Two door Saturn, 16 month old and passenger side airbag

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Robbsmom

Guest
Two door Saturn, 16 month old and passenger side airbag

Hi, there, I'm new here and have a pressing problem...
I am going to be a single mom very soon and I will no longer be using the big comfy (gas guzzling) Expedition I've been driving.
I own a two door Saturn (from my single, childless days) and have a nearly 16 month old son. I cannot fit a carseat in the back, even when he was in an infant seat it was awkward at best, he now weighs well over 30 lbs. I have to put him in the front in his car seat (Cosco Alpha Omega 3 in 1) and of course there is a passenger side airbag. I'm told that it is nearly impossible and extremely expensive to have the airbag disabled.
HELP! I need advice, outside of buying a new 4 door car, which I would love to do but can't. My money is going to be tight for a while.

Thanks
Jana
 
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C

Caviller

Guest
Saturns

I have fit a few carseats in Saturn SC coupe rear seats at checkup events, both front and rear-facing. I had a Roundabout in our SL2, which has similar rear-seat dimenstions even though it was a sedan. The Alpha-Omega, unfortunately, is one of the larger carseats and does have problems in some vehicles, especially when rear-facing.

Now that your child is over 30 pounds, they may certainly sit front-facing. There should be many front-facing convertible and combination carseats that fit your vehicle in the back seat.

Please, please do not seat your child in front when your vehicle has a rear-seat. Even with the airbag disabled, the rear seat is still safer.

Before seating your child in front, please investigate different carseats, or see a trained, local child passenger safety technician. Many police, fire and public health departments have one on staff, as do many hospitals. If you are unable to find one, please post your zip code or click the FAQ link under the banner at the top of the page to find resources to locate a technician.

Thanks!
 
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Robbsmom

Guest
Re: Saturns

Thanks. I realize that the bar comes off of my seat and he is big enough now to use it as a booster, which is what I think I'll do.
It fits OK with the passenger seat pulled all the way forward and without the bar, I'll just use the harness straps.
Good thing I don't have any friends that might want to sit up front with me! :)
 
K

Kristin

Guest
Regarding Alpha Omega

Jana -
I use to own the AO 5-pt. Is the bottom base removable on yours ? If so, that should give you some more room in the back of your Saturn. Best of luck to you and your son.

Kristin
 
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Robbsmom

Guest
Re: Regarding Alpha Omega

Y'know Kristin, I'm not sure. I don't think that will matter too much however... It's the bar that lifts up over the seat creating the problem. I think when I remove that my problem will be solved.

Thanks for your reply!

Jana
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Another comment on safety

Unfortunately, I'm not very familiar with the overhead shield version of the Alpha Omega.

If it can be configured as a harnessed seat while front-facing, that would be ideal. It is safest to keep your child in a harness until at least 40 pounds.

If not, there are a number of combination booster seats that have 5-point harnesses for up to 40 pounds, and act as a booster to 80 pounds. Many models are well under $100.

Good luck!
 
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UlrikeDG

Guest
WAIT! DON'T DO THAT!

First, a 16 month old is much too young to use a plain booster. He will not be able to sit with the belt across him properly for the entire trip, even if he's tall enough, which at 16 mo, I doubt. Most children are 3-5 YEARS old before they are ready for a booster.

Second, you cannot use the any shield seat with just the 3 point harness and not the shield. DO NOT DO THIS. IT IS NOT SAFE!

The unfortunate fact is, the seat you have really isn't a great seat to begin with, and it's even worse in a small car like a Saturn. (I have a SW2, and it's smaller than a Camry inside!) Because it has notoriously low harness slots, you wouldn't be able to use it as long as many other seats anyway. Additionally, I've heard many complaints that it doesn't work well as a booster, either. So, I really recommend just replacing it now (it's cheaper than a new car, right?).

The good news is, there are many options under $100. Whatever you get, you'll want to try it in your car (BACK SEAT, PLEASE!) before you buy. Toys R Us/Babies R Us seems to have a really good reputation for that, but other stores should let you do it, too. Also, make sure whatever seat you get has a front harness adjuster. Some models are made so that you have to uninstall the seat to tighten or loosen the straps--NOT safe or convenient. Also, avoid anything made by Cosco or with the Eddie Bauer name (EB seats are made by Cosco). Cosco seats have very low top harness slots, significantly reducing their longevity.

So, what are your options? Here are a few (prices are what I see on Amazon.com right now and may vary locally):
Graco Cherished CarGo $59.99 (aka "Highbury Plaid")
Graco Grand Cargo $59.99
Evenflo Express $59.99
Evenflo Apollo $79.99 (this is a brand new seat that has EPS foam!)
Century Breverra Ascend SE $69.99
Century Next Step DX $99.99 (this is also available in an MX model which is usually about $10 less)

Some of these provide better support for a younger child who might nap in the car than others. You'll definitely want to try your son in several before making a decision. Try them in your car! If you want some more details about them and a verbal comparison before you start out, try asking on the ParentsPlace.com carseat board (boards2.parentsplace.com/...carseats). There are quite a few Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians who post there, in addition to many "car seat junky" parents who pay attention to that sort of thing and can give you some first hand feedback on which of these might best fit your needs.

I hope that helps at least a little bit.
 
K

Kristin

Guest
Booster Seats

I see that the last post included some suggestions on booster seats. Check out Consumer Reports as well. The Graco Cherished Cargo(my parents had one) is not recommended to be used as a belt positioning booster. I believe the #2 recommended Booster seat(20-80lbs.) is the Century NextStep DX. This seat did not fit in the middle of my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo due to how my seat belts are mounted. But the Evenflo Apollo is a great seat and the price is lowered now from $99.99 -79.99 at Babies R Us/Toys R Us. I also saw it at Wal*Mart for $64.99. I tried this seat too, but it was too tall and I could not get a clear view out my back window. We currently have a Graco Grand Cargo Booster Seat, which has an easy front harness adjustment, a mesh pocket & cupholder. There are at least 2 crotch strap slots in addition to 3 harness heights too. Also, the booster belt positioning clips or routers are mounted onto the front of the seat, like the Century seats are since Graco and Century are now 1 company. Good luck. I'm waiting for the new Safety 1st Vantage Point to come to my Wal*Mart store. Check out the babies R Us site, it does give dimensions on some of the seats(there is not one on the Graco Grand Cargo Booster Seat, which I reviewed). Good Luck and I know how frustrating this is. I have an add'l Graco Grande Cargo for my Jeep still in the box, but waiting to check out the new Safety 1st/Cosco seat.
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Beware, Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports does not have a reputation of expertise on carseats. Their 1999 review was mediocre at best. The 2001 review was improved, but they still give far too little information about their testing and results to be very useful. Many technicians at the link provided by Ulrike are far more knowledgeable, in my opinion, than the anonymous editors at Consumer Reports.

As for boosters, Consumer Reports brings up a good point. The guides in some models can possibly "catch" the seatbelt after a child has pulled on it, and then leave slack in it.

This is indeed a potential safety risk. So is a child who unbuckles the harness on their carseat, or who leans on the door while wearing a seatbelt. The boosters they did not recommend can still be used safely, if:

1) The parent makes sure the seatbelt guide is used properly, and that the child does not pull slack in the belt. Just like any other dangerous activity, riding in a car requires proper supervision whenever it is possible for the driver or passenger to do so.

2) Some cars have a locking retractor mode on the seatbelts. When you pull the seatbelt all the way out, it will lock into place when it retracts. This prevents the child from pulling slack in the first place.

3) Some children are tall enough such that they do not need the guide at all. Just the height of the booster is enough for them to ride safely.

It should be noted that the boosters which were not recommended still recieved good crash test scores when used properly.
 
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UlrikeDG

Guest
BTW, according to my manual, the '97 SL & SC models do h

locking retractors in the rear seat. To confirm this is true of your Saturn, look under "Securing a Child Restraint".
 

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