Honda: no RF tether to front console in Odyssey?

[kam]

I went to my local Honda dealership yesterday for a routine service appointment on our '06 Odyssey, and asked them about the front console leg. They looked up the detailed map of that console and its attachments, and it showed the console being bolted to the passenger chair. I told them about the tech here who said it was a safe place to tether a rear-facing seat, and they said they'd ask a mechanic to be sure. Sure enough, the mechanic agreed--that console bolts to the seat and not to the floor.

So as far as I understand, this means that the front console is not affixed to the chassis, and therefore is not an approved tether spot. Ack. We reinstalled the seat in the back row, but this is obviously less safe than the middle row captain's chair pushed into the center, where the seat was before. Anybody with thoughts on this?

Now we're wondering whether a middle row, untethered, RFing Roundabout is safer than a tethered RA in the back row. I am aware of the testing that showed the tether wasn't so helpful with RAs.... And really scratching my head. :confused:

[kam]

I just went back to check that original thread where lovinwaves was trying to find the tether point, and Wendy found the console table in her neighbor's Odyssey for her (love the dedication!). Wendy said then that the table wasn't connected to the floor, but to the seat. But I see that Lovinwaves says the table is connected to the floor in her picture tutorial on using that tether point. I'll bet I'm missing the link somehow. Would love some enlightenment on this issue... :D I guess the main question now is whether a tether point can be an unmovable object, or whether it has to be connected to the chassis. Hmmmm.

[crunchierthanthou]

If nothing else is available, I'm okay with using rf tether points that are bolted to the seat (which is anchored to the vehicle frame). The Dodge Caravan is similar in that you have to use a metal plate bolted to the bottom of the seat. We often use the seat rails if we don't have access to the seat legs...

Do you have a picture of your console leg? I think it sounds like it might be okay to use.

[kam]

Thanks, crunchier. I wish either Britax or Honda would comment on this officially. When you call Honda, they say that if it's not in the manual, they can't comment, for liability purposes. :rolleyes: The only bolts in the diagram I saw were horizontal, fixing the table to some point on the seat. It must be to the seat base.

I've just been through all the responses to Melissa's pictorial, and some other threads regarding this issue. Whew! It's still a little unclear, but I think I've understood Melissa's POV now. Here's what she says when someone questions her reasoning for thinking that tray table leg is fixed to the floor:

1) The tether may be connected to any solid part of the vehicle. The Tray is just that. When the seat moves the tray table does not, therefore they are not connected. There is no other place in the Odyssey to tether to, so the tray table is it.

I hate settling for something simply because there's nothing better, without really knowing if it's safe enough. I think I've officially become obsessed with car seat safety, to the detriment of my own sanity. :eek:

[jen_nah]

You actually can use a move part as long as you make sure to not move the seat or if you have to move the seat that your readjust the recline. You still want it to something that is permently fixed to the vehicle frame like the front seat.

Here is a picture of when I had my youngest dd MA in the driver caption chair of my Tahoe. I couldn't use a seat leg as it was to big to get around & the seat track is open ended (so it would slid right off). I used the metal frame bar that attached the seat to the track. I also did this with my '03 VW Passat. I just never moved the vehicle seat. I even had several other techs & instructors check it and they had no issues with it either.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/IMG_1160.jpg

My Tahoe also has a rear face tether anchor on the front passenger seat but it is moveable as it moves with the seat as it goes forward and back. I couldn't use this location as I have an older child that needed to exit the vehicle for carpool on the curb side.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/jen_nah/carseats/IMG_0398.jpg

[kam]

Okay, I see the logic. If the table's fixed to the seat, which is fixed to the frame, it's an acceptable tether point. I always thought it had to be a direct connection to the frame of the car. In any case, I suppose because it is just a tether and not the main thing holding the seat in the car, it's not as crucial as a LATCH hook or seatbelt. Thanks, Jen.