2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jul 18, 2010

• #1

Thanks for all the information.

I live in Canada and have a 2005 Smart Fortwo. My husband and I have decided to have an on/off switch installed for the passenger-side air bag. The Mercedes dealership will do this once we have completed the Air Bag Deactivation Form from Transport Canada: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp13178-form_e-377.htm

Now we need to decide on a convertible carseat, like the Sunshine Kids Radian, as suggested above but I've got what feels like a very stupid question.

What's the difference between all the different ways a car seat can be installed and attached securely to the car? And what's the best option given we have a Smart car with an attachment point on the back of the seat?

So far I've come across:
- belt-path
- latch
- super-latch

I'm a bit perplexed and could really use some advice!

Thanks,
Justine

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 18, 2010

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Jul 18, 2010

• #2

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1352689

There are two ways to install. Seat belt or latch. The belt path is the path that the seat belt or latch goes through the seat.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Jul 18, 2010

• #3

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1352689

Just a pic or two I took in the U.S. version.

The amount of room is amazing. You could fit any seat you want, width wise and front to back space.

Pic of the tether, for forward facing seats.

 

bubbaray

New member

• Jul 18, 2010

• #4

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1352689

My ILs had one. I didn't think it had LATCH. It has a TT (like in Judi's pic), but not the LATCH anchors in the seat. All that means is that you do a belt install and when the seat is FFg, you TT it too.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Jul 18, 2010

• #5

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1352689

Yes, I was going to mention. It does not have latch, so you would use the seat belt. Here is a thread I did about the smart.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=38010

 

K

kristy121

New member

• Jul 18, 2010

• #6

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

I am very interested in this as my mom has a smart car and always has to borrow ours in order to take DD.

Not to hijack your thread but can you RF a child in the smart car? We have a Sunshine kids radian as well as britax blvd.

And out of cutiosity can I ask how much it will be to install the on/off switch? I thought they would automatically turn off with a carseat installed?

 

bubbaray

New member

• Jul 18, 2010

• #7

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

kristy121 said:

I am very interested in this as my mom has a smart car and always has to borrow ours in order to take DD.

Not to hijack your thread but can you RF a child in the smart car? We have a Sunshine kids radian as well as britax blvd.

And out of cutiosity can I ask how much it will be to install the on/off switch? I thought they would automatically turn off with a carseat installed?

Click to expand...

Once you have the airbag deactivated by the dealer (which will require the TC form, as in the OP), yes, you could RF a RN in the front I'm pretty sure about that.

It is NOT SAFE to RF in front of an airbag unless it has been deactivated by the dealer. You can NOT rely on the auto deactivation, which is why all car manufacturers have huge warning labels on the vehicles, on the visors on the manuals -- pretty much everywhere -- telling people not to put a RFg child restraint in front of any airbag.

 

K

kristy121

New member

• Jul 18, 2010

• #8

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

bubbaray said:

Once you have the airbag deactivated by the dealer (which will require the TC form, as in the OP), yes, you could RF a RN in the front I'm pretty sure about that.

It is NOT SAFE to RF in front of an airbag unless it has been deactivated by the dealer. You can NOT rely on the auto deactivation, which is why all car manufacturers have huge warning labels on the vehicles, on the visors on the manuals -- pretty much everywhere -- telling people not to put a RFg child restraint in front of any airbag.

Click to expand...

Yes this is why I have never thought to put her in it until now - I will be calling mercedes tomorrow to find out about the pricing on the on/off switch. I didnt realise you could even get one, and I was never willing to rely on the auto off. Thanks for the info on RF'ing!

 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jul 19, 2010

• #9

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

I'm interested in hearing what Mercedes has to say. It's no problem getting the approval from TC, the problem is that no mechanic wants the liability of actually DOING it.

-Nicole.

 

K

kristy121

New member

• Jul 20, 2010

• #10

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

Yep Nicole youre right, i talked to the service manager at Mercedes in vancouver and she called corporate mercedes to check on this as they have never been asked this before.

She called back and Mercedes will NOT install anything to do with an on/off switch and will not deactivate an airbag no matter what forms you bring them from TC.

She said that even if they wanted to mercedes does not have a device to install to do this, not only this but legally mercedes as well as the actual technician would be fully legally liable if anything happened.

She gave me the corporate # to call and I called them to double check and was again told definetly not an option no matter what....so I guess final answer is NO Carseats in Smart cars

Dh said when I mentioned this thread to him last night the same as Nicole, he works for Audi and said they will not TOUCH an airbag for the same reasons above.

 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jul 20, 2010

• #11

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

Isn't there a tether anchor though? So you can put a seat in there, just not a RF one. All of the Smart cars have dual stage airbags, and I would be totally comfortable with a forward-facing child in there.

-Nicole.

 

K

kristy121

New member

• Jul 20, 2010

• #12

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

Sorry I should have specified my DD is only 22 months and 29lbs so she is still RF - Im not sure about the tether anchor, I was first looking to see if RF was even possible.

But I didnt realise you could have a carseat in there FF if you cant turn the airbag off, I thought airbag meant No No!

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Jul 20, 2010

• #13

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

There is a tether. I posted a pic upthread.

 

K

kristy121

New member

• Jul 20, 2010

• #14

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

Judi said:

There is a tether. I posted a pic upthread.

Click to expand...

Sorry - I didnt realise the US & Cdn models were both the same but I guess it makes sence if one has it then the other would to!

 

QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jul 20, 2010

• #15

Re: 2005 smart car in Canada & carseats- spinoff of Smart Car thread at http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=52393

I'm pretty sure the 2005 has one, too.. (We had the Smart car a few years before the Americans, and I believe 2005 was one of the first years here).. So you can definitely put your daughter in forward-facing in a pinch.

-Nicole.