bmw E90 headrest - increase tilt

[MM6]

I have never posted before, but I have used everyone's amazing DIY posts over the years. raise:

I could not get the E90 head rest to tilt like my E46. The headrest did not tuck in comfortably at maximum tilt.
After an intervention the difference can be seen now between right head rest tilt (DIY) and left head rest (original):

step1: remove headrest.
step2: drill part of the plastic restriction away (try not damage leather/fabric).
step 3: use utility knife to cut off excess plastic (try not damage leather/fabric). I used a too large knife, but it was strong to take large excess off, then I used a smaller utility knife to clean up rough edges, so that the headrest could tilt without 'grabbing'.

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

Now this is a good mod... I always felt they needed to tilt more.. Excellent job :coolShake:

 

[KarshS]

Dont the e90s have active headrests thats why they dont tilt all the way?

Its a safety feature that automatically tilts in the event of getting hit from the rear.

You guys should read up on it before messing with it.

 

[tivoli786]

and here I thought I was the only one irritated with the tilt

:tiptoe:

 

[m0lt3n]

This reminds me, I need something like that on the F30 as well. think there is a DIY on it already somewhere

 

[MM6]

Now this is a good mod... I always felt they needed to tilt more.. Excellent job :coolShake:

I still find my beloved E46 tilt is better even after my intervention on the E90. I need to work out how to increase the E90 tilt further, but scared to damage the headrest.

 

[Maximus03]

Dont the e90s have active headrests thats why they dont tilt all the way?

Its a safety feature that automatically tilts in the event of getting hit from the rear.

You guys should read up on it before messing with it.

100% correct, I was a passenger in an E90 and was rear ended by a bakkie, headrests tilted forward.

 

[MM6]

My E90 is pre-facelift with headrests that tilt - and are not wired. Not sure if some pre-facelifts had active headrests???
Active headrests I believe were fitted to facelift 2009 onwards:
"The front seats of the new BMW 3 Series are fitted as standard with crash-active headrests" (http://www.topspeed.com/cars/bmw/2009-bmw-3-series-ar60571.html).

So the aforementioned tilt increase is for older models without active headrests.