Did I read this correctly?????

[michele12]

My neighbor just got an Eddie Bauer AO and while I am so not a fan of the seat, I helped her install it to the best of my ability after fully reading the manual. Of course I encouraged her to get it insepcted b/c I'm not a certified tech or anything, just one who reads up on all of this.

Right in the manual I thought that it read, harness must be removed and seat belt used for children over 40 lbs in a FF position as long as they are 1 year old. (or something to that effect).:eek: Shouldn't it read something like if your kid is 1 year old and 40 lbs, this seat should not be used!!! Not many 40 lb one year olds, but still.:eek: Correct me if I read it wrong, b/c I don't have the manual sitting in front of me.

I wasn't a fan of that seat to begin with, but now even moreso.:thumbsdown:

[lovinwaves]

Don't get me started on the wording that Manufacturer's use :hitselfonhead:

Basically they are saying the child MUST BE at least a year old before the seat can be used FF'ing. You *MAY* start using the booster mood at 30lbs... :rolleyes:

[emandbri]

Yep, evenflo says the same thing! Cosco and evenflo say kids can use boosters as long as they are over a year old! This is DISGRACEFUL!

[singingpond]

Right in the manual I thought that it read, harness must be removed and seat belt used for children over 40 lbs in a FF position as long as they are 1 year old. (or something to that effect).:eek: Shouldn't it read something like if your kid is 1 year old and 40 lbs, this seat should not be used!!! Not many 40 lb one year olds, but still.:eek: Correct me if I read it wrong, b/c I don't have the manual sitting in front of me.

Well, I think it's just saying to switch to booster mode over 40 pounds, not sure why they bothered to put the 1 year old in there, since there's no way a child below 1 y.o. should be FF anyway, and, as you say, 1 y.o. children don't weigh 40 pounds. Probably just trying to be sure that the 1 y.o. AND 20# FF rule is covered in their instructions. Honestly, I don't think any carseat manual (or other manual) can be expected to list all the many ways the product should NOT be used (Britax manuals don't do this either). Don't get me wrong; I do have complaints about the AO manuals, with respect to the almost non-existent warnings about the top harness slot in particular, but this particular issue wouldn't bother me much. Parents do have some responsibility also, e.g. to figure out that there's no way a 1 y.o. can safely ride in a booster.

Katrin (still using 2 AO's here, and not a big Dorel fan either... :) )

[michele12]

I suppose I can see how it can be interpreted differently than it sounds. If I am not mistaken though it was all in one sentence. As for the 1 yr, FF, it didn't even mention the 20lb minimum nor did it discuss the RF weight limit for this seat (in this part I was reading anyway). And perhaps they can't list *everything* you shouldn't do, but I find it terribly irresponsible to leave parents to interpret instructions in a car seat manual. That's the one product where it should be clear and relatively easy to follow considering so many people out there do not come to sites like this.;) And I have questioned things a few times even in my Britax manuals as well.

I tried to find the manual online, but can't.

I'm thinking car seats should come with instructional videos to supplement the manuals.:twocents:

[michele12]

Pulled this off of the EB FAQs on their site.
If you child is between 30 and 40 pounds and his shoulders are above the upper slots, you should remove the harness and use the seat as a belt-positioning booster. If your child is over 40 pounds, you must remove the harness and use the seat as a belt-positioning booster regardless of the child’s height.


My neighbor's DS is 37 lbs at 2.5 so I guess this is partly why it struck me. Like stated, I know they're not going to tell you that if your child is close to 40 lbs and very young, go get a new seat, but I don't think the general population looks more into things.:thumbsdown:

[crunchierthanthou]

... I don't think the general population looks more into things.:thumbsdown:

by extension, they probably aren't going to put it together that a 40 lb 2 year old has outgrown the harness because the seat is marketed as up to 100 lbs and the only one you will ever need... there are so many possible misuses with that seat. :thumbsdown:

[AdventureMom]

My neighbor's DS is 37 lbs at 2.5 so I guess this is partly why it struck me.

Wow. He could outgrow the harness before 3 yrs old. I'd mention this to them and try to get them to purchase a different seat. If money is an issue, then I'd point them in the direction of an Apex 65. Otherwise, there's the Sunshine Kids Radian, Britax Marathon (and its cousins), Britax Regent - just to name a few...

[michele12]

Wow. He could outgrow the harness before 3 yrs old. I'd mention this to them and try to get them to purchase a different seat. If money is an issue, then I'd point them in the direction of an Apex 65. Otherwise, there's the Sunshine Kids Radian, Britax Marathon (and its cousins), Britax Regent - just to name a few...

Totally agree.:thumbsup: They have a Marathon in their other car and just ordered a Regent I think (maybe a Boulevard, not sure). Th EB was intended to be their extra car seat for Gma's car, so they are using it in the interim until the new seat arrives. Grandma will probably need a tutorial as well....