NHTSA Complaint #10375870 — 2010 CADILLAC DTS

HEAD RESTRAINT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, WHICH CAUSES A DRIVING HAZARD. POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TO MY HEAD WHEN I SIT UP STRAIGHT, THE HEAD RESTRAINT CAUSES MY HEAD TO POINT TOWARD MY LAP . IF I POSITION THE SEATS BACK SO THAT I CAN LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH MY HEAD ERECT, THE SEAT BACK DOES NOT TOUCH MY SHOULDERS AND UPPER BACK AND I HAVE TO HOLD TIGHTLY TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO STEADY MYSELF TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR, WHICH IS BOTH DISTRACTING AND VERY TIRING. I AM 5'9", 133 #, SLIGHTLY BUILT IN THE SHOULDERS. MY HUSBAND HAS MORE SHOULDERS AND HAS NO PROBLEM. OUR 2006 CADILLAC DTS HAD ADJUSTABLE HEADRESTS, WHICH WE ADJUSTED EACH TIME WE USED ONE OF THE FRONT SEATS. IN THE 2010 DTS, I HAVE PUT THE SEAT BACK A FEW INCHES AND SUPPLEMENTED WITH A SMALL PILLOW TO SUPPORT MY UPPER BACK, BUT HAVING TO ADJUST THE PILLOW FREQUENTLY AFTER I TURN TO LOOK TO THE SIDE OR BEHIND, DISTRACTS FROM MY DRIVING. WE RENTED BOTH A 2009 HONDA ACCORD AND A 2010 FORD FUSION AND I HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THOSE VEHICLES. OUR DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2010 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE; SHE IS 5'4" AND SLIGHT AND HAS THE VERY SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AS I DO. THEREFORE, HEIGHT IS NOT THE ISSUE; HAVING A THINNER FRAME THAN THE DOT "TEST DUMMIES" USED TO DETERMINE THE DISTANCE IS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CANNOT BE ADDRESSED IN A CASUAL MANNER BY THE USER. THE DOT MUST ADDRESS THIS BEFORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR.