Headrest Requirements in Canada

[unityco]

On another thread a discussion came up about whether or not Ford Focuses have headrests. We have a Focus and it obviously does, but someone else responded that their (newer than our) Focus does not, and a salesguy said that Focuses have never had headrests. These cars were in the 'States.

Is it possible that Canada requires headrests where the U.S. does not? Could that explain the difference?

TIA!

[BudgieStew]

Our 05 Focus sedan I think it was a ZX4 had no headrests.

But a few of our neighbors have Focus's that were older then ours including two sedans, a hatchback, and a wagon and they all have headrests. Three of them are owned by the same family. Me thinks this family really loves the Focus.

Not sure why ours did not have them.:confused:It always annoyed me.

All seating positions in our 07 Freestar has them although the third row are not full headrests like the others.

[horseymom]

I know my ford exporer dose not have them, it's just a tall seat

[snowbird25ca]

So far as I'm aware the headrest requirements are for outboard positions only, and they don't have to be adjustable. Some vehicles have little molded "humps" that serve as headrests. I know that new standards regarding head restraints and lap belts have been implemented or are in the process of implementation, but I don't know what qualifies as a head restraint.

Generally when new standards for vehicles come into place, the manufacturers are given a few years notice and given a "have done by" date. This is the reason why you'll see a few 2000 model years with LATCH, and some early 2002 without it - manufacturers had until sept 2002 production vehicles to implement it, and some didn't get it done until that time. So I'm not sure if the head restraint stuff is fully in force or if it's in implementation.

Regardless of legislation, manufacturers don't generally change the interior of a vehicle between Canada and the US aside from km's vs. mph type stuff. So it's a good bet that if a car has headrests for a model year in the US, it also has them for that model year in Canada.

[lemurmommies]

I don't know the specifics, but wanted to chime in that my 2005 Ford Focus station wagon does not have headrests of any kind (humps or otherwise) in the back seat. It's just one low back straight across.