How tether RF seat in 2011 Odessey?

Unregistered · Jan 26, 2011

I have a 2011 Honda Odessy mini-van. Behind the front passenger seat is a RF Britax Advocate. It is latched. But it's not super sturdy and should be tethered too, according to Britax. BUT, there is no tether point near the floor behind the passenger seat. I need to find some anchor point. I can't! Help! What can I use to tether it?

If I use the tether behind the child seat, then the tether strap goes OVER the seat, blocking my access to get baby in and out, which is very hard as it is and I'm very pregnant.

Reply to bnsnyde at bgsu dot edu (copy to me) as I don't know how to check back yet.

wendytthomas · Jan 26, 2011

Your seat should be tight before you tether it. The tether is optional and not an installation point. It reduces rebound rear facing. You only check for movement at the belt path, or in your case where the LATCH connectors attach to the LATCH bars. If you have less than 1" there, even if there's movement at the head of the seat, it's installed properly.

Do you have the table between the front seats? If so, you can tether to the support for the table (not the angled bit, the part holding the table up in the car). That should work. Or check under your seats for a non moving bar or something to wrap your D ring around.

Wendy

griffinmom · Jan 27, 2011

The way the Honda van is finished out has always been puzzling to me. Surely they must know by now that Britax and Radian can be (but don't have to be) rear tethered. Who puts car seats in minivans? Families with kids in seats. Some times you can pry off one the plastic "finishing" pieces with the parents' permission. I'd never consider it in this cold weather. It is likely to crack.

I always give parents a choice of prying off the plastic pieces themselves to a tether-able location and saying tethering RF is optional.