Advice needed - 2002 Taurus Wagon

MPhalenS · Feb 28, 2010

We are picking up our "new to us" 2002 Ford Taurus Wagon tomorrow. It's the SEL model... leather seats.

I'm going to need to install carseats QUICKLY (obviously I can move them later, etc if need be) because of when we're getting the car and when i have to pick up DS#1 from school.

Although I've installed using LATCH many times, It's been a while and I want to make sure I have it straight... (our current cars don't have LATCH)

Currently I have DS#1 outboard on the passenger side (in my car, which we're replacing) in a GN. He's 41lbs so I was planning on using LATCH in the new car and putting him in the same position. Is this ok? And can someone tell me where the top tether will be found???

DS#2 is my

We have one Roundabout and one Decathalon and I can use either in this car... he's RF (he's 20 months old and MIGHT weight 20lbs... he'll stay RF until he reaches the weight limit of the seats) ...
Should I install him in the middle seat and use the seatbelt (this is where he currently is in my car) or should I install him outboard on the driver's side with LATCH? And which seat should I use? The Roundabout or the Decathalon?

Oh! One more question! Where is the tether location for the rear facing seat ??? Does the Taurus have someplace on the driver's side??? If not, what do you recommend???

TIA!!!!

Misty-Bug · Feb 28, 2010

MPhalenS said:
We are picking up our "new to us" 2002 Ford Taurus Wagon tomorrow. It's the SEL model... leather seats.

I'm going to need to install carseats QUICKLY (obviously I can move them later, etc if need be) because of when we're getting the car and when i have to pick up DS#1 from school.

Although I've installed using LATCH many times, It's been a while and I want to make sure I have it straight... (our current cars don't have LATCH)

Currently I have DS#1 outboard on the passenger side (in my car, which we're replacing) in a GN. He's 41lbs so I was planning on using LATCH in the new car and putting him in the same position. Is this ok? And can someone tell me where the top tether will be found???

DS#2 is my We have one Roundabout and one Decathalon and I can use either in this car... he's RF (he's 20 months old and MIGHT weight 20lbs... he'll stay RF until he reaches the weight limit of the seats) ...
Should I install him in the middle seat and use the seatbelt (this is where he currently is in my car) or should I install him outboard on the driver's side with LATCH? And which seat should I use? The Roundabout or the Decathalon?

Oh! One more question! Where is the tether location for the rear facing seat ??? Does the Taurus have someplace on the driver's side??? If not, what do you recommend???

TIA!!!!

I would put the older child in the middle because he is FFing. He is not "as" safe as your rear facing child.

I have a 1996 model wagon. The top tether hooks for the FFing are in the hatch. About 4" from the back of the seat.

I would use the center lap belt with the FFing child, super easy install. then put the baby outboard. There are a couple RFing tether points. If you lift the cap over the bottom of the seat belt you may find a hook like this:

that is a perfect spot when using outboard.

then if you prefer to use the seat track near the center it will look like this (But my tether hook is upside down so make sure yours is pointing down towards the floor)

this is a three across in my car. I LOVE my car

you may have to twist down the female end of the buckle. you can do it three full twists. I would use a belt so you are not constantly weighing your child. The LATCH limit is 48lbs.

hope this helps!!

MPhalenS · Feb 28, 2010

Thank you!!!

When you say the tether point is in the hatch... you mean the "trunk" area, right? How do you keep stuff back there and have the tether connected?
Can you not have it tethered if you have the 3rd row in use?

I hadn't thought about putting DS#1 in the middle... his school does carpool pickup and he has to be on the passenger side ... I wonder if they'd have an issue with him being in the middle ?

Misty-Bug · Feb 28, 2010

yes I mean the trunk area. What do you mean about the third row seating? You know that faces backwards right and really shouldn't be used??

The top tether point is on the floor of the back behind the bench of the second row. I can still load everything in there. I load around it. I also have a cover I can pull over the stuff in the trunk so that it is not a projectile. I have had this car since my almost 4 year old was born and we have been camping, hiking etc with it. It hauls a lot and we just pack around the tether.

If your oldest has to be on that side maybe put baby on the drivers side RFing (you will still find the same anchor points) and then leave the passenger side open so he can slide across?
I am 5'9" and can have a RFing seat behind me no prob.
I am going to see what other pics I have of my car for you. I can take pics of the back tomorrow if you want. But it is not vaccumed.

MPhalenS · Feb 28, 2010

Thank you!!! I'm totally a visual learner, so pics are WONDERFUL!!!!

Misty-Bug · Feb 28, 2010

I am a hands on learner and visual as well. So I will get pics tomorrow.

here is a pic of some of the things we put my car through.

Misty-Bug · Mar 1, 2010

ok pics.....(remember ignore the messy car.)

as you can see my cover goes in front of the top tether. I put the cover back on AFTER I installed and tightened the tether and it was totally fine!

close up of tether spot

the tether anchor is the middle part of this metal piece. As you can see it is anchored to the body

this part is where the back seat would go. It is really a seat that you can't use. Carseats can not go back there and neither can people. It isn't safe. As you can see I don't have the back seat in and I use it for storage. Mine didn't come with it even though it has the spot and stuff.
half open

locked open

hope this helps!!

MPhalenS · Mar 1, 2010

Thank you! Thank you!

Okay... ONE more question...
Do you install ANY carseats with LATCH when you have three across?

Misty-Bug · Mar 1, 2010

MPhalenS said:
Thank you! Thank you!

Okay... ONE more question...
Do you install ANY carseats with LATCH when you have three across?

I don't because I have an older Wagon, there is no latch. But when you want to do a three across it is best to use seatbelts because you will need to get it close to the edge of the seat.

mamakc · Apr 2, 2010

dont mean to hijack, but I have radians and an '03 taurus wagon and am having a hard time installing them. Do you have any tips?

Misty-Bug · Apr 2, 2010

mamakc said:
dont mean to hijack, but I have radians and an '03 taurus wagon and am having a hard time installing them. Do you have any tips?

well can you tell us a few things? How are you installing them? Latch or belt? are they installed RFing or FFing. What I would do is start your own thread then come back here and give the link to it. I can try to help as best as I can. Where are you located?

mamakc · Apr 6, 2010

took your advice and posted this:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1239328#post1239328

Thanks

Advice needed - 2002 Taurus Wagon

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