Question re: short straps in the Radian

[Debn31]

I mentioned in another post of mine that we had stopped putting my son in his Radian due to the short strap problem (which we JUST found out about this past March).
We bought them in 2006 for $199 each from C.Tire.

I've been told they can fix the problem but I Have to pay shipping.
THis is REALLY rubbing me the wrong way. WHy should I pay for their error?
I'm really ticked at that, we're on a tight budget plus just the whole principle of the matter.

I read with great interest that member AirForce Momma? ended up having some success regarding this carseat, but only after contacting Transport Canada.

I am wondering if I should do the same. I am sure I still have the bill of sale for them to prove I wasn't buying a $99 seat and trying to get a new one out of it.
My oldest could still be in his Radian instead of Graco Turbobooster (we did get the kind with the back but still)...I was expecting my oldest to use it to 48 pounds and we never knew it was a manufacturing error until recently.

Any thoughts?

[Mara1973]

Good luck. I have been back and forth woth Barb from TC and Russ from SK on this numerous times.

Has he actually outgrown the full harness length aready? DD is very lean at 6.5 years and she still has some room left in the harness. My experience with the short strapped seats have been the kids are fitting them longer than I expected them to initially.

The straps are not able to be removed from the seat, so they are not just able to send new straps. They also require you to pay shipping both ways now, whereas initially they were paying one way shipping.

It is frustrating for sure.

Mara :)

[canadianmom2three]

My DS outgrew his at around 5 years. In that no matter what he was wearing, he could physically not fit in the harness. I think it is extremely unfortunate that you didn't find out about it sooner, and that you paid full price for the seat, and are basically stuck with a short one. :thumbsdown:

[Debn31]

Well...you can add me to the list of ticked off customers. :mad:
I DID call Transport Canada after getting NOWHERE with Russ from Sk. They won't budge (SK That is).

Barbara (from Transport Canada) was AWESOME!!!!!!!! :thumbsup: She was really easy to talk to, really friendly and really helpful.

Only problem is, Sunshine Kids is exploiting the whole "48 lb FF" that we used to have in Canada even though it's the SAME seat. They couldn't do this in the US as it's 65 lb there, but they are using this as an excuse here. So legally, there's nothing the government can do.

Which would mean, that because we bought TWO car seats from them, and have TWO tall boys (one who's having issues with it already because he's not even 4.5 but in the 92nd % for height, so...you can see the problem) it'll end up costing us a ton for shipping both ways, AND car seat for #2 in the interim (Oldest CAN use a booster, but I feel that he should be in a 5 pt harness as long as possible partly because he's only 4).
So, yeah right Sunshine Kids.

We really can't afford to buy new car seats, in that we can DO it but have to put it on credit card and pay it off that way - which I'm not crazy about adding to debt (I'm home so only dh working) but at the same time, I want to make sure my kids are the safest they can be. So, we'll be buying new 5 pt harness seats. Which ticks me off, because that means that the Radian, which we shelled out $200 plus tax for, lasted a WHOPPING 11 months. Oh yes.

But really, what the HECK is Sunshine Kids THINKING??? If there were really weren't that many produced with the short straps, wouldn't it make more sense PR wise to replace them and have happy customers??????

I can tell you this, and I told this to Russ already - hubby is going to be training to be a CRT (and likely me too), and we'll have PLENTY of opportunity to be sharing our experience with SK with MANY MANY parents.
What a stupid stupid policy.

I hope they end up going out of the car seat business altogether (I read about the Mighty Tight due to all this short strap business, so I see it's not the car seat that's the real problem but the company itself).

But all in all, though it didn't the way I wanted it to, I am really glad to have talked to Barbara who suggested the True Fit (we have a Corolla and it's supposed to be 19" width), as well as I asked her about the Mada 5 (since she IS part of Transport Canada ;) ) So I got some great info and opinions. Apparently there have been no complaints about the company who makes the True Fit.

I only wish we had seen the complaints about Sunshine Kids before (but of course we were just a part of it all near the beginning).
We are left with Two Radians, which I think I will donate. They won't work for us, but they are rated well, and if someone has a short child, they might as well use it. They don't expire for a good while, so someone might as well make use of them, right?

So, I have now become an official (what's the word here?) .... naysayer? Objector? Dissatisfied customer??? LOL, of Sunshine Kids.

Whatever. They're going to be the ones who REALLY lose in the long run.

Anyways...thanks to all for the help.

Booooooo (urns) to Sunshine Kids!

[jacks1]

You can add me to the list too :(

Except I talked to a manager at Canadian Tire and even though we bought a while ago- when they were 129.99 -he is going to take the seat back and we will get our money back (we have the original receipt). Canadian Tire ROCKS!

[Debn31]

Say WHAT?? Seriously???
How long ago DID you buy them???
We bought ours in July, do you think I might stand a chance too???
It would sure help the budget!!!!

[jacks1]

I pm'd you:):)