fyrfightermomma
New member
I'm working at the FD today and a lady came in for a seat check. She called me yesterday stating she took her Eddie Bauer seat apart to clean it and can't get it back together and is leaving the country tomorrow for vacation.
So she brings in a basic 07 Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 seat. The harness straps go through the seat to the back. One LATCH strap is fed through each harness strap loop and then the LATCH straps are clipped together. The splitter plate is no where to be found.
Finally figured out she had tightened the adjuster strap all the way and the splitter plate was stuck under the adjuster plate thing. I got that out, undid everything and put it back together. Put it on the "top" slots (ie 2nd to top). Child was not there. I asked her if she thought her 1y11m DD's shoulders would be below that slots. She didn't think so. I told her that was the highest it would go and if she's too tall she can't use the seat. I then glance at how much she weighs. She wrote down 39 lbs. Excellent.....
This is supposed to be her "next" seat. I explain if she's 100% sure about her weight she really doesn't have any use of the seat. If she weighs her and she is 40 she can't use the harness. If her shoulder's are above the harness she can't use it. I get the "it goes to 100 lbs" speech. I explain what that means. I explain the BOOSTER part is 100 lbs. She gets all excited "Ohhh show me how to use the booster then if she can't use the harness." *sigh*. You can't use the booster. We are a 4 AND 40 state for booster use.
I explain she can't use the seat she bought with an unknown history from an unknown person in ANY mode (either rear, forward, or booster mode) and she's not happy. How's that for the "last seat you'll ever need"?? I was kinda taken aback as I've never had that happen to me. Usually the child can use one of the modes. This child couldn't use any. Too heavy to RF, too heavy to FF and too young and illegal to booster (1y11m)
I gave her a list of seats to look at. I showed her how to install the seat on the giant mat she insisted on using for a child who doesn't fit in it *sigh*. From how it sounds she has every intention on using the harness unless she physically doesn't fit. If that happens she will booster her 1 year old
Excellent......
What do you guys do when you witness that? They aren't gonna buy another seat but honestly cannot use their current seat in any mode? Just explain she can't use the seat but show her how to install it anyway? I left it up to her like we were taught but it's frustrating. The whole 3 in 1 thing really got to me. The whole "last seat you'll ever need". It's never bothered me because usually the kid can RF in it, or actually use the booster even if it's a crappy fit (ie heavy and old enough). I've never seen a 1 year old who can't use any of the 3 modes! It made their marketing irritate me even more and I'm SO glad those seats aren't being made anymore and they have a higher weight and height limit now. Too late for this woman though
She left a very unhappy momma. But hey, atleast the harness is attached to the seat now. That's gotta count for something right?
So she brings in a basic 07 Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 seat. The harness straps go through the seat to the back. One LATCH strap is fed through each harness strap loop and then the LATCH straps are clipped together. The splitter plate is no where to be found.
Finally figured out she had tightened the adjuster strap all the way and the splitter plate was stuck under the adjuster plate thing. I got that out, undid everything and put it back together. Put it on the "top" slots (ie 2nd to top). Child was not there. I asked her if she thought her 1y11m DD's shoulders would be below that slots. She didn't think so. I told her that was the highest it would go and if she's too tall she can't use the seat. I then glance at how much she weighs. She wrote down 39 lbs. Excellent.....
This is supposed to be her "next" seat. I explain if she's 100% sure about her weight she really doesn't have any use of the seat. If she weighs her and she is 40 she can't use the harness. If her shoulder's are above the harness she can't use it. I get the "it goes to 100 lbs" speech. I explain what that means. I explain the BOOSTER part is 100 lbs. She gets all excited "Ohhh show me how to use the booster then if she can't use the harness." *sigh*. You can't use the booster. We are a 4 AND 40 state for booster use.
I explain she can't use the seat she bought with an unknown history from an unknown person in ANY mode (either rear, forward, or booster mode) and she's not happy. How's that for the "last seat you'll ever need"?? I was kinda taken aback as I've never had that happen to me. Usually the child can use one of the modes. This child couldn't use any. Too heavy to RF, too heavy to FF and too young and illegal to booster (1y11m)
I gave her a list of seats to look at. I showed her how to install the seat on the giant mat she insisted on using for a child who doesn't fit in it *sigh*. From how it sounds she has every intention on using the harness unless she physically doesn't fit. If that happens she will booster her 1 year old
Excellent......
What do you guys do when you witness that? They aren't gonna buy another seat but honestly cannot use their current seat in any mode? Just explain she can't use the seat but show her how to install it anyway? I left it up to her like we were taught but it's frustrating. The whole 3 in 1 thing really got to me. The whole "last seat you'll ever need". It's never bothered me because usually the kid can RF in it, or actually use the booster even if it's a crappy fit (ie heavy and old enough). I've never seen a 1 year old who can't use any of the 3 modes! It made their marketing irritate me even more and I'm SO glad those seats aren't being made anymore and they have a higher weight and height limit now. Too late for this woman though
She left a very unhappy momma. But hey, atleast the harness is attached to the seat now. That's gotta count for something right?