Ford Focus Wagon, Tall Baby & Radian

[unityco]

I just got a Radian to install in our 2006 Ford Focus wagon (which, in my experience, is not the easiest car to install any carseat into.) I had a heck of a time getting the Radian in (FF), and even after struggling with it for 30+ minutes I'm not sure it's tight enough. (It's in the centre, with the seatbelt and tether.) I chose a Radian because my 15 month old is 32lbs and around 34" (all torso) - he's at the top of his Evenflo Titan (which was relatively easy to install.) I figured I needed the tallest seat available as he shows no signs of slowing his growth (I know it's supposed to happen, it just hasn't yet!) You should also note I'm in Canada, and the Regent is not sold or legal here. Due to the difficulty and uncertainty of the Radian install, and the fact we travel a lot and need to put it in other cars (noteably a 2002 Chevy Malibu, a 1997 Chevy Suburban and a 1999 Dodge Caravan,) I'm considering returning it and replacing it with a Britax Marathon - which I understand does not last as tall as the Radian. Can anyone give me any advice/recommendations on this? Perhaps you've had experience installing the Radian in a Malibu, Suburban or Caravan? Other things to consider (like there aren't enough already!) We are expecting #2, so eventually we'll need to install two seats (I'm considering skipping the infant carrier style seat entirely and just going with a RF convertible, since #1 outgrew his 22lb carrier at 4 months,) and with the larger family we may replace the Focus wagon with either a Mazda 5 or Kia Sedona. Thanks for reviewing my long post and thanks in advance for any advice you can pass along!

[doriansmummy]

I put my sons Radian in our Ford Focus 2001 hatchback in the middle with LATCH and top anchor and its in there pretty darn good. Any reason why you cant use LATCH?

Im not close to be an expert.. but thats how I got his in.

[Splash]

Check your manual, as it may be different in Canada, but with Ford you can almost always use outboard anchors for a center install. Try doing that and see if it is easier. If not, try moving it outboard.

[beebear23]

2006 Ford Focus wagon (which, in my experience, is not the easiest car to install any carseat into.

Do you mean the WAGON is not the easiest car install any car seat into? B/C I have a 2000 Focus sedan and can install anything and everything in it.


Anyway, you CAN use LATCH in the center of the Focus. Here are some pictures of the Radian in my Focus.. It starts at #3 and goes from there: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ures/?start=16

I found that I got a better fit on the side than I did in the middle.. Actually, it wasn't so much the fit, just that I could adjust the harness better on the side.. I got a great fit in all positions w/the seatbelt and LATCH..

[cantech]

I'd try installing it outboard with UAS and tether. I know you'd probably prefer center but if you can get a better install outboard it's worth a shot.

One of our local techs had a focus wagon and a Radian and had no problem with install. BTW she also has a Marathon and had no problems with install in the focus.

Given the price of a Marathon here in Canada have you considered Evenflo's Chase, Bolero or Generations seats? There are also the Graco Car-Go line of seats. Here in Canada they harness to 47 or 48 lbs depending on the seat with top harness slots about 16.5 to 17". They'll also convert to a booster later.

As for the Caravan...I have a 2000 model with captains chairs middle row and have no problem with FF install of the Radian. I've tried it RFing and it seems to work well that way too.

HTH

Belinda

[unityco]

Originally Posted by beebear23

Do you mean the WAGON is not the easiest car install any car seat into? B/C I have a 2000 Focus sedan and can install anything and everything in it.

I only have experience with the wagon - I wouldn't say it's difficult to install seats in it, just not the easiest. My parents have a Malibu and Suburban and it is SO easy to get the seats in either of them. I always grimace when I return home and have to fiddle with the Focus.

I am aware I can use centre LATCH, but when I do, the LATCH belt blocks access to the side belt receptors, meaning no one else can sit in the back. I haven't tried putting the seat outboard, but I am reluctant to do that for multiple reasons, one being safety, another being I find it's more comfortable for adults to sit on either side of the seat, rather than next to each other (we often travel with more than the three of us, which is also why we're considering a larger vehicle.)

Am I reading in this thread that most of you think I should stick with the Radian and make it work?

[cantech]

IMHO if you can make the Radian work I think it's the best "bang for the buck" in the Canadian market!

But...the best carseat:

Fits your car!
Fits your budget!
Fits your child!
And is used properly everytime!

If you're going to have install issues with the seat you may want to reconsider your choice.

If you choose to reconsider I'm sure that there would be recommendations to follow.

Belinda

[beebear23]

Yeah, the blocking the seatbelt thing is a PITB. But since I don't have others ride w/me often, it doesn't bother me to much. IMO, the Focus is a cinch. I have used LATCH in the middle w/a booster on the passenger side next to the MA(which of course is wider than the Radian) and an adult on the driver side next to it. It just means that the adult has to keep their door open, slide toward the door, buckle their seatbelt and then close the door. Same w/the booster seat.

I think you need to do whatever will work for you. If you don't think the Radian is the right seat for you, then try a different one.
Good luck!

[doriansmummy]

Originally Posted by unityco

I only have experience with the wagon - I wouldn't say it's difficult to install seats in it, just not the easiest. My parents have a Malibu and Suburban and it is SO easy to get the seats in either of them. I always grimace when I return home and have to fiddle with the Focus.

I am aware I can use centre LATCH, but when I do, the LATCH belt blocks access to the side belt receptors, meaning no one else can sit in the back. I haven't tried putting the seat outboard, but I am reluctant to do that for multiple reasons, one being safety, another being I find it's more comfortable for adults to sit on either side of the seat, rather than next to each other (we often travel with more than the three of us, which is also why we're considering a larger vehicle.)

Am I reading in this thread that most of you think I should stick with the Radian and make it work?

He said Ford Focus and Ford Explorer were the worst to install.
but, he did not have a problem getting mine in pretty good.
Take it with a grain of salt from me.

[strollerfreak]

I can tell you right off the bat without even trying that the Radian is incompatible with your Suburban. I have a 1999 Suburban and I could not get an acceptable installation in that vehicle in ANY rear seating position in the FF position.

It would seem secure at first...but once I really started playing with it to check the tightness (pushing & pulling at the beltpath & pulling the front of the CRS towards the front of the vehicle) it would just start moving all over the place, the best I could do was about 3-4" of movement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8tRNyM3oqU

That was with my husband helping me install because he's bigger than me and has more weight to put into it...and it still moved that much in all the lap/shoulder belt positions. The lapbelt positions were actually even worse than that.

[beebear23]

He said Ford Focus and Ford Explorer were the worst to install.

Wow, he must be insane. Sorry, but seriously. The Focus is one of THE easiest cars to install any car seat into.

I need to make a list of the seats and seating positions I've installed seats into in my car.....

[unityco]

Originally Posted by strollerfreak

I can tell you right off the bat without even trying that the Radian is incompatible with your Suburban. I have a 1999 Suburban and I could not get an acceptable installation in that vehicle in ANY rear seating position in the FF position.

Yikes! The Suburban is actually my parents' vehicle. They're in BC and I'm in Ontario, so I wouldn't get to try it until they picked us up at the airport, ready to take us on a 4-hour trip to their town - not a good time to discover it wouldn't work! Thanks for the heads up.

[unityco]

Originally Posted by beebear23

Wow, he must be insane. Sorry, but seriously. The Focus is one of THE easiest cars to install any car seat into.

I need to make a list of the seats and seating positions I've installed seats into in my car.....

I should probably clarify too... I only use the centre position in our Focus, and it just sucks. You can't use LATCH without sacrificing the other rear positions, the stupid seat hump can make the seat lopsided if you're not careful, the centre belt is not centred on the bench, the tether connector is way down near the cargo floor and hard to reach... It is WAY easier to install the seats in the outboard positions using LATCH, but that is not where we want the seat. Both my parents GM cars (and the GMs we've rented) have been MUCH easier to install seats in (although my sister's GM Trailblazer wasn't great.)

[beebear23]

Are you talking RF or FF??

[unityco]

Originally Posted by beebear23

Are you talking RF or FF??

Depends on what you're referring to - if you're just asking about the ease of installation in a Focus in general, I'm talking either RF or FF, but the particular installation of the Radian I'm dealing with now is FF.

[beebear23]

Originally Posted by unityco

I should probably clarify too... I only use the centre position in our Focus, and it just sucks. You can't use LATCH without sacrificing the other rear positions, the stupid seat hump can make the seat lopsided if you're not careful, the centre belt is not centred on the bench, the tether connector is way down near the cargo floor and hard to reach... It is WAY easier to install the seats in the outboard positions using LATCH, but that is not where we want the seat. Both my parents GM cars (and the GMs we've rented) have been MUCH easier to install seats in (although my sister's GM Trailblazer wasn't great.)

I mean in regards to this post..

[unityco]

Either RF or FF and with different seats (Designer 22, Evenflo Titan and the Radian,) - the tether comment only applies to FF.

[Splash]

It's not your car then. You just listed three very difficult to install seats. Maybe you are having problems with your car as well, but none of the three seats you have tried have ever been confused with "easy to install!"

I loved my Titans when I had them, but I make no bones about the installation. Installing them with a belt was brutal. Anchors were okay, not easy, but okay. Seatbelt was a nightmare.

[unityco]

Originally Posted by Splash

It's not your car then. You just listed three very difficult to install seats. Maybe you are having problems with your car as well, but none of the three seats you have tried have ever been confused with "easy to install!"

That's interesting to know (and makes me feel a little better about my own installation abilities! ) However, I found the first two seats (not the Radian, which I haven't installed anywhere else yet,) much easier to install in other vehicles. In fact, the Titan was a cinch both RF and FF in both my parents' vehicles (Suburban and Malibu.) My opinion, of course though, is based on having experience with only those three seats.

Is the Marathon considered an "easy to install" seat?

[crystal vowell]

Is the Marathon considered an "easy to install" seat?[/QUOTE]

Imo yes.

[beebear23]

YES! The Marathon is considered an 'easy to install' seat...

I have a 4 door 2002 Ford Focus Sadan with a RF infant carseat adn it is absolutely terrible to install in the center of the rear seat. It is easy as can be, but there is way too much movement. They tell you it should move no more than an inch in any one direction, but that is not so with this car. In my parents and husbands vehicles we have no issues, but we do in mine. I have even stopped by the police station and they said that they have this problem with all Focus Sadans that they try to install the seats into, so it is not just us. Good luck I know that as soon as I can afford I will be looking for a new car to ensure safety.

Originally Posted by unityco

I just got a Radian to install in our 2006 Ford Focus wagon (which, in my experience, is not the easiest car to install any carseat into.) I had a heck of a time getting the Radian in (FF), and even after struggling with it for 30+ minutes I'm not sure it's tight enough. (It's in the centre, with the seatbelt and tether.) I chose a Radian because my 15 month old is 32lbs and around 34" (all torso) - he's at the top of his Evenflo Titan (which was relatively easy to install.) I figured I needed the tallest seat available as he shows no signs of slowing his growth (I know it's supposed to happen, it just hasn't yet!) You should also note I'm in Canada, and the Regent is not sold or legal here. Due to the difficulty and uncertainty of the Radian install, and the fact we travel a lot and need to put it in other cars (noteably a 2002 Chevy Malibu, a 1997 Chevy Suburban and a 1999 Dodge Caravan,) I'm considering returning it and replacing it with a Britax Marathon - which I understand does not last as tall as the Radian. Can anyone give me any advice/recommendations on this? Perhaps you've had experience installing the Radian in a Malibu, Suburban or Caravan? Other things to consider (like there aren't enough already!) We are expecting #2, so eventually we'll need to install two seats (I'm considering skipping the infant carrier style seat entirely and just going with a RF convertible, since #1 outgrew his 22lb carrier at 4 months,) and with the larger family we may replace the Focus wagon with either a Mazda 5 or Kia Sedona. Thanks for reviewing my long post and thanks in advance for any advice you can pass along!

[Jeanum]

Hi, while this is an older thread I approved your post because we may be able to help you out with your installation and we have lots of Focus owners and Focus experienced techs here. One thing to keep in mind with regard to checking a carseat installation for movement: the child restraint must not move more than 1 inch at the belt path for it to be an acceptable installation. Infant seats/bases or rear facing convertible seats do tend to have some movement at the portion of the carseat or base closer to the front of the vehicle, which is considered normal (also known as "cocooning" in rear facing installation jargon, but so long as there's less than 1 inch of movement at the belt path, then it's acceptable.

[unityco]

Hee hee, what a blast from the past!

I haven't had to put a RF seat in our car for a long time, but I can say I did learn to get the Radian FF in our car very tightly! I'd say it all comes down to practice. For me, it was watching how the belts go through, and pulling them from the optimal position (through the cover, not on the outside of the carseat.) I now realize that the Focus is one of the easier vehicles to install seats in.

[BookMama]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have a 4 door 2002 Ford Focus Sadan with a RF infant carseat adn it is absolutely terrible to install in the center of the rear seat.

What specific infant seat are you trying to install? Are you using LATCH or the seat belt?

Originally Posted by unityco

I now realize that the Focus is one of the easier vehicles to install seats in.

I agree with this! I really like our 2003 Focus wagon for installing car seats.