Top tether retrofit question: someone with a LATCH manual, please? :)

[ketchupqueen]

Can someone give me the necessary information for a 1998 Buick Century, please? Thanks! :)

[Maedze]

The 98 Buick Century is not listed specifically in the LATCH manual, however this is listed under Buick:

"For vehicles without factor-installed tether anchors: most MY89-02 General Motors vehicles are tether compatable. GM part numbers for retrofit kits are not indluce in this manual as part numbers change frequently. General Motors dealerships have an uptodate list of the specific part numbers.

Tether anchor retrofit program: GM will provide and install free of charge one Child Restraint Top Tether Hardware Package for anchoring in most 1989 to 2002 vehicles. The free installation must be for a forward-facing CR in one rear-seat seating position"

[Jeanum]

Piggy backing on the previous post, refer the GM dealership service department to GM Technical Service Bulletin #99-09-40-004a dated April 12, 2005 for details of GM's policy for retrofitting pre-factory equipped 1989-2002 GM vehicles with top tether anchors. The bulletin number tends to be the "magic words" to get the ball rolling at the dealership because it's not unheard of for the service staff to be unaware of the specific service bulletin and retrofit policy.

[ketchupqueen]

Thanks!

I'll give her this information. I have a question though: right now she has one FF child and is expecting a child. But when the second child turns FF, if the older child is still harnessed, does that mean she will not be able to get a second anchor installed for the second seat? (It's a low chance the older child will still need to be/fit harnessed at that point, but she might.)

[Jeanum]

It should be possible to retrofit additional anchors at her expense, up to 3 total tether anchors including the first free one, assuming the car has 3 rear seating positions capable of being retrofitted. She should probably get a written price quote from the dealership for any additional anchors beyond the first free one to have an idea of the cost. It might be a simple do-it-yourself install with a torque wrench to save on labor charges if she were to purchase the additional tether anchor hardware from the dealership and get the dealership to provide her with installation instructions. :twocents:

[ketchupqueen]

Ah, okay! I think I won't even have her bother with it right now, since she intends to RF to the limits of the ETA she bought for the new baby. :) At that point her five year old will be at least 7, possibly 8, and she PROBABLY won't ever need more than the one anchor.