Help! with infant seat install

[Kimn]

I have tried to install a Graco infant and Peg Perego infant in my 2009 Forester with no luck. The seat flips up so easily and even side to side isn't great, despite my (strong) husband tightening latch as much as humanly possible. we tried a towel under the seat (seats are contoured). but compared with my daughter's britax, which doesn't budge a millimeter, it's horribly floppy. is this right? i had an appt to get it looked at but it was cancelled so now i'm desperate. my baby is only 11 days old and i don't want him in this seat. why don't infant seats come with a tether on the base? it seems this would solve my problem. anyway, does anyone have any advice????? thanks in advance!

[APmama2MAK]

I am not a tech, but I constantly install our Graco Safeseat1 in a 2004 and occasionally in a 2009 forester and in both cars it is a rock solid install, tighter than I can ever get in our normal car, a Subaru Outback Legacy but I really have to put my entire body weight into the seat belt when pulling it and literally get on top of the base lol. Maybe someone else has another suggestion but that always gets it for me.

Also remember that the base shouldnt move more than an inch at the belt path, even with a rock solid install my base is a lil floppy at the edge of the seat, Ive had mine installed by a tech, they said this was normal.

AND I just realised you guys are using latch SO nothing I said applies SRY

[featherhead]

Are you checking for movement at the beltpath? The base will probably still move at the opposite end, even when it's tight at the beltpath, but that's ok. The beltpath is where you need to check.

Have you tried installing with the seatbelt instead of LATCH? Sometimes one or the other is easier.

[Kimn]

thanks for the responses. i have tried both the belt and latch and i think both are terrible (compared with the britax). i don't know, maybe this is just how the car seat is installed........ it's tight at the seat back, where the latch (or seatbelt is) but it's how the car seat base can flip up that scares me. but it sounds like this is normal.

[Mom to a few]

When you say you used a towel under the seat, I'm assuming you mean that you tried a rolled up towel in the seat bight? In most vehicles, the foot on the infant seat base can be adjusted down far enough to achieve the proper recline, so I would definitely try that first. Using a towel won't help make the installation tighter anyway, it would just help recline the base further if the foot of the base couldn't provide enough recline.

Are you installing center or outboard? If so, does your vehicle allow you to install with LATCH in the center?? Check your vehicle owner's manual to be sure.

If are installing in one of the outer positions, then I agree with the others. You are only supposed to check for movement at the belt path. The other end of the base will always move--and it moves more in some vehicles than it does in others--but that's normal. I know it's hard to accept when you are used to the virtually immobile Britax convertible installs, but it really is ok (and safe!) as long as the seat is tight at the belt path.

When I install infant bases, I first check to make sure that the level indicator is in the correct area--and adjust the foot of the base as needed. Then attach the LATCH connectors, and put weight into the middle of the base--pushing down and towards the back of the vehicle while pulling all the slack out of the strap. Some men can do this with just their free hand. I find it a lot easier to just put my foot carefully onto the center of the base, and apply the pressure with my foot--then I can use both hands to pull the strap. Also, when you are pulling the LATCH strap, pull it back through the belt path--Trying to pull the strap out towards the side of the base is much more difficult, and less effective.

Then recheck for tightness, and tighten more if needed. When the base is tight, you need to put the seat back onto the base, and check to make sure that the level is still correct--It can become too upright if you put too much pressure onto the part of the base that would be under the child's feet. If it's too upright, loosen the LATCH strap, adjust the foot down further to increase the recline, and retighten the LATCH strap again.

Congrats on your new baby, please post back with any additional questions!

[LISmama810]

Infant seats "feel" different than convertibles, especially Britax convertibles.

I know it seems flimsy or unsafe to be able to lift the front of the seat up to the back of the car (sounds like that's what's happening), but it's perfectly normal for an infant seat, and possibly even beneficial. If the front of the seat didn't move, in a crash, all the rebound forces would be on the infant's big head and weak neck. Because the seat moves toward the back of the car, the seat will move with the child and help him "ride down" the crash forces, resulting in less strain on his neck.

As long as the seat is tight at the belt path (it sounds like it is), don't worry about movement elsewhere. In fact, don't even TEST for movement elsewhere because that can loosen a good installation, especially with Pegs.