Slippery Seats

[moobiegirl]

We just bought a new car (Mercury Milan)..thanks for all the help with the earlier issues...anyways when I went to try to install the radian I couldn't get it in tight enough. It seems that the seat is too slippery. I tried the seatbelt and latch. neither one made less than 1 inch of movement. What can I do to install this seat? Thanks!

[crunchierthanthou]

Which position are you trying? Forward or rear facing?

[moobiegirl]

It is rearfacing and I tried the passenger outboard and the center. I want to go get it checked but the closest place is about a half hour away in no traffic, plus they only check during the weekday.

[Laura]

We just bought a new car (Mercury Milan)..thanks for all the help with the earlier issues...anyways when I went to try to install the radian I couldn't get it in tight enough. It seems that the seat is too slippery. I tried the seatbelt and latch. neither one made less than 1 inch of movement. What can I do to install this seat? Thanks!

I'm not an expert at all, but I'm having the exact problem with my Saturn Ion. I'm going to subscribe to this tread and hopefully get it figured out. :)

[Unregistered]

leather seats are really slippery. i buy a roll of shelve liner (target, WM) for about $5 and use it underneath and the seats never slip. Also, I sit on the carseat while i tighten it. the liner will also catch all the crumbs and junk my kid throws around.

[crunchierthanthou]

Just a few more questions about how you're installing and then we'll see if we can figure out why it's not getting tight. The radian can be tricky to install, but should be fairly straightforward rf in a newer model US car.

First, how are you checking for movement? You only need to grab with one hand near the beltpath and tug- no extreme force necessary. It will still move toward the back until the top tether is tightened (note- it should move less than 1" in any direction at the beltpath before you tighten the tether).

Are you using the rear facing foot? How about the correct beltpath (under the child's legs for rf and behind the back for ff)? When using the seatbelt, is the latchplate right against the beltpath? That can keep it from getting tight enough, though isn't as common with a rf radian as ff. When you lock the seatbelt, do you slowly pull it all the way out until it ratchets back in?

You cannot use center LATCH in your vehicle with the Radian. While Mercury allows it, SSK does not. You can only use the Radian in designated LATCH positions with standard spacing of 11". To the poster with the Saturn ION- center LATCH is okay for you because there is a dedicated set of lower anchors for the center position in the sedan.

Shelf liner isn't recommended much anymore as it can mask a poor install. If you are going to use shelf liner to protect the seat, you should be sure that you can acheive an acceptable install first. However, there have been instances of shelf liner melting to leather seats, so it doesn't protect them as much as you might like.

[moobiegirl]

Just a few more questions about how you're installing and then we'll see if we can figure out why it's not getting tight. The radian can be tricky to install, but should be fairly straightforward rf in a newer model US car.

First, how are you checking for movement? You only need to grab with one hand near the beltpath and tug- no extreme force necessary. It will still move toward the back until the top tether is tightened (note- it should move less than 1" in any direction at the beltpath before you tighten the tether).


I'm only moving it at the belt path. I haven't even attempted the top tether because I couldn't get a tight install with the belt or latch.

Are you using the rear facing foot? How about the correct beltpath (under the child's legs for rf and behind the back for ff)? When using the seatbelt, is the latchplate right against the beltpath? That can keep it from getting tight enough, though isn't as common with a rf radian as ff. When you lock the seatbelt, do you slowly pull it all the way out until it ratchets back in?

I am using the foot. I installed this seat great in the Exterra many many times. I have to take out the seat at least once a week. Dh is a drummer and needs the space in the car. Yes I made sure to lock the seat belt, it seemed like all the slack was out of the belt.

You cannot use center LATCH in your vehicle with the Radian. While Mercury allows it, SSK does not. You can only use the Radian in designated LATCH positions with standard spacing of 11". To the poster with the Saturn ION- center LATCH is okay for you because there is a dedicated set of lower anchors for the center position in the sedan.

I did not use latch in the center. I just tried the seat belt but theres a hump in the center so that didn't make the install any easier.

Shelf liner isn't recommended much anymore as it can mask a poor install. If you are going to use shelf liner to protect the seat, you should be sure that you can acheive an acceptable install first. However, there have been instances of shelf liner melting to leather seats, so it doesn't protect them as much as you might like.

The seats are cloth, but they are very slippery. I've never had this problem in any of the cars that I have had to install the radian in.

Thanks for taking your time to help me. I really love this seat and don't want to have to buy a different one. If you need more info just ask.

[featherhead]

Have you tried installing outboard, or just centre? You can try twisting the buckle stalk, up to 3 times. This has helped me in certain vehicles. Is it a locking latchplate, or retractor? If it's a locking retractor, after tightening it, unbuckle the belt and let it retract a little bit more, and then try buckling up again. If it's a locking latchplate, make sure you pull out all the slack right by the buckle, instead of just pulling on the shoulder strap. Hmm, right now that's all I can think of. HTH

[BW1426]

I definately have an easier time getting a tight install RF using the seat belt. I didn't have any issues with the Fusion :scratcheshead:

[azgirl71]

As Crunchy said, shelf liner should only be used as a last resort. With all the holes it really is not going to catch many crumbs or protect your seat. I would try twisting the buckle stalk up to 3 full twists or a different seating position.

You can look for a tech in your area here (https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbzap.bin/apps/assess/webmembers/tool?pToolCode=TAB9&pCategory1=TAB9_CERTSEARCH&Webid=safekidscertSQL).

[BW1426]

Here's a trick that you can try...you may need DH to give you a hand.

-Install the seat with the seat belt and get it as tight as you can (you will probably have to kneel in it).
-unbuckle the seatbelt and allow it to retract another click or two and then rebuckle.


I really had no issues in the Fusion. I'm trying to remember exactly how I installed my RF Radian. I'm almost positive I used LATCH.

How old is your LO that is going into this seat?

[moobiegirl]

How old is your LO that is going into this seat?

Ds is 20 months old and about 22 pounds.

[BW1426]

You know the little hook like things on the RF boot that go into the seat bight? Try installing it with those pulled a inch or so away from the seat bight. This may make it easier to install and will also make it a little more upright. I just didn't want to recommend it if you were installing this for a newborn.

[moobiegirl]

I tried doing that! When I kneeled on the seat to tighten the belt it just slid right back into the bight. I kneeled on the seat and tried to keep it steady while dh pulled on the belt but it didn't work. Keep the suggestions coming! I'd really like to figure out a way to install this seat.

[BW1426]

I'm really perplexed now. Hmmm :scratcheshead:

Try using the front seat as an aid. Push the front seat back to the point that it pushing the base off of the seat (which should help to keep the little hook things out of the bight as well) and install. Then move the seat up a click or two at a time and continue to tighten. Move the seat up until the carseat is resting on the actual seat.

In order to make sure all of the slack is out of the belt, pull by the latchplate first and then pull from the shoulder part of the belt.