Unapproved Center Latch Use

ilovum

New member
What exactly is unapproved center latch use? We just got a 2006 Durango and I have my son's Radian in the center. There are latches on both sides of the center. Is it okay to latch the seat there in the center?
 
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
No, unless your Durango manual actually has a picture of a carseat installed in the center using LATCH (or a description of it, anyway).
It's not safe to use a center latch position unless the car manual AND the seat manual say it's ok.
 

Splash

New member
There is another post on this that we just had today. But the answer is no in a Dodge, you can't use the two outboard anchors to form one center anchor.
 

ilovum

New member
No, unless your Durango manual actually has a picture of a carseat installed in the center using LATCH (or a description of it, anyway).
It's not safe to use a center latch position unless the car manual AND the seat manual say it's ok.


So, if our seat is in the center, we have to use the center shoulder strap? Or should I move the seat to either side?
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I'd try the center seatbelt, yeah. If it's a good tight installation (less than one inch of movement where the seatbelt goes through it), then that's great. If you can't get it to stay tightly installed with the belt in the center, then go ahead and use the LATCH in the window seat :)
 

ilovum

New member
I'd try the center seatbelt, yeah. If it's a good tight installation (less than one inch of movement where the seatbelt goes through it), then that's great. If you can't get it to stay tightly installed with the belt in the center, then go ahead and use the LATCH in the window seat :)

Thanks. So the best place for his seat is in the center?
 

bensmom

Admin - CPS Technician
The center generally is considered the safest, as long as you get a good installation. A well installed seat outboard is safer than a poorly installed seat in the center.

All seats in the back seat are very safe though (and thost of us with more than one kid have to put at least one child outboard).
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
The best place to install the carseat is any backseat location that allows you to get the carseat secure enough that it does not move more than 1" AND you're following both carseat + vehicle manuals....

If the vehicle manual does not specifically show or state that you can use LATCH in the center then you cannot -- it hasn't been tested & could fail to protect your child in a crash (in other words, your child would be a real life crash test dumby)
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
In many cars with LATCH in the outboard positions, the anchors look like this:

[_____] (center seat) [_____]

So you would have the seat attached to one anchor from each set of two, and the anchors won't hold under crash forces.

If the vehicle allows center LATCH but only has 4 anchors total (meaning you can use it in the center OR on both sides, but not the center and one side or the other) it probably looks like this:

[____]___[____]

Meaning the support bar underneith goes all the way across.

In cars with LATCH in all three positions, the anchors look like this (usually, but not always):

[____] [____] [____]


Does that help? I have an illustration of it somewhere, but can't locate it at the moment.....
 

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