SuperLATCH

So do we think this is an isolated issue or wide spread? Would you only use the seat with a seatbelt? Is it good enough if your seat seems to stay tight? Would you be worried the seat would perform differently in a crash?

I don't have issues with it in MY vehicle because it doesn't have the issue. I think because of the placement of my anchors. It isn't close enough to the edge to loosen and is in fact very difficult to loosen to get out. So I'm not worried about it in my current vehicle. I'd evaluate carefully before deciding to install with the SuperLATCH in other vehicles, though.

We have ours installed in a Honda Pilot and the seat has never loosened. I believe we've had our seat for around 6 months now - last winter. It was originally installed RF and eventually installed FF.

I will not use it rearfacing, but I have it in forward facing right now and I'm feeling good about it. the tab is tucked inside the belt pathway so I don't think it be accidently touched. I have been checking it everyday for the last week or two.

(It's RF in our car, btw.)

whats superlatch?

Jennee said:

whats superlatch?

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Sunshine Kids say that you can disregard the vehicle's LATCH limit and install the Radian up to the full weight limit of the Radian (so 65 or 80 pounds, depending on the model you have), as long as the vehicle was MANUFACTURED after September 1, 2005. Make sure that you're looking at the manu date, not the model year. Often times, even though your car may be a 2005 model, it may have been manufactured in 2004. To find your car's DOM, open up the driver's side door and there will be a white sticker on the inside. It will mention how much air should be in your tires, etc, and it will also have your car's DOM there.

The LATCH connectors are made to handle more crash forces, as there are more metal "prongs" inside the connector (four prongs, rather than one), thus the fact that they allow the use of LATCH to be used longer.

Here is a thread where I compared the LATCH connectors of the non-SuperLATCH and the SuperLATCH connectors.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1402105#post1402105

However, as you can see in that thread (more specifically, right here http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=1402105&postcount=9 ), the mechanism on the LATCH strap is different, which is unfortunately allowing the LATCH to loosen in some vehicles while it is in use. The new SuperLATCH connectors have just a "lift" mechanism, rather than a physical button you have to push. So in some cases, the mechanism hits a perfect angle on the car seat, which loosens the seat over time.

I use it, sometimes. I just checked it in my car, and it was tight after 2 weeks.

I used it forward facing with LATCH until 48lbs (limit of my vehicle) and felt fine doing it. Install was secure, lift clip was not in a position that was accessible easily and it was actually quite difficult to loosen when uninstalling the seat. Never loosened, and I give my seats a pull frequently.
I would definitely be cautious about ensuring that there was no risk of loosening over time, and that the adjuster wasn't easily accessible to little feet or hands. If there was ever any loosening or if the adjuster was right at the edge of the belt path, I don't think I would feel comfortable installing with LATCH in that vehicle.

I check mine constantly, but it gives us a beautiful install in both vehicles (Honda Civic & Mazda 5). It's never loosened up on us. It's on the passenger's side in both vehicles & DS doesn't ever climb into his seat from the center of the car, so I'm not terribly worried about him stepping on the lift clip.

ETA- It's rearfacing.

amyd said:

I check mine constantly, but it gives us a beautiful install in both vehicles (Honda Civic & Mazda 5). It's never loosened up on us. It's on the passenger's side in both vehicles & DS doesn't ever climb into his seat from the center of the car, so I'm not terribly worried about him stepping on the lift clip.

ETA- It's rearfacing.

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I had it installed passenger outboard in myrental car as well, with an almost 4 yo rf. He wasn't bumping it getting in because there was also a seat driver outboard. I have it installed in my Pilot with no occupant right now to see if it does it without weight in it. Then I'll try it again with YDS since I weighed ODS today and at 40 lbs, he can't be in a LATCHed seat in my car anymore.
I'm not really trusting the SL until we find out what the issue is. I don't want to have to check the installation of my seat every time I put a kid in it. It's one thing to check once a week, but every time is silly.:twocents:

I have it RFing in an Odyssey captain's chair, and in an 04 Accord, and it has never loosened on me, though I can see how if DD kicked it just right, it could. I wish they had the old style of push button adjusters.

I have tried several times to get a seatbelt install I"m comfortable with RFing, and I just can't get it in tight enough.

I usually don't use LATCH at all, ever. But I do have DD's Radian XTSL installed RF with LATCH (long story) and will probably keep using it that way. I haven't had it loosen at all.

If I do stop using the SL LATCH, it won't be because I'm afraid of it loosening but because I'm starting to be leery of Sunshine Kids in general, and the whole SL thing is a bit bizarre.

Obviously I'm not overly concerned since it's still installed that way. It's just something I'm pondering.