Center Install In '06 Corolla

NatesMamma · Feb 16, 2010

DH drives an '06 Corolla LE, and we just finished installing an Avenue RF in the center position. I have a couple of questions:

1) DH likes to drive with his seat pushed all the way back and slightly reclined. (No idea why. The man is only 5'10"!) When he has his seat adjusted comfortably, the Avenue is pushed into it pretty tightly. Although the CR is only contacting a seat on one side, I would call it braced. Is this allowed? I know some of the Corollas won't allow bracing, but I didn't see it mentioned in DH's car's manual. Our Corolla doesn't have side airbags.

2) If bracing is not allowed, would you recommend we move the Avenue outboard with LATCH or that DH should readjust his seat? FWIW, DS almost always rides with me. Chances are DS will only ride with DH a few times a month, tops.

wendytthomas · Feb 16, 2010

The Avenue doesn't allow bracing. So if the seat is braced in the middle it doesn't fit and you need to move it outboard with either the seatbelt or LATCH.

Wendy

NatesMamma · Feb 16, 2010

Geeze, I don't know how I missed that in the Avenue's manual!

Glad I asked, and thanks for the reply.

So, I'd prefer to keep DS in the middle, especially in such a small car. Would it be OK to brace the Avenue when DH is driving around w/o DS (so that DH is comfortable most of the time) and then have DH move his seat forward/up whenever DS is riding in the car? Or should I just go ahead and move the Avenue outboard?

How much safer is the center position, really? (Does anyone have any links to actual data on this?)

exegesis48 · Feb 16, 2010

I would say as long as the seat has a good install prior to your husband adjusting his seat it would be fine to do that. Just make sure he moves his seat forward while your child is in there. I have an 06 LE Corolla myself and being 6'1" i found the only comfortable way to ride was with our Britax Marathon either on my wife's side or in the middle. NO way i could have that thing behind me (i get claustrophobic in the car when it comes to leg room).

wendytthomas · Feb 16, 2010

I'd just move outboard. Rear facing is so safe it's not a big problem. The numbers differ depending on where you look for the statistics on the middle versus outboard. It's the furthest from all points of impact, but outboard is safer than the middle if you're hit on the opposite side.

Wendy

NatesMamma · Feb 16, 2010

exegesis48 said:
I have an 06 LE Corolla myself and being 6'1" i found the only comfortable way to ride was with our Britax Marathon either on my wife's side or in the middle. NO way i could have that thing behind me (i get claustrophobic in the car when it comes to leg room).

So you manage to adjust your seat comfortably when the Marathon is in the middle? Do you have your seat all the way back? If you can drive comfortably, I'm wondering why DH can't... How does the Marathon's shell compare to the Avenue's? And is the Marathon braced when you ride like this?

exegesis48 · Feb 17, 2010

Okay, the reason I am able to put my seat all the way back is because the Marathon is tethered to my wife's side, so the chair pulls slightly that way (i don't know if this is a huge no no or not). It gives me the room I need and no the seat isn't braced when I have the seat fully back. Granted I like to have my sit up pretty straight and I am not prone to "recline" like a lot of people seem to be.

Judi · Feb 17, 2010

Your hubby, reclining back like that can cause him to submarine in a crash. He really should sit more upright.

NatesMamma · Feb 17, 2010

Judi said:
Your hubby, reclining back like that can cause him to submarine in a crash. He really should sit more upright.

I know reclining the seat far back is a no no, but some recline is allowed, right? And where do you draw the line? DH isn't exactly lying down when he's driving, but he does recline the seat farther back than is comfortable for me. I usually recline the seat 1 click. He's maybe more like 2-3 clicks.

NatesMamma · Feb 17, 2010

wendytthomas said:
The Avenue doesn't allow bracing. So if the seat is braced in the middle it doesn't fit and you need to move it outboard with either the seatbelt or LATCH.

I must be blind. I looked through the Avenue's manual again, and I still can't find where it says bracing is not allowed. :shrug-shoulders: Can someone point it out to me?

I think we're going to go with an outboard install anyway. I just reinstalled it behind the passenger, and it seems to work fine. DH really disliked how he had to adjust his seat when the CR was behind it. I'd still prefer a center install though. :-/

wendytthomas · Feb 17, 2010

Don't fret about the center. My baby rides outboard and always has.

Your manual likely won't say anything about it. None will. Because Britax and the Radians are the only ones that DO allow it. And I can't remember if they have wording in their manuals to approve it, or if that's just something we know (either via the engineers, the LATCH manual, or CS reps).

Wendy

exegesis48 · Feb 17, 2010

Later on today if you'd like I will check my LATCH manual and try to find the exact entry regarding bracing. I have to head out to work at the moment though so I likely won't have time until later on. I agree with Wendy though, if it's easier to do the outboard install it's better than having a questionable center install. If you read the manual toyota recommends the outboard seating positions in the corolla anyway.

Jeanum · Feb 17, 2010

You'll also need to double check the airbag section of the Corolla's manual as well because it's likely new enough in the OP's case with an '06 model, and possibly for yours depending on the model year, to have advanced front airbags, and Toyotas equipped with them typically have a blurb warning against touching the front seatbacks due to the airbag sensors. Here's a photo of the warning blurb from our '05 Sienna's manual on the last page of its airbag section to give you an idea of what to look for in the manual as it's rather buried in the manual:

NatesMamma · Feb 17, 2010

I didn't realize only Britax and the Radians allow bracing. Good to know!

And, yep, the Corolla will not allow anything to press on the back of the front seats. Pg 65: "Child restraint systems installed on the rear seat should not contact the front seatbacks." I did look through the Corolla's manual before I installed the seat, but I managed to miss that.

Thanks for the heads up!!

And finally, can someone please let me know how the install angle looks? DS is 11 months old, and there's so little room in that back seat, that I want to go as upright as I can. I'm thinking that I can go more upright?

wendytthomas · Feb 17, 2010

The angle looks pretty good. You could probably go a bit more upright, but not too much.

It's awesome that the airbag section says it that specifically. Most say just that nothing can touch, but don't mention child restraints.

Wendy

NatesMamma · Feb 19, 2010

exegesis48 said:
If you read the manual toyota recommends the outboard seating positions in the corolla anyway.

Since I missed that, where does the Toyota manual recommend the outboard positions? I did notice something about a LATCH install being preferred when possible, but that's all I can recall. And I just assumed Toyota recommends LATCH because it's *supposed* to be easier than a seat belt install.

And I was wondering something about the "no touching seat backs" rule. When I install a seat, I usually go to the head of the CR and use my hips to push it into the seat back, using the front passenger seats for leverage. Can I somehow damage the airbag sensors by pushing myself into them like that?

Judi · Feb 20, 2010

No, you will not damage the sensor like that. The concern is with a seat pushing against it during a crash.

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