Question Can I add tether anchors?

I've seen kits online to add tether anchors. Have 2012 Sienna and 2010 CX-9 and trying to FF an almost 5-year old in 3rd row outboard seat (also have RF seats for 3-yr-old and 1-yr-old, so within the next year may have 2 FF and 1 RF). Can I just have a mechanic install anchors or are those only safe to retrofit old cars? TIA!

Hi and welcome to car-seat.org! Neither Toyota nor Mazda have top tether anchor retrofits available for installing additional top tether anchors in their respective vehicle models that already have some factory installed top tether anchors in some vehicle seating positions. There are Toyota and Mazda top tether anchor retrofit parts/kits specifically intended for their respective, pre-factory equipped retrofittable vehicle models which have pre-drilled anchor points/locations for using their specific top tether anchor retrofit parts, but they're not available for nor compatible with their newer factory equipped models.

Car manufacturers are required to factory equip top tether anchors in 3 rear seating positions per FMVSS/LATCH regulations, and it's a crying shame IMHO when vehicle manufacturers don't voluntarily manufacture their vehicles with top tether anchors for all rear row seating locations in models with a three or more rows, especially in vehicles heavily marketed specifically to families. :soapbox: Toyota actually reduced the number of factory equipped top tether anchors in the Sienna after the 2004-2010 version, going from top tether anchors in all second and third row spots except the third row driver's side in 2004-2010 models to a total of 3 top tether anchors in the 2011-2014 Sienna models.:doh: I have read that Toyota is somewhat fixing this in the upcoming 2015 Sienna model by including another factory equipped top tether anchor on the third row passenger side for a total of 4 top tether anchors.

With 3 children in carseats currently, hopefully it's some consolation that you do have one top tether anchor per child in each vehicle already. Perhaps the oldest will be utilizing a belt positioning booster seat which won't have a top tether by the time your now 1 year old is eventually turned forward facing since you're evidently aware of and practicing extended rear facing for optimal safety, yayy!

Thanks so much! Although that is disappointing. For the Sienna I think we could RF the younger ones in captain's chairs and still access the FF middle seat in 3rd row (the one with tether), but I can't figure out CX-9.

CX-9 -- Tethers are all in 2nd row, but I need to push 2nd row forward to access 3rd row, so I don't think I can have more than 1 seat in 2nd row. Not sure I could access both RF seats in 3rd row well enough to buckle (RFs would be Marathons, was going to buy Combo for DS when baby transitions to Marathon). DS who FF is 4.5, 40lbs, seated height just over 16". Is it too early to transition to booster just in CX-9 (not used for long trips, but sometimes on highway) to avoid tether issue? I'd rather harness (with tether) if anyone has ideas on how to configure it with all 3. Many thanks!

What about putting the rear-facing child third row and loading through the back?

Great idea to load from the back, but I tried and can't physically do it (maybe just too short, older one is too hard to lift over and have to hold younger one so can't climb in well). Thanks though. Would love any other suggestions.