LATCH retrofit kit

[LuciaBella]

So, I bought a LATCH retrofit kit (lower anchors) from the Audi dealership. I talked to this guy on the phone and he said he has installed them before and can do it for my car. I have an older Volvo, so I was unsure at first because it was a different brand but he assured me that he's done it before in Volvo's.

I'm just wondering if this is safe/legal and also if it's possible! My boyfriend and I tried to look for a place to mount them yesterday and we decided to have someone professional install them. #1...we didn't know if we were going to drill into an electrical socket or the gas tank, and #2... we aren't professional and have NO CLUE what we are doing!

Anyone do this before? The reason why I want LATCH in my car is because the seats I have are difficult to install with the seatbelts and I have to take them out and in frequently. I feel that LATCH is easier for me to install.

[Jeanum]

While lower LATCH anchor retrofit kits are available for certain Audi and VW models, the LATCH retro kit for an Audi is just that, for a specific Audi model, and not an appropriate option for your Volvo. :thumbsdown: If you post your carseats and the exact model of your Volvo in a new thread on the Carseats or Installations and Technical forum, CPSTs or advocates familiar with your vehicle and seats might be able to offer you specific installation tips. You could also try posting your general area if you're comfortable doing so to see if a CPST could assist you in person, or use the tech locator stickied at the top of the Carseat Chat forum.

FWIW, lower LATCH anchor installs aren't considered safer than a seatbelt installation or vice versa, and LATCH typically has a weight limit at which point you would have to use the seatbelt to install in vehicles that have LATCH. What truly counts is getting a proper installation with less than 1" of movement at the child restraint's belt path, and techs more than likely can help you do so using the seatbelts in your Volvo, and/or possibly suggest alternative carseats that would be compatible/more installation friendly. :)

[LuciaBella]

I feel that since I myself can't get the car seats in as tight as they should with the seat belts, I need another option! I've had the seats checked by a technician and they showed me how to properly install the seats myself, but whenever I do it myself, they are a bit too loose for my comfort.
Whenever I install car seats with LATCH, they get a better install, which means its safer for ME specifically to use latch. I've got 2 marathons and 1 radian all RF in the back seat and right now, the marathons aren't that tight independently.
So what you're saying is: No, I cannot use an audi part to install in my car because it is specific to the audi?
What if I order a genuine Volvo part?

[Jeanum]

There is no Volvo lower LATCH anchor part to retrofit a Volvo with lower LATCH anchors. You might be able to retrofit the Volvo with top tether anchors depending on the Volvo model, but not with lower LATCH anchors. No lower LATCH retrofit kits are listed for Volvos in the LATCH manual. VWs and Audis are unique in that they have specific parts available to retrofit them with lower LATCH anchors, but those are not universal parts that can be installed in other non-VW or non-Audi cars. :thumbsdown:

[LuciaBella]

Ok thanks for the info! Next car must have latch!

[BW1426]

One more thing worth mentioning, is that LATCH is only an option up until a certain weight. I cannot recall what Audis limit is. The majority of vehicles have a 40 lb LATCH limit, so after a child reaches that weight you must install with the seatbelt.

What kind of Volvo do you have and what seats are you installing in there?

[LuciaBella]

I have a 1987 volvo 240 GL and I have 2 marathons outboard and 1 radian in the middle. All are RF and the MA are tethered.
I just want to be the safest nanny in town!