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View Full Version : Center tether anchor in 02 Town & Country - can it be used for both outboard seats???

Unregistered
03-01-2008, 05:34 PM
I have 3 kids and am expecting in a month or so and trying to get our car seats situated. I have my 21 mo old and 3 yr old in the middle seating, both with tethers and LATCH. The reat seat does not have LATCH, but I plan to move my 3yr old back there with my 5 yr old. There is only one tether anchor in the back of the seat in the middle. Can I use this for both seats, or do I need to have two new ones put in by the dealership on each side?
Jeanum
03-01-2008, 07:28 PM
You cannot "double up" and use the same top tether anchor with more than one child restraint. The '02 T&C cannot have more top tether anchors retrofitted, either, according to the Chrysler section of the LATCH manual. (http://www.saferidenews.com/LATCH_manaul_updates/Chrysler_6_07_6_web.pdf) This is unfortunately the case for most vehicles that already have factory equipped top tether anchors. The vehicle manufacturer included enough anchors to meet federal requirements and won't go beyond that. It's a darned shame in "family friendly" vehicles with multiple rear seating positions. :(
CDNTech
03-01-2008, 07:48 PM
If you have the 50/50 split bench in your third row you can use the center tether anchor for *either* the passenger outboard position OR the center position... not both at the same time though. It can *not* be used for the driver outboard position.

Your vehicle owner's manual will verify whether you can use the center tether for an outboard position, but you can *never* have more than one tether attached to an anchor at a time.

The good news is that if you install a forward facing seat using LATCH in the captain's chair, it can still easily be flipped forward to jump in the back and buckle up your third child. Then hop out and buckle the remaining child in the captain's chair.

When it's installed with LATCH, flipping the seat forward will *not* interfere with the installation at all. :)

Here's a pic of what I mean in an '03...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/413192534_5f01e3349e.jpg?v=0