A booster for the middle backseat?

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ChrisMother of 4

Guest
A booster for the middle backseat?

I drive a '99 Toyota Sienna van. My 4 children take up 4 out of the 5 seats in my vehicle (not counting the front seats of course). I frequently transport my oldest's friend (not needing a car seat) but am squeamish about placing her in the middle of the back seat of my van (which has only a lap belt). Instead, I would like to purchase a 5 pt harness booster for my 3 year old to place in the middle back (she's only 32 pounds). I purchased and tried the Century NextStep, but couldn't seem to tighten it well (the seat portion wanted to slide forward). I don't have a LATCH equipped vehicle, and also seem unable to use a tether. Also, my Toyota dealer refused to put a shoulder belt in the middle back. Any ideas, are we doing something wrong, or do you have a seat to recommend? Thanks!
 
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Caviller

Guest
A couple ideas-

First, putting a harnessed seat for your 3 year old in the center rear of the Sienna is a reasonable option. If the rear seats on your Sienna recline, try reclining them first. Make sure you have pulled the seatbelts all the way out, so that they lock as they retract. Then, put all your weight into the NextStep as you tug on the seatbelts to pull them tight. Push as much excess as possible into the retractor, and maybe wiggle on the seat to feed the last couple clicks in. Now bring the back of the seat back to upright.

If that doesn't help, I would definitely recommend a visit to a certified local technician. Please visit the "Free Carseat Inspection" link under the top banner to find one.

One other option for an older child in a lap only belt is a Britax Laptop. You can find a review of this model in our Reviews forum.

Finally, here is some information about tether anchors in your Sienna:

www.carseatsite.com/sienna.htm

Good luck,

Darren
 
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phoenixaura

Guest
I don't know if this would be allowed, but...

why don't you look under the seat and find something rather large and metal that you could maybe attach the tether to, if your tether is long enough to reach around the back of the seat. It would be better than nothing.
 
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Caviller

Guest
Re: I don't know if this would be allowed, but...

Anchoring a front-facing carseat tether to a non-standard anchor location may be better than nothing in most cases for head excursion. Even if the non-standard anchor does break under the forces in a crash, it might have absorbed some energy. On the other hand, the tether strap and hook are now loose objects still connected to the carseat, and could strike someone when they fly free.

For that reason, it is not usually a good idea to use a non-standard anchor, especially flimsy ones like plastic cargo hooks. If a factory specified anchor location and parts kit exist for your vehicle, which is true of most models since 1989, it is highly recommended that you install one and use this rather than any type of substitute anchor. There are also industry standard recommendations for installing a generic anchor in older vehicles with no specific factory designated location. I would be happy to provide resources on this if needed.

Darren
 
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murphydog77

Guest
Re: A booster for the middle backseat?

I have a 2000 Sienna with cloth seats. Darren had some good suggestions to try. One thing that I've noticed with certain seats is that I need to use rubber non-slip shelf liner under the seat. If you're getting a tight install, but you feel the seat is slipping because of the fabric, that's your answer.

I personally wouldn't use a Laptop in that position since there isn't a head rest there. If the tips of the child's ears are below the seat back, then it would be OK.

Heather
 
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ChrisMother of 4

Guest
Thanks

Thanks for the ideas. Yes, my Sienna has cloth seats and maybe a non-slip mat would help. The link for the tether installation is great, and we need to look further into that to see if that provides an option. I'm not real excited about using the Britax Laptop for my 5 year old who is rather tall with no headrest behind him.

Is the Century NextStep considered to be the best carseat (if you can install it correctly) in this category? I've read this site, car-safety.org, and Consumer Reports and am a little befuddled. My husband went out and purchased an Eddie Bauer high back booster at the same time I was posting this (and returned the Nextstep). I'm not impressed with the EB (esp. lack of padding) and will run back to get the NextStep if you strongly recommend it (providing I can make it install correctly).

Again, I appreciate your time. How do people that are less motivated get a carseat at all???
 
C

Caviller

Guest
More comments-

Keep in mind that the no-slip mat will keep your carseat from moving while you install it, but it will not hold under the forces of the crash. The seatbelt must still hold the carseat tightly once installed as if the mat wasn't there at all.

I don't know that the NextStep is the best, as there are many good alternatives that vary by personal preference. On the other hand, it does seem to be on the short list of favorites for many advocates.

Unfortunately, many less motivated people don't buy carseats. Unrestrained children and improperly restrained children are major factors why motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of kids ages 1 and up...

Darren
 
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UlrikeDG

Guest
The Eddie Bauer seat is significantly shorter!

In fact, the Eddie Bauer booster is actually shorter than the Eddie Bauer convertible seat! I don't recommend it at all. Features to look for in a combo seat are:
1) Front adjuster (some seats make you uninstall to adjust the harness)
2) Higher harness slots so the seat isn't outgrown by height significantly before 40 lb (Cosco/Safety First/Eddie Bauer seats have notoriously low harness slots -- lower than the slots on many convertible seats!)

The seats that I would consider (in no particular order!) are:

1) Graco Grand CarGo. ( www.gracobaby.com/Section...TypeID=325 ) The harness adjuster is on the harness itself, which I think is easier to use, but other people disagree. Try it out first or be prepared to return it if you don't like it.

2) Graco Ultra CarGo ( www.gracobaby.com/Section...TypeID=354 ). Almost identical to the Grand CarGo, but the adjuster is on the bottom, front of the seat. Some people prefer this adjuster over the one on the Grand version.

3) Next Step DX/MX ( www.centuryproducts.com/S...egoryID=19 ). The DX & MX versions are very similar to each other. I'm not sure what the differences are, but as long as you get one with a front adjuster, it's a fine option.

4) Evenflo Express ( www.evenflo.com/ep/on_go/...t.phtml?nf ). This seat comes in a Comfort Touch (more padded & a little more expensive) and a regular ("bare bones" & less expensive) version. It has an adjuster on the harness like the Graco Grand CarGo, but I'm not sure how the two adjusters compare side by side (i.e., one might be easier to use).

5) Evenflo Apollo ( www.evenflo.com/ep/on_go/apollo.phtml?nf ). Of all the seats listed, this is the one with significantly more features. If I needed a combo seat, this would be at the top of my list (assuming it fits my car -- I have a difficult to fit vehicle). First, this seat is lined with "energy absorbing foam" (like you find in a bike helmet); it is the only combo booster in the US to have it. This means instead of striking hard plastic in a crash, your child's head will impact on the foam. It has a knob harness adjuster that you turn to adjust the harness tightness. I've heard that it takes a little getting used to, but that it is very nice (easier to use than traditional adjusters) once you figure it out. It has a "memory harness", which means you don't have to re-adjust the harness every time you use it. The Comfort Touch version is very well padded. I don't know if it comes in a non-CT version or not. Evenflo has also just released the Comet, which is very similar to the Apollo, but does not have the memory harness.

I encourage you to try them out and get the one that you personally like best. Look at how they fit your child, how they fit your vehicle (especially if it needs to fit next to one/two other seat(s)), and how much growing room is left (remember, your child should stay harnessed until at 40 lb if possible). Try the harness adjusters to see which ones are easiest for *you* to use. Budget-wise, these seats generally run $60 to $100 (watch for sales! ToysRUS/BabiesRUs will have a coupon for 15% off a $60 seat sometime in the next month).
 

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