Diono Pacifica Installation Problems in an Xterra

I've seen multiple posts, including on this website, saying that Radians have successfully been installed in Nissan Xterras, so that gave me the confidence to order a Pacifica, which as far as I can tell is the same size as a Radian.

My husband and I tried - and failed - to install it yesterday in our 2006 Nissan Xterra. We wanted to install it in the center seat with the lap/shoulder belt (latch not an option in the center), but the belt buckle hit the entrance of the belt path at an angle preventing adequate tightening.

After hours of internet research today, I've learned that the belt "stalk" tends to be long in Nissans and that 3 full twists is acceptable to shorten a stalk. I haven't been able to try this (husband out of town the next couple days with the Xterra) but I'm pretty confident that the stalk was SO long relative to where the belt path begins that 3 twists won't shorten it enough.

We also tried putting it behind the passenger seat, but that seemed to require the front passenger to literally have their knees touching the dashboard which is obviously not too safe (or comfortable!). We are installing it without the angle adjuster because it will be for a newborn.

I'm panicking a bit because I'm 36.5 weeks pregnant and obviously need to get a carseat installed ASAP. I spent hours researching and agonizing over the carseat choice before settling on the Pacifica, and I'm feeling totally paralyzed over the thought of having to do that again!

When my husband comes back Wednesday, I'll try twisting the stalk, but I'm just not confident of making that Pacifica work, so I'd like to get a head start in researching other options so that I can move quickly to get a different seat if need be.

My questions are:
1. Anyone successfully install a RF Radian-type seat (no angle adjuster) in a 2005-or-later (post re-design) Xterra? Any tips how you did it?
2. Any suggestions for another convertible carseat that might work better? One thing I liked particularly about the Pacifica is that it's narrow, because we expect to have occasional adult passengers in the rear seat (and one day we'll hopefully be adding a 2nd car seat). Also, I decided on the convertible style because, based on experience with nephews, I'm not a fan of hauling around infants in the infant car seat buckets, so bypassing that style seemed the logical choice for me.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any suggestions!

I haven't had an issue in the Xterra. They are made for each other it seems. Can you pull the buckle all the way into the belt path? That's what I did in my 2001 Xterra.

Will the seat be reclined enough for a newborn? That'd be my main worry. You can't use noodles or anything to recline it more.

Wendy

Thanks for your reply!

We did try to get the whole belt buckle inside the belt path (with husband practically kneeling on the seat), but we mostly just succeeded in getting the seat tilted really sideways. We only gave about 97% effort because it was clearly not going to go in without a huge fight, and I wasn't even sure that would be considered a proper installation. We'll give it another shot tomorrow.

As far as the recline of the seat being sufficient, we have plenty of front-back space if we can get it installed in the center seat, because the back of the seat fits really nicely between the two front seats.

I'm a little afraid that even if we can eventually get it installed securely, maybe it's not a good idea to have a car seat that requires 30 minutes of intense struggle and a swearing husband to install. Every couple months we need to fold down the backseat for cargo space and will continue to do so post-baby (who would obviously not be in the car at those times!) and I would dread having to fight to get the seat re-installed every time. Still - maybe our next attempt will go more smoothly!

I do really like the Pacifica and am not too keen on the bulky, puffy look of so many car seats, so for now I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

In the event we have to return it, I've now been looking at a Britax Marathon or Boulevard. I read that their belt path is higher up which might solve the big problem. Also, I just found a list of car seats that Nissan has apparently tested in their various models and those seats are listed as compatible. I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on those or other recommendations.

Thanks so much!!

As I recall the Nissan Snug Kids idea is not updated.

For instance, under the Xterra, it shows the Advocate 70 CS, Boulevard 70, Boulevard 70 CS, etc. Those haven't been made in two years.

Combi no longer makes the Zeus or the Kobuk. The Stack It under Cosco is decently new, maybe into 2013. Though Eddie Bauer is pretty modern.

So there are huge gaps in this.

The main concern with the recline I have is not that it won't fit, but that it won't be reclined enough for a newborn. https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1322/1023986229_412f0cbcec_b.jpg There's my Sunshine Kids Radian in my 2001 Xterra. Super easy install so obviously the seat and car have changed. But you can see it's very upright for a newborn. Fantastic for an older child, but upright for a newborn.

The Britax ClickTights and G4 convertibles fit newborns well. So those should be ok. The ClickTights are taller, if you'll need height. The G4s get kids to about a size 3T shirt rear facing, the Marathon ClickTight should get kids to a 4T, and the Boulevard and soon Advocate ClickTight will get kids to 40 pounds regardless of height. They're that tall. They're all decently easy to install, but the ClickTights are super easy.

Can you post a picture when your husband is back?

Wendy

Wendy - Thank you SO much for taking the time to help me. We did give the Pacifica installation another go, and it just didn't work out. Even twisting the belt stalk didn't get the belt buckle out of the way of the belt path entrance. And we weren't able to get the whole buckle inside the belt path, either. So the whole seat was really wiggly and tilted to the side even with the "best" installation we could get.

I attached a photo of the Pacifica "installed" in the center seat. I think you're probably right - even if we'd gotten the seat secure, I'm not sure it looks like it's reclined enough for a newborn. And I guess there's nothing that can be done about that.

Just out of curiosity, I placed the seat on the angle adjuster and sat it behind the front passenger seat (where it can be installed with a latch instead of the seatbelt, though I didn't actually install it) and it seemed to fit there with no problem, with the front passenger seat positioned in a normal, plenty-of-legroom location. So maybe that's useful info for others who may be looking at the seat for toddlers. Photo attached.

Last night, my husband and I tried out the Britax Boulevard Clicktight seat at Babies R Us, and the installation was a TOTALLY different experience. It was so quick and easy and rock solid. The belt path was so high, the belt buckle wasn't close to interfering, and we were able to adjust the recline of the seat appropriately with enough space to fit the top of the seat slightly between the front seats. We wouldn't have had enough space to recline it sufficiently directly behind one of the front seats without moving it forward, but we didn't bother test how much seat movement it would require. So I think we'll go with that one instead.

Anyway, thanks again for your help, and maybe someone else will find this info useful!

Didn't I read thst the new Britax convertibles don't fit newborns well?

Not sure where you might have seen that.

http://carseatblog.com/30080/britax...nvertible-review-sometimes-things-just-click/

From that page:

Below are pics with a 20″ newborn-sized doll. This doll is roughly the size of a newborn weighing 8 or 9 lbs. Harness fit even without the newborn insert pillow that comes with the seat was excellent in this case. You may need to use the lower body insert for a smaller newborn if the baby’s shoulders are still below the harness slots in their lowest height setting.

Click to expand...

Wendy

wendytthomas said:

Not sure where you might have seen that.

http://carseatblog.com/30080/britax-boulevard-clighttight-convertible-review-sometimes-things-just-click/

From that page:

Wendy

Click to expand...

I figured I was remembering wrong, thanks for straightening me out.