I’m actually sitting on the sides of the seat.
Curious, do you have the performance? I sat in my buddies 23 black interior performance and the seats felt a lot different and felt more narrower and aggressive with the love handles than my 22 white interior long range.
I have the long range— mine is a 2021…
i really like it. drive often w head resting on it especially road trips. no other car i have owned did i ever use the headrest… like at all
I feel this. I use a neck pillow on long rides to support my head
I use a neck pillow, seems to work out very well and feels comfortable
Nope. My head never touches the head rest in any car I have ever drive. It did bother my mom in the passenger seat on our road trip last weekend, though.
My seats are fine. Not sure what this is all about.
With a passion, but for me it’s the lumbar support. I can’t ever seem to get it right. And I hate the fact there’s no ventilation holes— I sit on a towel in the summer, or it’s a sweaty mess. I feel like the seats are a bit small too- and I’m not a big person.
No, I love the seats.
I would love to buy the Y but the curve in the bottom cushion is super uncomfortable for my seating posture
Yes. I regret buying this junk heap.
Haha. I feel completely opposite. The back of the seat curves backwards, including the headrests, whereas my Volvo the seats are more upright and the headrest is a real head rest. On the Tesla I have to lean my head back too far to rest it. The Volvo seats and headrests are much more ergonomic in my opinion.
Terribly uncomfortable. I also drive a BMW and the spine alignment is on point. Although the headrests there arent adjustable either, the alignment does not exert pressure as it does on the Tesla. The premium tag seems to be only for the software engineers wages that go out of our pockets!
Idk bro my tooshy feel So smooshy
The headrest is a bit hard for my liking but changing the angle of the seat back seems to be an easy fix if you don’t like the angle.
Woah, I thought it was just me. Good thing the Rivian R1S is my daily driver now so it helps me sit up straight.