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Ok to use "lock mode" on booster seats?
- Thread starter rph74
- Start date
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carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
You need to check both the vehicle manual and booster manual.
But if they are ALRs and not switchables, then you have no choice but to have them locked. ALR=Automatic locking retractors. They're not a problem if that's all the car has.
You're probably thinking of switchable retractors, which will lock only in an emergency (ELR, emergency locking retractor) unless you pull them all the way out to put them into ALR mode.
Wendy
You're probably thinking of switchable retractors, which will lock only in an emergency (ELR, emergency locking retractor) unless you pull them all the way out to put them into ALR mode.
Wendy
mish
New member
Are you worried about the booster staying in place or the kids? If it is the kids, they may not be booster ready if they are moving out of place. If it is the booster you are worried about, what boosters do you have? If you are really worried, you can get a booster that has LATCH. I don't really worry about my boosters moving when my kids are in them though, because they don't. I have never had a problem with it, and my 9 year old has been in a lot of boosters in a lot of cars.
What I was thinking here was of activating the ALR mode by pulling the seat belt all the way out, and then retracting them on my 4 and 6 year old's booster seats, locking them into the booster seat. I'm hoping that there is no problem with doing this, since the ALR is usually used to install car seats for smaller children (with the 5 point harness).
Thanks!
Chris
My concern here is mainly on my long trips. On my 500 mile journey to visit my parents, they usually fall asleep at some point. My concern is of them moving out of perfect position when they fall asleep. Probably paranoia on my part, but I guess that's why we are all here, right?
Thanks again,
Chris
Mom2FiveGirls
Active member
Its likely your 4 year old isn't ready for a booster seat anyway. Most kids aren't developmentally ready for full time booster use until they are 5-6 years old. My 5.5 year old isn't...she will not stay sitting in the correct position to save her life. She's constantly messing with the seat belt, wiggling, slouching, etc.
My 7 year old will pull her seat belt all the way out and lock it like that. She has sensory issues and says she doesn't feel safe unless its tight against her when she tries to move forward. I never thought that it might not be okay, but now I'm wondering??? She does stay in the correct position, its just a personal preference for her.
My 7 year old will pull her seat belt all the way out and lock it like that. She has sensory issues and says she doesn't feel safe unless its tight against her when she tries to move forward. I never thought that it might not be okay, but now I'm wondering??? She does stay in the correct position, its just a personal preference for her.
mish
New member
No, that isn't paranoia. I would be comfortable locking the seatbelt, and I do when I think my youngest might fall asleep in his booster. You should check your manual though, just in case it says not to do it.
ETA: I just noticed one of your kids is four. What is his/her weight? A lot of 4 year olds are just not ready for a booster seat.
ETA: I just noticed one of your kids is four. What is his/her weight? A lot of 4 year olds are just not ready for a booster seat.
Not sure on height, but he is 34 pounds. The booster seat is rated at 30-100 pounds. The seat belt does fit perfectly, I compared the fit with a picture from IIHS from this forum. He is a shorter, stocky little guy. He does an incredible job of sitting still in his seat-a product of many long trips.
Should I be thinking about moving him back into a 5 point harness?
carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
I think most of us would prefer to see a short, 34#, 4yo in a 5-point harness.
Again, please check your vehicle manual regarding locking your ELR belts. Some vehicles do not allow it.
Again, please check your vehicle manual regarding locking your ELR belts. Some vehicles do not allow it.
The bare minimum we recommend for a booster is four years AND 40 pounds. The risk of submarining (going under the belt) is higher under 40 pounds, and the maturity often isn't there. Plus if they sleep and slump often then they're in trouble, like you said. Older kids tend not to sleep in the car as much.
What seat is he in? Or both of them, for that matter.
Your six year old is probably fine in a booster. Most six year olds are. Mine was not and she was seven before she was developmentally ready AND 40 pounds.
Wendy
What seat is he in? Or both of them, for that matter.
Your six year old is probably fine in a booster. Most six year olds are. Mine was not and she was seven before she was developmentally ready AND 40 pounds.
Wendy
Mom2FiveGirls
Active member
^^ That's great to hear. Everyone here has been so wonderful and non-judgmental. I was doing everything wrong when I found this group (I was writing several papers for an argument based research English class about the need for car seat laws to be more strict). I ended up buying new seats for all five of my girls. I had my 8 year old in just a seat belt, my 7 year old in a backless booster, worst of all, my 35 lb 5 year old was in a backless booster!!, my just turned 2 year old was FFing and had been for several months, etc. It scares me to think about it now... But everyone here was SO wonderful and a wealth of information! 
What harnessed seat does he have?? You want to make sure he's not over the weight limit, or his shoulders aren't over the top harness position......
Kat_Momof3
New member
THIS is exactly what I'm wondering.
Also, keep in mind that a child really isn't ready for a booster if they can't stay in position awake AND asleep... and then we really prefer them not in boosters as a spare seat until age 5 and 40lbs, because kids under age 5 are at more risk for submarining, too, not just under 40lbs...
as a main seat, we prefer to wait until age 6, because that's when the hips and spine are solid, which helps them in a crash (especially as the lapbelt is supposed to be on the hip bones.
We do lock the belts on the kids (and myself OR hubby, whoever is in the passenger seat, where it will locked if pulled out) in my hubby's car (my car has lightweight locking latchplates instead), but not because they would move (though it also helped with booster training our daughter), but because IN HIS CAR (aka... this does not happen in all cars with locking retractors) we found that even on ourselves, the lapbelt is so easily loosened by the SLIGHTEST movement. This was never the case in other cars we've been in with locking retractors (my IL's old taurus wagon, our old buick Lesabre, a rental Kia Sedona, a friend's Ford Explorer) and in those, we would have never bothered to do so... but when we test drove the car, while we loved everything else about it, we noticed that... so the fear that the lapbelts would become loose enough to allow submarining has made us very reluctant to encourage the children not to do what they were trained to do and of course made us teach them to lock the belts on themselves and is why we lock it on ourselves if in the passenger seat... in the driver seat, whichever one of us is driving is always tightening the belt every few minutes... it really doesn't stay snug.
Anyway, point being that you should wait to booster, but that when you do, if your manual doesn't say you can't, then see if you NEED to for that reason.
His seat is rated up to 40 pounds and he is shorter, so he's ok, but getting close to needing a new seat. I plan to move him up to my 6 year old's eddie bauer seat (5 point harness) when he moves up, then move my 6 year old into a booster seat full time.
40 pounds. They don't have any HWH seats under the EB name.
Wendy
Wendy
cookie123
New member
If your Eddie Bauer seat is rated to 40 lbs, and it has an adjustable headrest, the top position is not for harnessed use, only for booster use.
A forward facing seat is outgrown if the shoulders go above the top harness slot or if the tips of the ears go over the shell of the seat, or, of course, if the weight limit is met.
There are several seats now with higher top slots and higher weight limits available now. We can help you if you need new harnessed seats at all.
A forward facing seat is outgrown if the shoulders go above the top harness slot or if the tips of the ears go over the shell of the seat, or, of course, if the weight limit is met.
There are several seats now with higher top slots and higher weight limits available now. We can help you if you need new harnessed seats at all.
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