Tether kit

[rookie22]

Has anyone here got a tether kit for front-facing toddler seats installed in the Mazda CX-9 ? Apparently it's available at the dealership free of charge. I was wondering how long does it take to get it installed and also can it be installed in the third row seats. If not, are there after-market tether kits available that can be installed in the third row seats ?

[Jeanum]

My LATCH manual does not indicate it's possible to retrofit additional top tether anchors in the Mazda CX-9. If you've heard otherwise, you could try to confirm with Mazda (tel. 800-222-5500) and/or a Mazda dealership, but generally the LATCH manual is pretty reliable. If it's any consolation, as a relatively new model (2007 was the first model year for the CX-9), it's pretty typical not to be able to retrofit more top tether anchors in models new enough to have factory equipped top tether anchors. It's usually older vehicles pre-dating the requirement for factory equipped top tether anchors that might have the option of retrofitting anchors. It's rather a pity that vehicle manufacturers aren't currently required to factory equip or retrofit every rear seating position with a top tether anchor. :twocents:

I'm not aware of a specific aftermarket source for anchors for the CX-9's third row. Perhaps you could try contacting E-Z-On (http://www.ezonpro.com/index.shtml) to see if they have an option for you?

[Defrost]

I spent a good amount of time this summer trying to install EZ-On tether anchors for the rear row of my '07 Mazda 5 and it's close to impossible. I'm not sure how similar the body styles are, but I think you're likely to run into the same problem I did - the body is double-walled and there's no way to access the other side of the panel (which is probably why the dealers won't retrofit on newer model vehicles). I did find a body shop that was willing to give it a try for about $350, but I found another solution so I'm not sure if they'd have been able to or not.

What year is it? My friend has an '07 CX-9 and I seem to recall being impressed by the tether anchors in the rear row. I looked at a lot of Mazdas that weekend, though, so I may be confusing it with another model.

[rookie22]

As per Mazda, there are two top tethers available in the second row but none in any of the other seats. I was browsing the Mazda website and saw this:

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=contactCustomer#1

I'm planning on buying a 2008 CX-9. I asked the dealer about the above mentioned tether kit but they had no clue about it. I saw an anchor in the trunk for a cargo net. I wonder if I can use that instead for the top tether of the car seat. :scratcheshead: The only problem is that it's not in the center and it's more to the side. You can see this here:

http://autos.yahoo.com/2007_mazda_cx_9_grand_touring_awd-slideshow/?tab=gen&i=izp_trunk&a=all

[ThreeBeans]

No, you cannot use a cargo anchor as a tether anchor. It is not in any way designed to withstand the forces that would be sustained in an accident.

[Defrost]

As per Mazda, there are two top tethers available in the second row but none in any of the other seats. I was browsing the Mazda website and saw this:

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=contactCustomer#1

None of the newer vehicles can have TA's retrofitted. (I spent a good part of my summer pursuing this issue.) The link you posted is likely an older FAQ that is referring to older models, and the info is just re-cycled even though it's outdated for the newer models.

I'm planning on buying a 2008 CX-9. I asked the dealer about the above mentioned tether kit but they had no clue about it. I saw an anchor in the trunk for a cargo net. I wonder if I can use that instead for the top tether of the car seat. :scratcheshead: The only problem is that it's not in the center and it's more to the side. You can see this here:

http://autos.yahoo.com/2007_mazda_cx_9_grand_touring_awd-slideshow/?tab=gen&i=izp_trunk&a=all

Those definitely NOT TA's. They are identical to the ones in the back of my Mazda 5, and I can easily twist them out by hand. Sorry! I know it sucks that the car manufacturers aren't better about safety issues. :(