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2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum BMW 2 Series (F22) Forum BMW 2 Series Coupe and Cabriolet (F22/F23) General Forum Folding/removing rear headrests in convertible?

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      03-29-2018, 09:59 AM   #67
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The 2018 has a spring thing that is latched into a slot cut in the headrest stalk. I watched a very strong tech pull them out with great difficulty. The spring thing was clearly intended to make it impossible to pull them.

Mine are out. I didn't know until today to worry about the holes.
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      03-29-2018, 10:08 AM   #68
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The plugs add a nice finishing touch closing the holes. I have them, but in my experience it's a good thing they are cheap because it's not a tight fight and wind at highway speeds can cause them to come out and fly away. I tried going up a size and those were too big. I'm thinking about using a small application of hot glue to hold them in this year once we get to top-down weather again.
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      03-29-2018, 10:24 AM   #69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by p912guy View Post
The plugs add a nice finishing touch closing the holes. I have them, but in my experience it's a good thing they are cheap because it's not a tight fight and wind at highway speeds can cause them to come out and fly away. I tried going up a size and those were too big. I'm thinking about using a small application of hot glue to hold them in this year once we get to top-down weather again.
Wrap them 2x with fabric tape before inserting - very snug fit adds just enough to the male end.
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      03-29-2018, 01:02 PM   #70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Wrap them 2x with fabric tape before inserting - very snug fit adds just enough to the male end.
Thought about that as well. I have lots of black cloth tape in my hockey bag.
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      04-04-2018, 04:01 AM   #71
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Originally Posted by Kiwi View Post
I don't know what the problem is with the rear head rests installed as the car has a rear camera, rear backing sensors, 2 side mirrors and a centre rear view mirror.
Agree, mine will stay in place...

Still tons more rear viewing space than that 2017 Camaro ZL1 I was considering last year.

And... while the top is down, I can see everything behind me just fine....
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      04-09-2018, 11:34 AM   #72
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Mine are coming out - the problem isn’t in parking, the rear view camera/sensors are quite adequate for that. I just traded a 435 ‘vert, and you’d be surprised what can hide behind the damn headrests and ‘surprise’ you, In the 4 years I had that car the only thing that went in the back seat was the sun shade, maybe a gym bag, a cooler, or a bag of groceries. The 240’s back seat is smaller still, and I hate ‘surprises’
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      04-19-2018, 07:13 PM   #73
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I'm not strong but I just walked out and pulled on one and nearly punched myself in the face and threw the headrest in the air!
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      04-19-2018, 07:22 PM   #74
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Originally Posted by TwistedX View Post
I'm not strong but I just walked out and pulled on one and nearly punched myself in the face and threw the headrest in the air!
I thought I was the only one! Mine flew up outta my hands, and as it did so, my only thought was, "This thing is gonna land right on my trunk lid and leave a big fuc*ing dent". Well, it did land on the trunk, but did so on the cushion, so I escaped the anger and embarrassment that would have followed.
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      04-19-2018, 08:29 PM   #75
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Originally Posted by CE750Jockey View Post
I thought I was the only one! Mine flew up outta my hands, and as it did so, my only thought was, "This thing is gonna land right on my trunk lid and leave a big fuc*ing dent". Well, it did land on the trunk, but did so on the cushion, so I escaped the anger and embarrassment that would have followed.
That's exactly what happened to me!
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      04-19-2018, 10:49 PM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angelbones View Post
Having sat in a 2 series convertible with the top up, that is really a mark against it. The blind spot is bad enough, but to not be able to see what's behind you is a problem BMW needs to fix immediately. It is not complicated. Either make them easy to remove or do what others like Lexus has done, pull a lever from the driver's seat which folds the rear headrests forward, allowing clear vision behind.
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Originally Posted by angelbones View Post
Having sat in a 2 series convertible with the top up, that is really a mark against it. The blind spot is bad enough, but to not be able to see what's behind you is a problem BMW needs to fix immediately. It is not complicated. Either make them easy to remove or do what others like Lexus has done, pull a lever from the driver's seat which folds the rear headrests forward, allowing clear vision behind.
I think not being able to see what's behind you is overstated. I don't even notice mine.
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      04-20-2018, 03:34 AM   #77
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Here is a video I did on removing the rear headrests on my 2016 M235i convertible (UK). Feedback is that the mechanism varies quite a lot in terms of the design and stiffness of the retaining mechanism:



apologies for the poor sound quality, and the "it's not particularly difficult to remove." isn't meant to be dismissive - it looks like some versions are extremely difficult to remove and seems to vary a lot by country/year.

For a while, I always had the headrests off and kept them in the boot (trunk) in case they were needed, and made it clear how important it was to make sure they were re-fitted if we had passengers. Trouble is that I share the car plus it's easy to forget to put them on if you have impromptu passengers. In the end, I've decided to leave them in place.
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Last edited by msej449; 04-20-2018 at 03:40 AM..
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      04-20-2018, 06:15 AM   #78
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Yes, I think they changed how they're held in. The tech at Suburban near busted a gut getting them off. On the 2018 there's a cut slot in the post and a tang that goes into it, making it really not want to come off.

And, if I'm not mistaken, there's no button any more.
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      04-20-2018, 11:53 AM   #79
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Sweet covers
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      06-20-2018, 08:48 AM   #80
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I have a 2018 M240i, and as much effort as I used I can not remove the rear head restraints. I've tried with the top up, unlacing the rear seat and pushing it forward with no luck. Is there an easy way, the dealer said no.
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      06-20-2018, 09:43 AM   #81
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Yes on the 2018 it is nearly impossible to pull them. I don't know about folding the seat, didn't try that. The tech who pulled mine was young and strong and I think he needed gut surgery after pulling them.
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      06-26-2018, 09:22 PM   #82
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thanks for all this info

incredibly helpful !
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      09-17-2020, 12:58 PM   #83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Jeffries View Post
The 2018 has a spring thing that is latched into a slot cut in the headrest stalk. I watched a very strong tech pull them out with great difficulty. The spring thing was clearly intended to make it impossible to pull them.
I got mine out today on my 2017 M240. Exactly as said above there are springs. It appears to me that BMW simply removed the button the pushes in the spring to "release" the headrest.

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/atta...1&d=1600365397

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/atta...1&d=1600365397
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      09-17-2020, 07:29 PM   #84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Page View Post
I got mine out today on my 2017 M240. Exactly as said above there are springs. It appears to me that BMW simply removed the button the pushes in the spring to "release" the headrest.

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/atta...1&d=1600365397

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/atta...1&d=1600365397
The second picture of the mechanism which holds the headrest is a good shot. I put the rear seat down and opened up the cover to expose that (on my wifes car, not mine). After that, a light tap with a screwdriver inserted in the bottom of that mechanism on each side was enough to pop the headrests right out.

With the kids in car seats still, that's all find and good. She's dreading the day they are out of car seats and I have to put the headrests back in!
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      09-19-2020, 05:25 AM   #85
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Presumably, it's possible to get a replacement container assembly (like in the 2nd photo' above) for my 2016 UK M235i Convertible i.e. with the push-buttons at the top that depress the holding clip? Then you could just replace the unit if you wanted to regularly remove/insert the rear headrests. Agreed, it's annoying to have to do this and no doubt BMW charge an arm and a leg for the part,, but would it work, do you think? Or is the the whole design different as well.....?
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      09-19-2020, 10:55 AM   #86
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i think i'd try filing the slot first, as was suggested above
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      09-19-2020, 01:32 PM   #87
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If you can get a thin pick down into the hole you may be able to use it to jimmy the spring out of the slot. If there is room, you can also make a circlet of thin aluminum (from a beer can) and slide it down the shaft to hold the spring back. This is from the thread on here about reversing front headrests, as they will also lock up this same way.

A picture looking down the open shaft of the housing may show how to 'pick' it.
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      09-22-2020, 09:51 AM   #88
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Whoooo I wish I saw this older post from 2017 earlier. I yanked my rear headrests out last year when I bought my car, but never thought about covering up the holes.

What I learned from this thread: 5/8 is too small, so loose and could fly out. 11/16 on the big side and needs to be mooshed in. So i went right in the middle and bought 16mm plugs on Amazon. Just popped them right in. They seem very secure but I can still get them out with my thumb nail. Win!

Here is the link to what I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had to buy a bag of 20 for $9. If anyone is in Bergen or Passaic county in NJ and needs some, I got plenty I can give you for free.
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