Question Older Britax Boulevard - headrest wiggles?

plasticspaceman

New member
Hi there. I just got an older Britax Boulevard, and if I grab the headrest, I am able to flex it front-to-back a few inches, and side-to-side a little too. Is it supposed to move?

Also, the EPS foam is crumbly. Do I need to order new foam inserts? Thanks!
 
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plasticspaceman

New member
Also wondering if Britax has any coupons for replacement parts or shipping? I'm going to get new foam for the headrest and seat bottom.

I guess I should add that I own a TrueFit in my main car, and the reason I bought a used Boulevard is because we now have two non-LATCH cars with non-locking shoulder belts in back.

I had a Radian80, but couldn't get it to fit snugly in either car, and I couldn't afford anything new that had lock-offs. Learning Curve wouldn't extend any discounts for another TrueFit, so, I found a Boulevard on craigslist to go in my husband's commuter car.

It's really a "just in case" seat, but that said, I won't use it if it is unsafe.

So, I am hoping a Boulevard owner can tell me if having a little play in the headrest is normal? All of the plastic in the headrest and connecting it to the seat body is intact, with no signs of stress. It just wiggles more than I would expect.
 

jujumum

Well-known member
Yup, it moves. Which is why I won't travel with mine on an airline. I would replace crumbly foam through Britax.

ETA: As Jeanum pointed out, I posted this prior to the second post from the OP about the seat being from CL. Used seats of unknown history are not ok. A little wiggling is normal.
 
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plasticspaceman

New member
Awesome... thank you! I'm going to give RF a go with the Boulevard, and see if my dd goes into revolt. She has been too tall to RF in the TrueFit for many months, so I am eager to try it out.

Thanks again.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Whoops, hang on a moment because your second post about the seat being used from Craigslist hadn't been approved before the previous poster replied about it being okay. Used seats with unknown histories can be dicey and aren't generally recommended. Unless you can verify the seat's history with the previous owner and trust that owner's word on it, i.e., original owner who can assure you it was not involved in a crash, that the harness was never washed with harsh chemicals or machine washed and dried, all of which can compromise the seat's performance in the event of a crash, I'd be leery of using it. :twocents: You can use this used seat checklist to walk you through the pertinent details for checking out a used seat's history: http://cpsafety.com/articles/usedseat.aspx Also double check to see if it was recalled by looking at the recall info. on Britax's site at http://www.britaxusa.com/customer-service/safety-notices and obtain any needed recall fixes, provided that you feel adequately assured about the seat's history.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Agree that Craigslist seats are not safe and that a child who has outgrown a TF by height will be way too tall for a Boullevard. And how old is "older"? Britax seats expire six years from date of manufacture.

What vehicles do you drive? Are they pre-1996?
 

plasticspaceman

New member
Yeah, I was hesitant to buy a used seat, but I can't afford another TF or a new Britax, and I need the lockoffs to get a tight fit. The couple I bought it from were very nice, and said that it had never been in any sort of accident. The guy said he had no idea how much his wife had paid for the seat, and was a little annoyed to sell it to me for $45.

I took it completely apart last night, and there are no stress whitening marks on any of the plastic, the metal is not rusted, all parts fit tightly, the lockoffs look and work perfectly, the harness is in perfect shape, and the HUGS are still in place. The dial to raise and lower the headrest works great. Buckles click and lock. The only worries I had are that the headrest is a little wiggly, and the EPS foam is crumbly around the back of the seat bottom where the recline hinge is.

I wish that I could spend the $179 for another TF, I just can't.

I read thisand figured that if these seats can withstand several major crashes with minimal damage, that this one would be fine. There are no signs of wear.

I'm cautious, but I really want to have a long-lasting, safe seat for my girl.

All that said, I'm still on the fence.
 

plasticspaceman

New member
I thought that you couldn't use the headrest on a TF rear-facing. I re-read the manual, and it looks like I was mistaken. She is fine in her TF FF... and has lots of room in the Britax sitting in the living room. The DOM on the Britax is 10/20/2005. So I have another 22 months before expiry (DD would be almost 4 by then).

I know it's not the ideal situation. Trust me.

We have a 1991 Escort and a 1997 Infiniti I30. The TrueFit installs like a dream in either car. It is a marvelous seat.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
You don't need to spend $180 for a safe seat -- and a used seat is not safe. And at two years old, she is MUCH safer rear-facing. You can get a Cosco Scenera for $45 or a Safety 1st Avenue for $70, and use a locking clip to install it in the Escort. (Or put the TrueFit in the Escort, and the Avenue in the Infiniti, because a 1997 vehicle should have locking seatbelts.)
 

plasticspaceman

New member
What do you guys make of the link I posted to the NHTSA site?

The tests seem to suggest that even if the seat had been in multiple 30mph accidents, it would still meet federal safety guidelines and it wouldn't show any signs of damage even with X-rays.

I am pretty skilled at installing car seats (my TF is so tight you can't budge it, and the whole car shakes when you try), and I was unable to get the Radian to fit snugly with a locking clip after an hour of trying.

I guess this is where I am: is it better to use a good condition, second-hand seat that installs perfectly RF or FF, or use a new seat that doesn't fit anywhere near as well?
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
The seat manufacturer's info. is what should prevail in determining re-use after a crash, and most manufacturers state to replace after any crash regardless of the crash severity or non-severity. Britax is one of the few manufacturers that states to replace after a moderate or severe crash which is a crash that fails to meet all of the listed criteria on NHTSA's site for a minor crash, and allows for reuse after a minor crash. If you're confident the seat was never crashed (trusting the sellers on that) and it passes all the criteria on the used seat checklist linked to earlier, then it's your parental choice to use it. If there's any doubt about its history, or if it doesn't pass the entire used seat checklist, I recommend not using it and finding a new alternative that meets the child passenger safety technician's off-repeated mantra of fitting your vehicle, child, and budget. :) :twocents:
 

cryswilkins

New member
What do you guys make of the link I posted to the NHTSA site?

The tests seem to suggest that even if the seat had been in multiple 30mph accidents, it would still meet federal safety guidelines and it wouldn't show any signs of damage even with X-rays.

I am pretty skilled at installing car seats (my TF is so tight you can't budge it, and the whole car shakes when you try), and I was unable to get the Radian to fit snugly with a locking clip after an hour of trying.

I guess this is where I am: is it better to use a good condition, second-hand seat that installs perfectly RF or FF, or use a new seat that doesn't fit anywhere near as well?

The Radian is a whole different animal when it comes to difficulty to install. Even some of the most seasoned techs have a hard time installing them. Often times the Radian is just not compatible with some vehicles.

It sounds to me like your gut is telling you that maybe you shouldn't use this seat. Being nice and unknowingly doing something that may damage the seat are two different things. Before I knew better I washed the straps of my DD's infant seat in the washer. Since I didn't know that was wrong I could have very well sold that seat and thought that it was perfectly safe.

Maybe purchasing a $45 new Scenera, and visiting a CPST in your area would be a better option for you? There is nothing wrong with asking for help with a difficult install, that is why we have Senior Checkers at our events. :)
 

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