Near accident at 1300 miles. Did you know the rate of owner filed NHTSA safety complaints related to seats/head restraints for the 2012 and 2013 Accord are occurring at a rate 49 times higher than the combined rate for Altima, Camry, elantra and Taurus? almost all Accord complaints include the same elements: Awkward posture, pressure on head and neck, pain and distraction caused by the seat/head restraint. Honda tells owners that all manufacturers get the same complaints, and blames NHTSA FMVSS 202: Both are untrue! aforementioned 4-12-2013 count shows this is a very severe problem for Accord, but not for all other manufacturers. The seats in my 2013 Accord are very uncomfortable partly because they provide no backset between the head restraint and my head; instead, they impose a push of a least 13 mm. This causes distraction within 30 minutes of driving, and within two hours generates severe pain which impairs my driving. During the FMVSS 202 process, umtri submitted a research finding that said a 50 mm backset would result in head restraint interference for 13% of the driving public. A majority of the manufacturers, among them GM, magna, johnson controls, aiam, the alliance, Nissan, Porsche, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford, stated that a backset of 50 mm may cause significant intrusions into the space where these occupants typically place their heads, forcing their heads into an unnatural forward-tilting position. Honda ignored these findings, is solely responsible for bad seat design a 1997 cdc report that found strong evidence of a causal relationship between awkward neck and shoulder posture/ prolonged static loads and musculoskeletal disorders (msd), and additional research reveals the impacts of msd, including pain and fatigue. The Accord is a danger to me, my passengers, bystanders and other drivers and should be recalled as soon as possible.

- Athens, GA, USA

During a snow storm in columbus, Ohio, while I was in my house, my car windows automatically rolled down, covering the seats, seat belts and car seats with snow. Due to a feature of the car documented in the owners manual on pages 128-129, if the lock button is compressed twice within 10 seconds, and held down (e.g., in a briefcase or purse when something heavy lands on it), the windows will roll down. This works well enough to transmit from inside a house to a driveway. I thought the car was all locked up, but it was not. Googling "Honda windows roll down" led me to a litany of complaints about the same thing happening, in snow storms, rain storms, etc. Apparently the feature is for hot climates (Texas, California--or Ohio in the summer), but there is no way to turn it off. Given how damaging this can be to a car, it seems like it should be a feature one could turn off. The customer service rep told me she had a call from a woman the week before who had the same problem. It should be easier to keep a car interior protected from the elements. Honda indicated they have no plans to address this in the future.

- Columbus, OH, USA

The drivers seat causes severe lower back pain and also neck pain is so uncomfortable I cannot drive this car more than 30 minutes. Tried multiple seat adjustments without success. Very distracted while driving. Almost had an accident while driving because I was distracted with preoccupation with the seat issue. Also my wife complains in the front passenger seat headrest causes here severe neck pain and strain.

- Live Oak, TX, USA

Head rests are angled too far forward. I cannot drive the car like it was manufactured. I have turned the headrest backwards.

- Eden Prairie, MN, USA

Ltr re a similar version of a petition to review the safety of the seats used in 2012 and 2013 Honda Accord- the head rest and other seat elements cause driver distraction/impairment (attachment not imaged fwd to nvs-200) the consumer stated the head rest restraint caused discomfort and was a distraction while driving. The driver's seat put the consumer in an awkward position and imposed a long duration static load on his neck and upper spine. The consumer stated he was distracted by the push of the head rest, which was too far forward. It pushed his head forward from a neutral position by at least one-half inch. The upper seat was very concave and caused tension to his upper spine. Finally, the shape of the bottom of the seat back forced him into a slumped position which cause lower back pain. When the last repair was performed at the dealer, they reversed the head restraint, which apparently, was common and unsafe, a practice dealers used to resolve owner complaints.

- Athens, GA, USA

I am finding the driver seat in my 2013 Honda Accord to be unbearable. I am 5' 10" and 160 lbs, and drive 20 miles to work, which takes an average 35 minutes. As many have said, the head rests are pitched too far forward, causing neck pain. I have tried turning the head rest around, but this allows too much space, and is most likely very dangerous, but I have found it to be more comfortable. In addition, there is no lumbar support at all, and the upper part of the seat curves your upper body forward. The result is that your body is curved into a C shape, which is extremely uncomfortable and painful.

- Saint James, NC, USA

I have developed severe back and neck aches due to the design of the drivers seat. I have adjusted the seat in every way possible and the problem just seems to get worse. I have only owned the car for 2 weeks and purchased it new from the dealer. I drive about 140 miles a day.

- Brookfield, CT, USA

I bought my Honda Accord 9/11/13 and even on the test drive noted the uncomfortable seat to the salesman, but feeling positive about Honda's reputation and my positive experience driving my 1996 Accord for 18 years, I bought the 2013 Honda Accord, thinking the seats will soften like a pair of sneakers. It has now been only five days since I took delivery and my back pain has gotten worse from the position and hardness of both seat and back in this new 2013 Honda. And now I have have read about all the same complaints with this seating on my websites. I cannot tolerate this pain.

- Del Rey Oaks, CA, USA

Soon after purchasing my 2013 Honda Accord ex-L w/nav, I began to suffer severe lower back pain. It is impossible to adjust this seat into a comfortable driving position. Within 10 minutes, my legs and hips begin to go numb. Fatigue forms in my arms and an acute tightness forms at the abse of my spine. The seats are perforated matte leather and they grip you and create "hot" spots that cause constant shifting in your seat. It is so uncomfortable, I must constantly adjust the seat while driving. This is extremely dangerous and is an accident waiting to happen. I am fatigued and in lingering pain upon exiting the vehicle, even after only 30 minutes of driving. I complained to the dealer and asked them to buy the car back from me. They offered me approximately $5,500 less than I spent on the purchase one week earlier (with 400 miles on the odometer). I refused their offer as I am unable to recoup that loss so I may purchase another car. They also claim they had never heard a complaint like mine. Unlikely, as the internet is full of this particular complaint against Honda and many other manufacturers of late. This vehicle is not safely drivable as designed. Honda needs to change the seats!

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

Near miss at 1300 miles. Did you know owner filed NHTSA safety complaints related to seats/head restraints for the 2012 and 2013 Accord are occurring at a rate 49 times higher than the combined rate for Altima, Camry, elantra and Taurus? most Accord complaints include the same elements: Awkward posture, pressure on head and neck, pain and distraction caused by the seat/head restraint. Honda tells owners that all manufacturers get the same complaints, and blames NHTSA FMVSS 202: Both are untrue! aforementioned 4-12-2013 complaint count shows this is a very severe problem for Accord, but not all other manufacturers. The seats in my 2013 Accord are painful partly because they provide no backset between the head restraint and my head; instead, they impose a push of a least 13 mm. This yields major distraction in 30 minutes, severe pain in 2 hours; both impair driving. Other seat ergonomic features exacerbate the problem. During FMVSS 202 rm, umtri research showed a 50 mm backset would result in head restraint interference for 13% of the driving public. The majority of manufacturers, including GM, magna, johnson controls, aiam, the alliance, Nissan, Porsche, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford, stated that a backset of 50 mm may cause significant intrusions into the space where these occupants typically place their heads, forcing their heads into an unnatural forward-tilting position. NHTSA listened, allows 55 mm. Honda ignored these findings, is solely responsible for bad seat design. A 1997 cdc report found strong evidence of a causal relationship between awkward neck and shoulder posture/ prolonged static loads and musculoskeletal disorders (msd); more research reveals the impairments from msd: Pain and fatigue. The Accord is a danger to me, my passengers, bystanders and other drivers and should be recalled as soon as possible. Formal petition sent 9/6/13

- Athens, GA, USA

Head rests push the head too far forward, causing neck pain when seat back is at a normal upright, driving position. Seats are extremely uncomfortable to drive in, unless the seat back is significantly reclined - which poses an issue with being able to reach the steering wheel and other controls effectively. I find myself pulling myself forward with the steering wheel, so that I can sit up straight without the head rest pushing my head forward. I'm sure this is not the safest position to drive in.

- Osterville, MA, USA

The front seats are so uncomfortable as to cause a distraction from driving. The seat itself causes a person to be bent like the letter "C". the shoulder blades and pelvis are supported while the middle back has a gap (no support) between it and the seat back. The only way to conform to the seat is to be a hunchback. (I am a normal, slim (150 lb) 5'9" male.) to add to the discomfort the head rests are canted so far forward so as to continuously force the head forward pushing the chin toward the chest. This is an extremely uncomfortable position to drive in. This is not what the government mandates.

- Clayton, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the driver's side headrest would cause severe neck and back pain to the driver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the headrest was installed properly and working as designed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 70.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

Ever since I purchased my new 2013 Honda Accord LX approximately 10 months ago, the memory seat adjustment has not worked properly. This issue was brought to the attention of my Honda dealer, and each time it was contributed to malfunction of the installed software, and each time the problem was deemed "fixed"...although it continues to exist. The memory seats simply do not adjust themselves to the driver's setting, and each time I find it necessary to readjust the seats manually to my personal preference, which is very annoying! I am nearly at the point now at which I am almost sorry I purchased this car, and I wish that someone could offer me a solution to fix this problem once and for all!

- Mullica Hill, NJ, USA

I bought a 2013 Honda Accord knowing that there have been complaints online about the headrest issue, but brief test drives prior to purchase don't fully reveal the extent to which this is a safety defect.. an Acura (also made by Honda) dealer even told me that Acura had had these same complaints for several years, but modified the headrest design in the 2013 models to correct the flaw. Honda has not done this yet, though, in Honda models. I test drove many other manufacturers' cars and they comply with federal regulations without such an obvious design problem I'm 5'4" and sit up straight when driving, which means the head restraint continually bumps or pokes the back of my head while providing no back support at all--which is itself a safety defect in a crash. So is the fact that it pushes my head so far forward that it impedes good visibility when I turn my head to look back over my right shoulder. Slumping causes back, shoulder and neck pain, untenable on a road trip and also impedes visibility. Earlier model head-restraints that don't have this issue won't fit due to different center-to-center post measurements, so there are no available parts to replace the existing restraint (I tried -- even with one in my older Acura). I have read online forums in which desperate Honda drivers describe bending the posts or making other modifications to relieve their pain while driving. They shouldn't have to and this could jeopardize their safety. Please make Honda modify this design. I'd gladly purchase another headrest that doesn't have this issue, if they make one in 2014 (with the same distance between posts as the 2013 Accord). Or make it a recall issue--enough Honda owners in the last few years have been complaining about it to justify that status.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated the front driver's side headrest pushed her head forward limiting the mobility of her head while driving. The contact stated the design of the headrest caused her severe back and neck pain. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200.

- Gloucester, MA, USA

I couldn't figure out which section to post my complaint. It's not a safety issue per SE. I am complaining about the new design of the headrests. I cannot get comfortable in any of the new cars I have sat in, because I like to sit very upright, and when I position myself this way, my neck goes forward too much. When I recline the seat, it helps my neck, but now my back is not supported properly. So, either way, I am going to be uncomfortable which may very well affect my driving, and therefore safety. I need to buy 2 cars now. My current cars are old, 1996 and 1999. I am at wits end, because I cannot find a comfortable seat in a new car. Don't really want to buy a used car. I read of lot of posts on various sites about this problem. Did you test the new headrest guidelines by using short, women drivers"??? can someone please tell me if you have any comments back from other people with recommendations of brands that might have a more comfortable headrest than Honda/Acura" thank you.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

During the first week of driving my new Honda Accord sport, I find myself constantly trying to adjust the seats to a comfortable position. I've concluded that the headrests push my head forward so much that the upper back is unable to rest firmly against the chair. This is very irritating causing neck and shoulder stiffness during my 1hr commute each way. My old 2005 model that I still own is not like this. I wonder how many accidents will be caused by the distraction and irritation this creates for the driver. I've read that this is a government required headrest angle. Did they measure the posture of 80 year-olds to determine this angle" I'm in my 50S of good health and posture. I now have to try to find some upper back supports or I may have to pay for chiropractic care. I'm a designer and know that you need to test things before releasing designs to the public. Perhaps this is a design error caused due to cuts in research funding? well, perhaps you could ask General Motors to use some of their subsidies to do a little more testing on this" I'm being sarcastic of course, but perhaps Honda is also at fault if Ford are able to provide adjustable headrests. I'm unhappy and also suffering from a little buyers remorse.

- Cresskill, NJ, USA

The head restraint angle is too far forward; it pushes my head forward putting stress on my neck. My upper back and shoulders cannot contact the seat due to the head restraint angle, regardless of the height of the head restraint. In effect, my neck is supporting my upper body since my upper back and shoulders don't touch the seat. This has been causing pain in my neck and upper back.

- Ramsey, NJ, USA

No "incident" but writing to express my strong displeasure with the new requirements for head seats. I understand safety and that the new angle is a government restriction. I measured the angle in my 2006 Acura at 25 degrees while the 2013 Accord is 35-40 degrees when factoring in the thoracic/lumbar support added. I am a physical therapist by profession and this type of posture is terrible for people to sit in. The ear should line up with the shoulders for good posture, not be inches in front of the thoracic spine. This forces forward head posture which is terrible for the joints and muscles of the spine/shoulders. I have had many patients complain of this in other newer vehicles as well. Chronic neck and back problems are/can/will develop. Safety must be balanced with everyday comfort and ergonomics!

- Ada, MI, USA