Contoured seat install with 3 car seats?

[Unregistered]

When installing 3 car seats in cars that have contoured seats do they need to be centered in the seat? Or is it safe to have it scooted over to the edge of the seats? Not sure if that's a clear description.

[Defrost]

There's not really an easy answer. In many vehicles you have some "wiggle room" when installing with the seat belt (not with LATCH, though,) and as long as the install is otherwise correct and tight with less than an inch of movement, it's fine if the carseat isn't "centered" between the seat belt anchors.

When there's contouring, though, it can cause problems, depending on where on the vehicle seat the contouring is located. In my Golf, I can push my narrow Radian towards the outside and gain over an inch of room for the center seat, but I can't get it installed without a significant tilt - one that would make it uncomfortable to ride in. You cannot put any padding or pool noodles under the carseat to correct the tilt; the best you can do is to try and compress that side of the carseat as much as possible while you're tightening the seat belt to minimize the tilt.

[KristiD761]

Echo the above; as long as the restraint is not in a position that is not level, then I would not worry.
(Ok, bad sentence...basically if seats are straight, then don't worry)