Frontier threads

[sfeitler]

Sarah,

My Hyundai Tucson manual doesn't give a weight limit. I called my dealer & then the Hyundai North America # & the people I spoke to were both tools. I was even assigned an Inquiry # & was told I would get an answer within 8 weeks....& as you can guess I haven't heard back!!

I got a PM recently saying that she spoke with some higher ups & was told 48 lbs was ok in Hyundais. But my question is, does anyone here have a copy of this LATCH manual? If so, can I PM you & we can look up my vehicle? TIA!!

Here's a Hyundai latch thread.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=20193

-Sarah

 

[Heather98012]

1) Sarah, you rock! I don't know why I didn't do the search myself; thanks for doing that for me!

2) Woohoo....more confirmation that I can use LATCH until the weight limit of the seat!

This makes the Frontier a contender again. It seems like everyone can get it in easy peazy with the LATCH, & if I can do that to 48 lbs, that is awesome. I'll likely have a new vechicle within the next 12-18 mos anyway, so I can cross that bridge when I reach it.

But, if I can use it to 48 lbs & then again as a booster, I can justify the price. :cool!: Not that I would be cheap on a seat, but you KWIM!

 

[Lys]

1) Sarah, you rock! I don't know why I didn't do the search myself; thanks for doing that for me!

2) Woohoo....more confirmation that I can use LATCH until the weight limit of the seat!

This makes the Frontier a contender again. It seems like everyone can get it in easy peazy with the LATCH, & if I can do that to 48 lbs, that is awesome. I'll likely have a new vechicle within the next 12-18 mos anyway, so I can cross that bridge when I reach it.

But, if I can use it to 48 lbs & then again as a booster, I can justify the price. :cool!: Not that I would be cheap on a seat, but you KWIM!

Just an FYI, the LATCH limit for the Frontier is 40 lbs. It's only higher if your vehicle manual states more ( as in the case of Subaru)

 

[snowbird25ca]

Just an FYI, the LATCH limit for the Frontier is 40 lbs. It's only higher if your vehicle manual states more ( as in the case of Subaru)

I have a question about this - for those whose vehicle manuals don't give a limit, but LATCH manual has confirmed 48lbs, do parents still have to follow 40lbs?

Technically speaking the vehicle manual isn't stating the limit...

 

[Heather98012]

Just an FYI, the LATCH limit for the Frontier is 40 lbs. It's only higher if your vehicle manual states more ( as in the case of Subaru)

Ugh! I thought I read somewhere it was 48 lbs, but you're right...just 40 unless your vehicle says more. Ok, I am now officially back to being depressed.

 

[seanandshawn]

Okay, I'm back after struggling to get a tight fit using the seat belt path on my 2007 Subaru Tribeca. What a PAIN!!! But...I was able to get a rock hard install, YEAH! The key to my install, was as someone else had previous mentioned, to recline the seat of the car as far back and try to get the frontier as tight as possible, then bring the seat back to an upright position which secured a tight fit. My subaru seat still needs a small bit of recline so the seat lines up flush with the Britax (same with it in LATCH). I tried numerous times to leave the seat in the more upright position and tighten it, and it just wouldn't work. I tried just about everything including my strong husband to tighten it from the upright position (had about 4 inches of wiggle). So my guess is that if you don't have a reclining seat this seat is going to be a major problem. Also the buckles on my subaru didn't seem to cause that much of a problem. I still need to try it in my husband Land Rover, but I am just sick of trying to install it, and I will wait till tomorrow. This is a seat that under all circumstances for us will NOT be moved from one car to another!!! Just too hard to install tight even with LATCH.
In regards to the seat, I was a bit let down by the lack of EPS foam in the sides of the chair (the head portion still has it.) The seat and cover are still well made and quite padded. However, there is something about the seat that makes me feel like it is a bit more "cheaply" made than our Boulevards. Can't put my finger on why. I'll let everyone know tomorrow with the install on the Rover.

 

[April]

All I can say is this whole situation is very depressing. I may be back to dreaming of a Naughty. :shrug-shoulders:

 

[essnce629]

So I'm assuming with all the install issue with the seatbelt, this wouldn't be the best seat to take on an airplane! This is one of the BIG reasons I wanted it. So depressing.

Has anyone heard back from Britax yet regarding all the install problems?

 

[izzyh4]

Hi, Just spent an additional 2 1/2 hours trying to install in the XC90. Still don't have it tight enough to be happy. I am used to them being solid and this keeps wiggling. Got DH to help and he normally is able to do them really well, but no luck at all. I am terribly disappointed. I haven't tried it in booster yet, because I was so set on harnessing as long as possible.

 

[seanandshawn]

Are you able to try "the recline trick?"
I think I have one of the only cars that has been able to get a rock hard tight install. I promise to try it in the LR3 Rover with the seatbelt install tomorrow. My sister-in-law wants to buy 4 of them for her twins, I keep telling her to wait, because of the install issues.

 

[jwren]

My seat reclines too so I am hoping for a rock solid install. I'll let you all know..

 

[izzyh4]

My Volvo seats don't recline. I just went out and reread the volvo manual in case I am missing something. But they don't. I wiggled the seat again and despite all our efforts it seems to have "given" and is now completely unacceptable. It's as though there isn't enough room to pull the belt tight and if you push it into the seat you can't run the belt through if that makes any sense. I am going to have to go out really early in the morning and convert it to a booster and see if it works better but I really wanted to keep them in a harness. I really didn't want a $300 booster. I was willing to pay all the extra for the extended harnessing. If only I could latch and harness. DS could theoretically go to the booster and if it would let me latch to 48 I could keep DS harnessed.

 

[jwren]

you may want to look at the monterey if you end up with just a booster, I think it's coming out soon, If you can only keep the frontier as a booster it may not be worth it..I am hoping Britax fixes this soon.. what a mess.

My Volvo seats don't recline. I just went out and reread the volvo manual in case I am missing something. But they don't. I wiggled the seat again and despite all our efforts it seems to have "given" and is now completely unacceptable. It's as though there isn't enough room to pull the belt tight and if you push it into the seat you can't run the belt through if that makes any sense. I am going to have to go out really early in the morning and convert it to a booster and see if it works better but I really wanted to keep them in a harness. I really didn't want a $300 booster. I was willing to pay all the extra for the extended harnessing. If only I could latch and harness. DS could theoretically go to the booster and if it would let me latch to 48 I could keep DS harnessed.

 

[izzyh4]

Frontier will not latch either, out there at 5 am struggling with it (Dh too). Horrible amount of movt in latch. We now have it in booster mode, which looks better booster still wiggles when latched and tethered but I believe that is not so important in a latched booster is that right? Harness a PIG to put in and take out. Broke all my nails. Cupholder on door side doesn't work as too close to door (just a small detail but enough to put me over the edge) aaaaagggghhhhhhhh

 

[aisraeltax]

omg Izzy..that just bites. i cant believe the disappointment this seat is bringing.

even if Britax were to "fix" this problem, it woudl be another year before they could get this seat belt problem redesigned, tested and approved..i seriously doubt they would go through all this.

i just see a lot of unsafe (not good installs) being out there..what is britax going to do about that???

if they dont fix this, i can see them losing out on the "loyalty" purchasers (like me)

 

[mom23boys]

Frontier will not latch either, out there at 5 am struggling with it (Dh too). Horrible amount of movt in latch. We now have it in booster mode, which looks better booster still wiggles when latched and tethered but I believe that is not so important in a latched booster is that right? Harness a PIG to put in and take out. Broke all my nails. Cupholder on door side doesn't work as too close to door (just a small detail but enough to put me over the edge) aaaaagggghhhhhhhh

Izzy, the cup holder was a problem for us near the door too! Let me try to help with the latch part of the install. I couldn't get a tight latch install at first til I did this. Make sure tether is over back of seat to use later! Latch both of the sides to your latch connectors. Position yourself right in front of the seat. reach behind the fabric and pull the latch straps back up through the open belt path toward you. This will allow the silver metal part of the latch to come through the belt path and towards the front of your vehicle. Once the silverish part has came back through the belt path, stick your knee in the seat and pull hard! This is how I finally got it to install with latch! I hope that made sense. If anyone else can explain better please help Izzy out!

 

[izzyh4]

Got It I understand will try that. Thank you, Are you keeping yours to use as a booster? My kids over 40 lbs so will have to be booster if I keep it.

 

[mom23boys]

Got It I understand will try that. Thank you, Are you keeping yours to use as a booster? My kids over 40 lbs so will have to be booster if I keep it.

I returned ours yesterday and I am going to order the Regent today! I need to keep him harnessed as he is only 4.5 years old! I would have purchased the GN but he tried it and said it hurt his crotch area. I will most likely get a monterey for hubby's car!
If I can help you with the Latch install any further please don't hesitate to ask!

 

[BookMama]

I would have purchased the GN but he tried it and said it hurt his crotch area.

Did you move the crotch buckle to the outer position? My GN came with it in the inner position - I moved it and DS has no complaints. (Though he didn't complain about it in the inner position either.)

 

[jplain]

After using the seat for a couple days, I have few more thoughts for those considering the Frontier:

After taking it in and out a couple more times, it is easy for me to get a rock solid install with the lap-shoulder belt using the recline trick in my '05 Honda CR-V. If I'd intended for it to be a dedicated seat in my car, I'd be happy with it. It takes no more time to install than it takes me to install our FF BV, and threading the lap-shoulder belt through the belt path is easier (and less dangerous for my knuckles).

My tall 4yo daughter loves the seat. I like it too, but I have a few minor quibbles. (1) The door-side cup holder can't completely unfold because of the way it fits my car's rear seat. No problem, because the center-facing one can unfold just fine. But the door side cup holder partially unfolds on its own because of how my car's seat presses on its base, and that is aesthetically annoying. (2) Use of the recline block forces the seat to hang over the edge of the car's seat. No biggie in my car, but if rear leg room is limited, it may be a problem. (3) The armrests are a bit wiggly, and I wonder if they're sturdy enough to hold up to years of use. I'm concerned that if they're leaned on frequently while entering or exiting the seat, they may eventually break. (4) When installing as a harnessed seat, you have to be careful to make sure the recline block is forward. It easily flips back on its own when the seat is lifted. I suspect many parents will accidentally install it with the recline block in the booster position.

I bought the Frontier intending to put it in my husband's '96 Prelude, but I couldn't get a satisfactory install in it. So though we like the seat, I think I'll be sending the Frontier back and ordering a GN for his car. Bummer, because I've always loved the way Britax seats install, and the pink and black Frontier is way cuter than the GN.