Rear Seat Headrest Backwards & Now It's Stuck!

Unfortunately inserting your rear headrest in backwards is surprising easy to do. It was dark and late and I stupidly did it on passenger side of the back seat. I didn't realize it until the following morning and when I tried I was unable to remove it. A little effort and investigation made it clear that pulling on it is not the answer.

As stupid as this self inflicted problem is I can't be the only one to have ever done this. I haven't been able to find a solution.

So as not to turn this problem into a Science Fair, can anyone who had removed and disassembled a rear seat come up with the steps necessary for manually releasing the headrest posts that does not include destroying the seat or the headrest?

Thanks in advance!

 

Come on guys, I need some help!

 

I vaguely recall a thread about this. Maybe a button on the seat where the headrest rods go in? Or a screwdriver to push a detent in? Try a search I guess.
Sorry, that's all I got.

 

So I just pulled one of mine out and looked at. The two post are identical with the notch on the out side. So I purposely put it in backwards till it locked it. Crossed my fingers. I squeezed the release button and really had to pull straight up hard but it came out. They are really tight even in the correct way but I was able to pull the headrest out. Might need an extra hand one squeezes the release button so you can pull out the headrest with two hands. Good luck.

 

Pull harder

 

Yep. I seriously had to pull hard.

 

Thanks @gotoman1969 I've been pulling hard enough to the point where I feel like I'm going to rip the padding and leather off the frame and it isn't budging. When you say "had to pull straight up", are you saying straight up as in perpendicular to the floor? I've been purposely pulling at the angle of the set back.

 

I’ll pulled as, in line with the seat back. Maybe spray some silicon in the holes the headrest posts go into, at first I was like oh crap it’s stuck but it came out.

 

Mine are even really tight when they’re in correctly.

 

My brother put mine on backwards and slammed the seat back, It broke my back window. I had to take the rear panel off the back of the seat and the rest sits in a plastic sleeve. I had to knock it out with a hammer and punch.......

 

Yes, they're an SOB when installed correctly. Backwards...don't even want to think about.
Jeff

 

Won't help the OP, but pull these up and spray with silicone. Push down and let it dry like that a few days, it will be easier.

 

Found this:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/backward-headrest-blues.331201/

Reply number 7.

Then there's this.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/headrest-stuck.233938/

Post 30.

 

People who sign their name at the bottom of messages are at the bottom of the food chain.

 

Great reply @fathomblue !!
you rocked it!

 

This response is totally unnecessary and useless. Just move on or stick with the 3rd gen forum.

 

You forgot to sign yer name!

 

Thanks @fathomblue! That was the kind of help I was hoping for. I'm more than capable of tearing up the headrest by over muscling it but I guess I need some work on my search skills.

I've got several things to try now. I'm hoping my truck has the "slot" on the side of the plastic guide. That would be an engineered solution that would restore my faith in Toyota!

I'll let everyone know if any of these solutions work. Thanks again.

V/R

 

My faith in Toyota engineering is restored! Yes, it is ridiculously easy to inadvertently install any of our Tacoma headrests backwards.

When my headrest was hopelessly stuck and I couldn't pull it free without destroying it I called the dealer I bought my truck from. While their labor rates are expensive they are usually very on top of things. This time, however, they basically said if the headrest was installed backwards and if it was pushed all the way down then I have a real problem. They also said their solution is to remove the seat back and disassemble things until the headrest posts can be released.

I wanted to believe that Toyota anticipated this headrest problem and had designed a solution but I couldn't find anything on this problem. The above quoted post by @fathomblue was spot on. I found the slot just like the above picture and stuck a small screwdriver in it. It immediately released the post and the headrest pulled right out. THANK YOU SIR!

V/R

 

Have you tried turning the truck off, and back on again?