2005 Accord center LATCH?

[Unregistered]

We have our son rear facing in a Britax Boulevard in the center position of our 2005 Honda Accord. I just discovered that the more recent Accords specifically say to only use the LATCH outboard, so I'm wondering if it was ok to use LATCH in the center for the 2005's or if we've been doing it wrong all this time.

We originally tried using the seat belt, but had way too much movement that way. The LATCH gets a much tighter fit. We're thinking that when he turns forward facing we'll be able to get a tighter fit with the belt, but we don't want to turn him yet if it's ok to keep him in the center.

Anyone know for sure whether it's ok to use the LATCH system in the center of a 2005 Accord?

[Jeanum]

Your Accord has dedicated lower LATCH anchors designed and intended for outboard installations only, and center lower LATCH installations using ("borrowing") the outboard lower anchors aren't allowed by Honda regardless of the Honda vehicle's model year. You'll need to reinstall in the center using the vehicle seatbelt, or try a lower LATCH or seatbelt installation outboard. Whichever seating position and allowable installation method that achieves a proper installation with less than 1 inch of movement at the child restraint's belt path is your goal. I also want to encourage you to keep your kiddo rear facing up to the rear facing limits of the child restraint due to the tremendous safety benefits of doing so, which I'm guessing you're already well aware of (details at http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx if you'd care to read more on the topic of rear facing). :) A proper outboard rear facing installation trumps a forward facing center installation due to the benefits of rear facing. :)

[Unregistered]

Thanks so much for your reply. I can't believe we've had it installed incorrectly for the past year. I feel sick just thinking about what could have happened. He was in a Peg Perego for the first several months and that was installed with the belt, so at least we had it right then, but I feel so awful now to realize that we were so wrong about something so important. We even looked it up in the manual at the time, so I can't even imagine what we were thinking. Maybe we were confused because there is a center top tether anchor. And we've had it checked by certified car seat techs several times, and they never thought anything of borrowing the lower anchors either.

My husband told me that he thinks the reason we couldn't get a tight fit with the belt was because the locking clip kept coming open, but I know I've read before that the locking clips are optional. Am I right about that? If we can get it tight with the belt without using the locking clips will that be good?

We're not planning to turn him forward facing- he's 20 months old and perfectly happy rear facing, so we'll just keep him that way till he outgrows the Boulevard. I just had always planned to have him in the center. But you're right, rear-facing is more important.

Again, thank you for your help. I refer to this website all the time, and you guys are always so great.

[Jeanum]

Don't feel bad over the center LATCH usage, nothing bad came of it, and now you know for sure and can make the installation change. :) I really blame the vehicle owner's manuals for not being more crystal clear about center lower LATCH installations and making it hard to decipher whether or not it's allowable. Techs rely heavily on the LATCH manual (http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_manualA.htm) to help out other parents and to sort it all out in own vehicles as well. :)

If you lock the seatbelt, then using the Blvd's built-in seatbelt lockoff is indeed optional, and I agree those rear facing lockoffs can be temperamental about staying closed. The seatbelts in your Accord should be lockable in some way because vehicles since the 1996 model year in the U.S. are required to have locking seatbelts to facilitate carseat installations. Details on types of seatbelts and how they lock are outlined in this helpful online seatbelt primer at http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm If you opt to use the Blvd's built-in seatbelt lockoff, then you can use one or the other lockoff, or both rear facing lockoffs per Britax, whichever combination works best in your vehicle.

[Unregistered]

Ok, we got it in nice and secure rear facing in the center using the belt. The belt is going over the closed lock offs. Thanks for these links and for all your advice!