Missing Center Backseat Headrest

[CBolt]

Is it possible to order a Bolt with a headrest in the backseat center position? For some reason, the US Bolt is not equipped with a center backseat headrest. However, the European version (Ampera-e) has it. Could I order a Bolt with a European backseat?
Alternatively, is there a part number for the headrest that could be ordered and inserted into the seat? (Assuming the mounting brackets are already installed inside the seat.)

I nearly leased a Bolt but did not go through with the process after realizing the center headrest was missing. Two other friends of mine also decided not to lease a Bolt after realizing the same. The missing neck protection is a major safety issue for passengers and a surprising oversight.

 

[sparkyps]

I haven't seen any pics that clearly show a third adjustable headrest in the Ampera-E backseat and have seen some pics that suggest it doesn't have it.

http://www.ampera-e.com/en/

The video shows the rear seats being folded down and no 3rd headrest is there

 

[CBolt]

This article/video shows three adjustable headrests on the backseat of an Ampera-e (http://insideevs.com/opel-ampera-e-goes-387-miles/). The article is from InsideEVs and the video (second from the top) shows a (Norwegian) Ampera-e being driven in Denmark. Here is a link to the video at the moment that shows the center position headrest: https://youtu.be/rg1TQoiT3KY?t=5.

My recollection is that EU mandates headrests on all seats (but I am not 100% sure of this.)

 

[phil0909]

I nearly leased a Bolt but did not go through with the process after realizing the center headrest was missing. Two other friends of mine also decided not to lease a Bolt after realizing the same.

I think you are the first three people to pass for that particular reason.

 

[CBolt]

I think you are the first three people to pass for that particular reason.

Interestingly, the dealer said that we were not the first people who had walked away from the Bolt due to the missing backseat headrest. They knew immediately what we were talking about when we mentioned the issue and made it sound like it was a "known problem." They had apparently previously contacted regional GM people about this. The dealer had hoped it would be possible to get the fifth headrest since both the Bolt and the Ampera-e are built in the same factory in Michigan.

 

[phil0909]

I think you are the first three people to pass for that particular reason.

Interestingly, the dealer said that we were not the first people who had walked away from the Bolt due to the missing backseat headrest. They knew immediately what we were talking about when we mentioned the issue and made it sound like it was a "known problem." They had apparently previously contacted regional GM people about this. The dealer had hoped it would be possible to get the fifth headrest since both the Bolt and the Ampera-e are built in the same factory in Michigan.

It is known, but it is not Bolt-specific. Chevy seems to have eliminated the center head restraint in most (all?) of their cars, up to and including the Impala. Is your dealer complaining to regional GM people about all the other Chevy models with this problem? For that matter, lots of other manufacturers omit the center head restraint, my Lexus LS, for example, doesn't have one. Many buyers seem eager to remove center head restraints, rather than add them, often for better rear visibility. (I wonder which provides greater safety benefits - center head restraint, or unobstructed rear view? Probably depends...)

I don't ever expect to have an adult in the center seat, and very, very rarely even a kid tall enough to use a head restraint. So I'm fine with the 4 head restraints, and I've literally never heard of a Bolt customer worrying about this. Ironically, my Bolt could add a fifth head restraint without impairing my rear view at all, because I use the camera display instead of the rear view mirror.

 

[CBolt]

Thank you Phil0909 for the comment. It turns out that neither I, nor my friends, have ever owned GM vehicles, and have always owned cars and SUVs with head restraints in all seats so it had never occurred to any of us that someone would make a vehicle without a headrest in all seats. Collectively we have various EVs, plugin hybrids and gasoline vehicles. Our plugin vehicles include various VW, Toyota, Ford, Mercedes and Tesla vehicles and they all have headrests in all seats. We were all looking forward to getting our first GM vehicles. It is a real shame for GM to lose converts from other brands who have never owned a GM vehicle because of a missing $10 part - that they include in the European models.
All of us have teenage children who are way too tall for a seat without a head restraint so having the head rests in all seats is a must have feature for us.

 

[phil0909]

Thank you Phil0909 for the comment. It turns out that neither I, nor my friends, have ever owned GM vehicles, and have always owned cars and SUVs with head restraints in all seats so it had never occurred to any of us that someone would make a vehicle without a headrest in all seats. Collectively we have various EVs, plugin hybrids and gasoline vehicles. Our plugin vehicles include various VW, Toyota, Ford, Mercedes and Tesla vehicles and they all have headrests in all seats. We were all looking forward to getting our first GM vehicles. It is a real shame for GM to lose converts from other brands who have never owned a GM vehicle because of a missing $10 part - that they include in the European models.
All of us have teenage children who are way too tall for a seat without a head restraint so having the head rests in all seats is a must have feature for us.

Perhaps you should take the middle seat, and make the teenager drive.

 

[CBolt]

Perhaps you should take the middle seat, and make the teenager drive.

Funny. If I were to let a teenager drive, I would definitely want to have a head restraint on my seat!

 

[flamaest]

I agree, if their is a rear center seat belt, then their should be a rear center headrest. Probably saved them 10 bucks, like all the other interior cheapouts.

 

[GMgreen]

I agree, if their is a rear center seat belt, then their should be a rear center headrest. Probably saved them 10 bucks, like all the other interior cheapouts.

I agree with this. I am waiting to get the answer to the same question about adding a headrest to the middle seat. No deal without it.

 

[sgt1372]

Never even noticed this b4 I read this thread because I never carry more than 1 passenger - - my GF in the shotgun seat upfront.

My only thought is that, if there isn't one, it's because it's not required by Fed law or reg and there would be no way to retrofit the car to add one w/o funding a very costly one-off customization of the rear seat.

 

[GMgreen]

...there would be no way to retrofit the car to add one w/o funding a very costly one-off customization of the rear seat.

That would be correct - except that, assuming the first post is correct, the same factory in Michigan makes the European model (AmperaE) with three headrests in the back. I am puzzled why GM bothers to put two different back seats into the same vehicle. It would presumably slightly simplify the assembly process if they had just one seat SKU to manage. The cost savings can't be but a few dollars and they are probably off-set by the need to carry two separate SKUs in the seat inventory. Why are European necks more valuable to GM than our necks?

 

[SeanNelson]

I am puzzled why GM bothers to put two different back seats into the same vehicle. It would presumably slightly simplify the assembly process if they had just one seat SKU to manage. The cost savings can't be but a few dollars and they are probably off-set by the need to carry two separate SKUs in the seat inventory. Why are European necks more valuable to GM than our necks?

The seat manufacturer doubtless charges them less for the variant without the centre headrest. They don't need to keep two parts in inventory because with just in time manufacturing a batch of seats are ordered for delivery as they're needed on the production line, and the line is doubtless scheduled to produce batches of European vehicles when the seats and other European-specific parts arrive. None of the North American warehouses will need to stock the European parts, and vice versa for European warehouses.

The large car manufacturers have become very good about keeping costs down, both in terms of materials (i.e., the seats themselves) and the production process (the logistics required to get the parts to the assembly line at the right time and for the assembly itself to use them). That's the core of their business, and they live or die by how well they do it.

 

[CBolt]

This discussion seems to have been moved to "general discussion" from the "Ask Chevrolet" by the admin, however I am still hoping to hear from GM's social media team if there is a solution to the missing center headrest problem. Could a US customer order a Bolt with a European backseat? Or, if the center headrest mounting brackets are inside the seat in the U.S. models, could we just buy a headrest and insert it into the seat?
GM social media team - any suggestions on a potential solution would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

 

[boltage]

It is known, but it is not Bolt-specific. Chevy seems to have eliminated the center head restraint in most (all?) of their cars, up to and including the Impala. Is your dealer complaining to regional GM people about all the other Chevy models with this problem? For that matter, lots of other manufacturers omit the center head restraint, my Lexus LS, for example, doesn't have one. Many buyers seem eager to remove center head restraints, rather than add them, often for better rear visibility. (I wonder which provides greater safety benefits - center head restraint, or unobstructed rear view? Probably depends...)

Some cars come with a center rear head restraint that folds down or is a "shingle" type, in order to have one for the center rear passenger, but lowered to minimize the view obstruction when a center rear passenger is not present. An example of the latter (lowered) is shown here:

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the original poster. There should be a headrest for the fifth passenger on the second row center seat.

 

[CBolt]

Some cars come with a center rear head restraint that folds down or is a "shingle" type, in order to have one for the center rear passenger, but lowered to minimize the view obstruction when a center rear passenger is not present.

Thank you Boltage - I just learned a new term: "shingle headrest!" In fact, Ampera-e has a "shingle" type head restraint as seen in the picture below: The first picture shows the Opel Ampera-e (i.e. the European Bolt) backseat and the second picture shows the Bolt backseat. The Ampera-e has a center "shingle" headrest but the U.S. Bolt does not.

Opel Ampera-e with a center position headrest

Chevy Bolt without a center position headrest

 

[GMgreen]

Those two backseats look identical - down to the stitching - except that one has a center headrest and the other doesn't. Chevy - please make the center headrest standard on Bolts!

 

[CBolt]

I am curious if it is possible to see (or feel through the seat material) if the Bolt backseat has the center headrest mounting brackets installed in it? I can see in the pictures that the Bolt backseat definitely does not have the "grommets" (for lack of a better word) to insert a headrest metal poles into the seat, however I am curious if it is possible to feel (either from the top of the back) if the mounting bracket is inside the seat.
I am guessing no one has yet opened the backseat up to see what is inside of it. I have seen pictures of the front seats that have been opened up, but not the backseat.