NHTSA Complaint #10605259 — 2013 BUICK REGAL

THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE HEAD "CONSTRAINTS." BOTH THE ANGLE OF THE BRACES SUPPORTING THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND THE THICKNESS OF THE PADDING OF THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE EXCESSIVE. WHEN THE SEAT IS UPRIGHT, A POSITION OF GOOD POSTURE, THE HEAD RESTRAINT FORCES THE HEAD DOWN TO LOOK AT THE LAP. RAISING THE HEAD RESTRAINT INCREASES THE DOWNWARD ANGLE. MOVING THE SEAT-BACK AWAY FROM VERTICAL MAKES THE HEAD COMFORTABLE BUT THEN THE BACK DOESN'T TOUCH THE SEAT-BACK AND THAT POSITION IS RATHER TIRING. MUCH OF THE TIME, THE SOLUTION IS TO LEAN FORWARD OR TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT AWAY FROM THE HEAD RESTRAINT TO AVOID DISCOMFORT AND BLOCKED VISION. THE 2013 BUICK REGAL HAS TAKEN THE HEAD RESTRAINT CRITERIA TO EXCESS AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF MODIFICATIONS CAN BE CONSIDERED SO THAT FUTURE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE NO LONGER A HINDRANCE TO DRIVERS.