Chicco Keyfit 30 in a 2001 Volkswagen (no latch)?

[Peapod]

Hi all, I'm trying to install my chicco keyfit 30 into a 2001 volkswagen passat that does not have the latch system. Using the seatbelt alone, it's WAY too loose. Any tips?

[crunchierthanthou]

Did you lower the recline foot? are you using the shoulder belt lock-off?

Where are you checking for movement? The back of the base will still lift off the vehicle seat. It just needs to move less than 1" in any direction at the beltpath.

[Unregistered]

I've tried it with the recline foot all the way down, but I'm not sure what you mean by the shoulder lock-off (do you mean the ones on the actual base? Because I do have the seat belt going through those, but I haven't adjusted any parts of the car/seat belt).

It wiggles back and forth A LOT, and with little effort, becomes completely loose.

[joolsplus3]

Try this: Run the belt through the belt path. (not the lockoff yet). Put a LOT of pressure on the base at the belt path and pull UP HARD on the shoulderbelt on the buckle side. The lapbelt should get super tight. Then slide the shoulderbelt into the lockoff. That should do it, if it's not staying tight, then try the other side, that'll indicate if the lockoff is defective, since surely both of them would not be defective.

[Defrost]

I seem to recall that VW was pretty weird about this (putting it in some of their cars but not others), but I wanted to double-check just in case - are you absolutely certain your car doesn't have LATCH? My '01 Golf does have it, but I had no idea because it doesn't have the standard symbols over the anchors. I didn't realize it until I found in the owner's manual about five years after we bought the car!

However, if you are installing the carseat in the center, you cannot use LATCH even if your car does happen to have it.

Also, my '01 Golf has fairly long buckle stalks; if the Passat's are the same, that could be part of your problem. After you've got the carseat installed, is the buckle at the edge of the belt path on the carseat base?

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

Try this: Run the belt through the belt path. (not the lockoff yet). Put a LOT of pressure on the base at the belt path and pull UP HARD on the shoulderbelt on the buckle side. The lapbelt should get super tight. Then slide the shoulderbelt into the lockoff. That should do it, if it's not staying tight, then try the other side, that'll indicate if the lockoff is defective, since surely both of them would not be defective.

Just wanted to add to make sure that you are using the built-in lockoff on the OPPOSITE side of the seatbelt buckle. And when you check for the movement at the belt path, use only one hand to wiggle side to side and front to back.

I did a seatbelt install last weekend for my sister and found that I had to get the lap belt as tight as possible, with my knee in the base, then pulling the shoulder belt portion as tight as I could before sliding into the lock off.

Hope that helps.

[Peapod]

Thank you all for your help!

I went to a VW dealership after work yesterday, and they showed me how to lock the seatbelt (ie by pulling it all the way out and then slowly feeding it back in - so that it can't be pulled out again until it's fully retracted). I'm sure this 'trick' is common for many vehicles and it solved my problem of the base coming loose - it doesn't budge an inch now!!

Thanks again!

[joolsplus3]

Cool, yeah, seatbelts lock specifically for carseat installation. The reason *I* didn't mention it was that the lockoff will work just as well, and you won't risk the base tipping sideways as the shoulderbelt continues to retract into the side of the car. If it doesn't start tipping, that's great, but if it does, then try the lockoff again (it's one of the best features of the Chicco that most seats don't have :thumbsup:)

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

Thank you all for your help!

I went to a VW dealership after work yesterday, and they showed me how to lock the seatbelt (ie by pulling it all the way out and then slowly feeding it back in - so that it can't be pulled out again until it's fully retracted). I'm sure this 'trick' is common for many vehicles and it solved my problem of the base coming loose - it doesn't budge an inch now!!

Thanks again!

Cool, yeah, seatbelts lock specifically for carseat installation. The reason *I* didn't mention it was that the lockoff will work just as well, and you won't risk the base tipping sideways as the shoulderbelt continues to retract into the side of the car. If it doesn't start tipping, that's great, but if it does, then try the lockoff again (it's one of the best features of the Chicco that most seats don't have :thumbsup:)

The manual says not to lock the seatbelt until you have gotten it tight enough with the built in lockoff. Then, locking the seatbelt is optional.

OP- are you using the built in lockoff on the base as well?