# MK3 Golf rear headrest DIY



## golfkid1.8 (Sep 21, 2001)

MK3 Golf rear headrest mod
Are you jealous of the MK4 and MK5 interior? Here’s an inexpensive way to add some extra class to the interior of your MK3 Golf – rear headrests!
What you will need:
MK3 Jetta rear backrest with headrests
Philips Screwdriver
Matching zipper mechanism
1) Two things you should try to find at the same time are the rear backrest and a separate zipper. When you have found a Jetta backrest with matching fabric, there are 3 parts you will need for each headrest.
-	the headrest
-	plastic inserts
-	metal brace with screws
The headrests can be easily pulled out and the plastic pieces can also be removed with a little force. To remove the metal braces, you will have to take the fabric off the backrest. 
-	Pull apart the zipper that runs around ¾ of the seat
-	Pull out the plastic strip that secures the fabric to the metal
The foam is not attached to the metal and will lift up. The metal brace that holds the headrest inserts is secured with 4 screws. Unscrew them to remove the brace. Keep the screws!
The stripped down Jetta seat:








2) You should have noticed when you pulled apart the zipper that there was no mechanism to zip it back up. *You will have to find a zipper with the mechanism that matches the zipper on the seat.* I managed to find one on an old windbreaker. *Close won’t do, it has to be exact!*
Use the zipper on the Jetta seat to find a matching zipper mechanism and learn how to re-zip the zipper before taking the fabric off your seats.
I found the best way is to insert one half of the zipper into the mechanism by about 2 inches, insert the other half, hold both ends, and zip it up. You will have to realign the ends of the zipper by pulling one half of the zipper through the mechanism. Be careful not to damage the teeth of the zipper.
Start of the zipping:








Realigned:








4) Take the rear seats out of your car.
5) Cut holes in the top of your seats where the headrests will go.
There should already be holes in the foam underneath the fabric of the Golf’s rear seats. Feel for these at the top of the seat, and make precise cuts in the fabric just big enough for the inserts to go through.
Holes:








Space for the headrests already in the foam:








5) Remove the fabric from your seats in the same way you did the Jetta’s seat.
6) The holes for the metal brace are already in the Golf’s seat. Simply screw the metal brace to the seat.
Holes already there:








Metal brace installed:








7) Reinstall the fabric on the Golf’s seats.
8) Insert the plastic pieces through the fabric and foam. Push until the inserts click in place. I had some difficulty with this as the Golf’s foam is thicker than the Jetta’s at the top of the seat. Keep working at it. You shouldn’t have to trim the foam.
9) Install the headrests, make sure everything is secure, and you are done!










_Modified by golfkid1.8 at 7:10 AM 1-31-2009_


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## 77kafer (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: MK3 Golf rear headrest DIY (golfkid1.8)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
Excellent DIY.


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## nater (Apr 10, 2000)

*FV-QR*

***Added to MK3 FAQ***


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## STR33TPULSE (May 24, 2008)

not a fan of rear headrest due to the fact that most of the times you can't see **** out the back window cause of em but def. a nice diy for those who don't mind http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## sting (Oct 6, 2001)

*OR...*

OR...
Find Jetta rear seats with a fabric pattern that matches your front seats, and just swap the seats. Or, if you can't do a full seat swap, fronts and rears. Takes about 45 minutes.
I had a 99 MkIII Jetta with a bench seat. Wanted 60/40. My mechanic had a K2 parts car... took the rear seats out of that and just swapped. Looks sweet - it even has the fold down arm rest. I got Wolfsburg seats up front. Would have taken the K2 sets, but the driver's side had a big hole in the butt cushion. There is a little fabric wear on the Wolfsburg driver's seat, but I'll be fixing that.


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## upoo2 (Dec 7, 2005)

Great DIY. I know it's an old thread but I think it's one of the easier and cheaper things to really help out the Golf interior. Just did this on my Harlequin and it took only 30 minutes. 

Now I need the joker pattern rear headrest covers. Time to hit up ebay.de...











:thumbup:


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## jrs0257 (Jun 28, 2009)

*NICE!!!*

About to go to look for some bright and early in the morning... Thanks for the idea..


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## bodimeka (Jul 7, 2007)

*top of back bench*

You seem to have the headrest issue on lock down I purchased a matching black leather upper rear jetta bench. Do you know how to remove the ties that hold the upper rear bench in place?
thats all I need to be golden with the headrest already inplace. More importantly is the reinstall the same as the removal.

Please Advise.


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## omaa85 (May 30, 2016)

Hi.
golfkid1.8 can you send the images one more time please? 
i want do that in my mk3 too! 
greetings from Portugal.


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