Ok, my wife wants to know if the head rests can tilt back. She doesn't like the idea of them tilting forward so much. She told me that if they don't then my first mod is new seats. Well, so much for a lift........

 

As far as I know, they do not tilt.

 

My question is why in the hell are they so damn hard? They are downright uncomfortable. Its one of those things that you wonder how it made its way into production.

 

I can't say my head has even ever touched the headrest things. So, I guess I am curious if it even really matters? In 3000 miles I am yet to hit my head on them or even recall my head touching them. I will admit that they do look hard but can't say it matters.

Bryan

 

I agree. I just test drove one the other day and my head didnt hit them. I just like the fact that I have one. My 94 doesnt have head rest and I tower over the seats. They are hard though. I wish they would have just stuck with similar seat designs like the 06.

 

If you tilt the seat back far enough, the headrest sholdn't touch your head.

 

I'm not too sure, but I'd imagine it's for safety reasons. Not really sure why, thought. My 06 Jetta's head rests were the same way, only leather-wrapped so not as hard.

 

Just ran into this problem since I installed a rear facing carseat for my child behind my seat. I had to put my seat more upright and now the headrest forces my head forward uncomfortably. I can't tilt my seat back cause the carseat is there. I know some people say its a federally mandated crash thing but why do other cars have adjustable tilting headrests but the Jk doesn't? Wtf

 

The headrests are there for safety reasons. They can also provide some comfort and an actual "rest" for passengers who want to lay back in their seat. Automakers have added some adjustability to them, and the up/down, fore/aft is for ergonomics and better crash protection. They angle forward slightly to protect your neck from hyper-extending backwards in a rear crash, and for the same during the recoil of a forward crash. Most people have a slight forward angle in their neck, so the tilt of the headrest is there to compensate for that. The same reason why it's usually more comfortable to sleep on a pillow while on your back.

Watch a crash test video taken from inside the car and pay attention to how the dummy comes in contact with the head rest. They're pretty cool devices, actually.

The lack of fore/aft adjustability is just Chrysler being cheap. Same with the hardness of the '07-'10 headrests. I guess you get a free head concussion instead of a neck injury on those . In reality, they're just not comfortable to lay on, but they are squishy enough to provide some protection in a crash. They can also be used as a weapon, in a pinch.

If the OP's wife for whatever reason doesn't "fit" the seat because of back or neck shapes and angles, they make pullover supports that go between the seatback and the headrest. Kind of like a lumbar support, but for your neck and noggin. I believe some retailers also make pillowy headrest covers, but you'd have to look around for those.

 

I believe older Grand Cherokees have plusher seat rests that will fit.