Nissan Pathfinder owners...

Specifically to the newer model of Pathfinders (05?). How car seat friendly is it? I'm specifically concerned about the Radian, GN, and TF. Thanks.

My hubby has an '06 and right now we have a RF RN center and a FF RN outboard (plus a Recaro Vivo). All of them fit really well. I just hate that there is such little space between the first and second row. I have a GN in my van and can check the install in the Pathfinder this weekend. Just let me know if you want me to check.

I have also had a Britax Regent, RF MA, and a Safeguard GO in the car too at various times and they all fit well.

The third row is NOT car seat fiendly at all. I think that the third row is pretty useless in my opinion, we never use ours. The middle row is somewhat narrow but we make it work. I will say that my friend has a '10 Pathfinder and they changed something with the middle row, middle seat. There is a plastic piece that makes installing carseats a little more difficult.

Thanks!

Most of the time, I will have a FF RN and a SS1 base (the SS1 I'm not worried about, it's easy peasy). For the times with my other kids, if I can get the RN in the middle row, then I can put my two boostered kids in the back. Or one boostered in middle with RN, and one boostered in back to cut down on fighting.

May I ask if your DH's has cloth or leather seats?

He has cloth seats. Oh and I forgot I had a SS1 in there too!

Oh, one other question (or five). You said that you currently have a RFing RN center and FFing RN outboard... can you get a RFing RN outboard? How do you install? LATCH or seatbelt? Is there a place to RF tether? I know you mentioned the space between the rows are small, but how is the center row width wise? Crammed? Thanks.

I have my outboard RN installed using LATCH. I find a seatbelt install hard, the buckles are rigid and buried in the seats. The RF RN is a seatbelt install in the center since you can not borrow LATCH in a Nissan. I do not think that a RN would fit RF outboard and still leave room for a passenger (or for a driver to be comfortable) but again I can double check on that. I think that the middle row is small, it is certainly not one of the easier 3 across that I have done. The row from side to side and front to back is rather cramped. Before we had RF RN center and then 2 FF RN in each outboard seat until my oldest out grew the RN So I will check to make sure that GN fits in the second row and see if a RF RN will fit outboard in the second row??

No worries, you don't have to battle the install. I wouldn't mind knowing if there's a RF tether spot though.




BTW, you're awesome.

Ooops sorry I forgot that! Yes I do have my RN (and my MA when it was in there) RF tethered. My hubby has it at work right now but I believe that I have it tethered to the seat track? Please let me know if there is anything else that I can check for you!

We have an 05 Pathfinder with leather seats. We haven't had too many problems, but there are a couple of quirks.

Now, keep in mind that the only other car I've installed seats in is a Honda Civic, which, IMO is a carseat lover's dream car...well, maybe not for 3-across.

The seat cushions are a bit firm, and with leather, I find you need a good amount of pressure when installing to avoid the carseats from being slidey.

RF tethering in the second row is a a snap. I like to remove the plastic cover over the seattrack, but that is just me.

I've had a RF Marathon both center and outboard without a problem. It is true though that there is not alot of room front to back in the second row. I have more room front to back in my civic.

FF install of a marathon, center or outboard is soooo simple.

Buckling a turbo booster takes putting the seatbelt in at a certain angle. The seatbelt stalks are stiff and low. It is easier to kind of slide the booster to the side, buckle, then slide it back into place.

We currently have a true fit RF outboard with latch. It was a pretty easy install. We did need 2 noodles to get the newborn angle.

I had trouble with the true fit outboard FF with a seatbelt. The pathfinder does not have that little plastic button that keeps the latchplate from slide down when not in use. Instead there is a loop of seatbelt that is sewn onto the belt. Sot it makes it 3 seatbelts thick. When I was doing the outboard install, this part was lining right up with the FF lockoff and it wouldn't close. Center install was fine though, and I still also had the option of installing with LATCH since Jordan is only 35 pounds. It isn't a problem for us though as Trevor will likely use the seat to expiration rearfacing...or we could use that seat in our other car if needed.

The center seatbelt is not long enough for a long belt path install on a Frontier. Out board was find though. Seatbelt and latch both made for easy installs.

The Coccoro also installs really well RF outboard with latch. I haven't tried it other methods yet.

Ah, I definately know what you mean by the seatbelt being folded over. I hate that! My mother's Sportrac has that as well and it gets right in the way of the lock-offs for the TF. :thumbsdown: I need to go look in the manuals and see what the limit for LATCH is. If I can do a FF install with LATCH, then I'll be ok. I'm glad that it's an easy install for RF the TF, too. That's good news.

Kind of stinky that a TB is hard(er) to buckle. Kids don't like to be helped. Maybe a silly question, but is it tricky to buckle in the third row too? Or just the second?

I'm assuming you can pop the cover off the track on both driver and passenger side?

The only seats I have are a RN (will usually be FF, occasionally RF), SS1 (with base), GN, TF (will be used RF when SS1 is no longer used, occasionally FF, but usually RF), and an AO. Oh, I also have a spare Scenera, but I'm thinking about returning it. After all, I wasn't exactly planning on needing a new car!

When you guys say that it's small from front to back, is it small from driver/passenger to second row? Or just second row to third row? I think I may have misunderstood at first...

And I think I definately have the most car seat friendly car ever, and I'm going to cry when I have to trade it in.

Thank you ladies so much! I keep trying to give you rep, but I've given too much in 24 hours. It will come though!

ETA-- one more question. I'm assuming the seat belts lock at the retractor? And the stalks don't move, if I understand your post correctly, right?

It is short front to back between the 2nd row and driver's row. It is INSANELY short between the 3rd and 2nd row.

Here are some pics.

Here is the 3rd row. A belt positioning booster would be a nightmare to buckle. See how the buckles are not even all the way to the sides of the seat. It more would wrap around the back.



I'm not even sure if carseats are approved at all for the 3rd row. As I recall, the manual gives instructions for installation in the 2nd row, but is mute on the 3rd row at all. Though I didn't give it much thought, as we've not had a need to use it for that purpose.

I did install a Frontier there just for fun though. But, as you can see the frontier is not completely on the seat. It partly rests on the plastic edge to the side of the seat.



These are size 3T pants. I've seen more leg room than this on rearfacing seats.



The seatbelts do lock at the retractors. The stalks don't move. In the second row, the female end of the buckle is about flush with the height of the seat cushion.

The plastic covers are removable on both the driver's and passenger's seat.

Holy wow! It's really crammed back there!

Thanks for bearing with me and all my questions!

Yes just want to agree...VERY short between second and third and short between first and second. We have tried to put seats in the third row: GN but it was not 100% on the seat so not usable the RN could not get an acceptable install plus no top tether and a Recaro Vivo, Clek Oobr, and Turbooster but I was not happy with how any of them fit so we have 3 across in the second row. We have never actually used the third row with car seats in it, we rarely use it all and keep it folded down most of the time.