YES, you can install rear headrests in a PIU

[Volksjager]

I think this is the kind of photo that you are looking for... this is measured from the side seam of the seat, left and then right.

Is there any chance you could get a picture of the middle seat with the measuring tape?

just finished the left and right side, but I’m not sure where to make cuts in the center seat.

 

[Dre]

it's because the sponge inside the seat is pretty compact, dense. I did manage to yank some of it out by just using a screwdriver, after making a cross cut in the seat cover right where the grommet would sit. Grommet has to sit securely inside the opening in the seat frame - otherwise the whole thing is going to move around.

 

[Dre]

Here you go - middle one

 

[Volksjager]

Thank you!

Here you go - middle one

 

[brick8]

Thanks! This was much easier than I thought it would be. Bought a used set from a 2013 Fusion and installed one so far. Used an icepick and a ruler to find the hole in the frame and then opened the hole in the vinyl with an xacto knife.

 

[Volksjager]

Thanks! This was much easier than I thought it would be. Bought a used set from a 2013 Fusion and installed one so far. Used an icepick and a ruler to find the hole in the frame and then opened the hole in the vinyl with an xacto knife.

How much were the head rests?

 

[brick8]

I think I paid around $50 for the set. They are used but in good condition.

 

[PIU770]

Here are some photos of the finished product...

Thanks @KayGee and @Dre these instructions were amazing, ordered the grommet guides you listed. Ordered a set of 2013 Fusion headrests. Took about 15 minutes with a measuring tape, box cutter and thin screwdriver. And walla got em in.

 

[DMVPIU]

I will admit, when I first very briefly looked into this, I stupidly believed all of the posts where people said it was not possible to install 2nd row headrests. I wonder how many others have wasted time and money unnecessarily replacing entire seats or interiors because of wrong information posted all these years.

It is a small amount of work to remove the seat cover/foam to cut the necessary holes in the seat cover/foam to allow the installation of the headrest guides. It took me about an hour to do all 3 in a 16 PIU. There is no need to remove the seats, it can be done by simply adjusting the seat forward or backward as needed.

Black headrest guides - need 3 of each
CU5Z-96610A16-BK
CU5Z-96610A16-BR

Headrests - you need to source these yourself - can be new or used - if new, I believe the headrest and the cover are sold separately - you can also buy any used headrest and new covers

The foam appears to be hog clipped to the seat cover, so you need to reach in to cut it, or you may be able to pull the cover back enough to expose the foam enough to cut it. A tool to remove auto push pins is helpful as there are a few securing the seat cover on the back side. Once you remove all the clips, the seat cover and foam can be pulled up and off the frame, just wiggle and move as needed until it comes off.

Anyway, here are a few pics. I didn't detail the entire process, because it went so quickly and it's pretty cold in MI right now.

Seat cover/foam removed from 60 side with guides partially installed to show the seat frame in PIU is provisioned for them - the guides will actually be installed last, through the seat cover. Be careful when testing fit while trimming the hole in seat cover that you don't fully snap them in place until the hole in the fabric is cut properly.

Holes cut in foam to allow guides to pass through.

Seat cover/foam removed from 40 side

Cut holes in foam to allow guides to pass through. Hard to make out in pic (faint circle on right side), but you may have a mark where the holes in the frame are to aid in cutting in the right spot.

Pic of headrests installed in 16 PIU.

Will the guide pin model mentioned "CU5Z-96610A16-Bk" work in a 2014 PIU? Looking to add head rest to my second row of seats of my PIU.

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[peterk9]

Will the guide pin model mentioned "CU5Z-96610A16-Bk" work in a 2014 PIU? Looking to add head rest to my second row of seats of my PIU.

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Welcome to the Forum.
According to this site, they will work in the Interceptor sedan. Perhaps KayGee will know if they also fit the PIU.

Order Factory Ford Parts & Accessories | Parts Apple Ford White Bear Lake

Original manufacturer Ford parts at discounted prices. Keep your vehicle running at its best by using only authentic OEM parts.

parts.autonationfordwhitebearlake.com

Peter

 

[DMVPIU]

Welcome to the Forum.
According to this site, they will work in the Interceptor sedan. Perhaps KayGee will know if they also fit the PIU.

Order Factory Ford Parts & Accessories | Parts Apple Ford White Bear Lake

Original manufacturer Ford parts at discounted prices. Keep your vehicle running at its best by using only authentic OEM parts.

parts.autonationfordwhitebearlake.com

Peter

Thanks for the welcome and the website reference. After going down the rabbit hole I believe they will work I found it under a different weblink, but the part is the same. Hopefully, I'll get to give this project a try in the upcoming weeks.

Order Factory Ford Parts & Accessories | Parts Apple Ford White Bear Lake

Original manufacturer Ford parts at discounted prices. Keep your vehicle running at its best by using only authentic OEM parts.

parts.autonationfordwhitebearlake.com

 

[throgmo]

The headrest guides are pretty much the same for a lot of ford vehicles, so that should mean the post diameters are also the same, or they wouldn't fit in the guides. Go to ford parts and look up the guides to see all of the vehicle fitment info listed.

I haven't had an opportunity to try other headrests besides 2013+ fusion, but from my research, the below headrests appear to have the same post spacing as 5g explorer. I only looked at rear bench seating options with 3 headrest configuration, not headrests from second row bucket seats (which may be different post spacing). If anyone with a retail 5g explorer that also has one of these vehicles or access to one of them, and can confirm fitment and snap a pic, I'm sure others would appreciate it.

2013+ escape - center headrest posts are longer - not sure if they will work as is or would need to be cut shorter
2009-12 edge
2009-12 flex

I got set of 2009 Flex headrests for my 2015 PIU. They didn't work - posts too far apart.

Hard to find headrests in the black cloth. I'm wondering if any non-PIs had black cloth interiors.

 

[nsindel]

Good morning Explorer Forums:

First off - THANK YOU to everyone that has contributed to this post. I started this process about 2 years ago, and now that the kid is tall enough that he is cresting the top of the back seat, it was time to get the headrests installed. Completed over this past weekend.

Hard to find headrests in the black cloth. I'm wondering if any non-PIs had black cloth interiors.

I don't think ANYONE had the PIU fabric other than... PIUs, so you have to source it. My PIU came with cloth back seats, so I ordered parts and had them recovered with factory fabric.

I found the fabric through:

Midwest Fabrics

I apologize that I don't have the part number anymore, as it has been 2 years since ordered.

Process was as everyone else has mentioned, and they look 'factory' with the correct fabric. Picture makes it look like color of seats is different, but thats just the lighting.

Again, thank you everyone - this place is a GREAT resource.


Nathan

 

[Volksjager]

Looks good. How much did it cost all together? I bought a set of headrests for a 2013 piu i had. I think i spent about $100 just for the headrest and maybe $20-$30 for the hardware to install. On my 2017 i ended up just getting retail seats which were $150.

 

[nsindel]

Looks good. How much did it cost all together? I bought a set of headrests for a 2013 piu i had. I think i spent about $100 just for the headrest and maybe $20-$30 for the hardware to install. On my 2017 i ended up just getting retail seats which were $150.

Good morning - Thank you, I am pleased with the result. I thought about leaving the leather on the headrests that I purchased but it would have bothered me.

I am in the same range I think:

Headrests: $85
Fabric: $50
Sewing: $Free (I own a sewing company, so that helped) - I would estimate getting them done at $40-50 each
Hardware $30

The retail route is for sure the better of the deals, but the thought of mismatched seats would have sent my (mild) OCD into the stratosphere. Now I didn't think about re-covering the front seats to match, and if mine were in terrible shape, that may have been the best way to go financially.

Maybe the next PIU, which on my timeline would be a 2026 purchased in ~2031

 

[Volksjager]

Good morning - Thank you, I am pleased with the result. I thought about leaving the leather on the headrests that I purchased but it would have bothered me.

I am in the same range I think:

Headrests: $85
Fabric: $50
Sewing: $Free (I own a sewing company, so that helped) - I would estimate getting them done at $40-50 each
Hardware $30

The retail route is for sure the better of the deals, but the thought of mismatched seats would have sent my (mild) OCD into the stratosphere. Now I didn't think about re-covering the front seats to match, and if mine were in terrible shape, that may have been the best way to go financially.

Maybe the next PIU, which on my timeline would be a 2026 purchased in ~2031

Good morning - Thank you, I am pleased with the result. I thought about leaving the leather on the headrests that I purchased but it would have bothered me.

I am in the same range I think:

Headrests: $85
Fabric: $50
Sewing: $Free (I own a sewing company, so that helped) - I would estimate getting them done at $40-50 each
Hardware $30

The retail route is for sure the better of the deals, but the thought of mismatched seats would have sent my (mild) OCD into the stratosphere. Now I didn't think about re-covering the front seats to match, and if mine were in terrible shape, that may have been the best way to go financially.

Maybe the next PIU, which on my timeline would be a 2026 purchased in ~20

Good morning - Thank you, I am pleased with the result. I thought about leaving the leather on the headrests that I purchased but it would have bothered me.

I am in the same range I think:

Headrests: $85
Fabric: $50
Sewing: $Free (I own a sewing company, so that helped) - I would estimate getting them done at $40-50 each
Hardware $30

The retail route is for sure the better of the deals, but the thought of mismatched seats would have sent my (mild) OCD into the stratosphere. Now I didn't think about re-covering the front seats to match, and if mine were in terrible shape, that may have been the best way to go financially.

Maybe the next PIU, which on my timeline would be a 2026 purchased in ~2031

I bought the front seats too. They’re a lot nicer than the PIU seats. I got the cloth ones because the leather ones i saw were heated and cooled and I didn’t want to mess with that. In total it was $450 which isn’t bad for more comfortable seats. Plus the 2nd row seats recline on retail units