B
billcat901
Guest
First time posting here, though I have read a lot of posts in the three years since I became pregnant with my daughter. I hope I'm posting to the right area.
Our RF Radian 80 touches the back of the front seats in our new Subaru Outback '11.
My understanding when I was researching this (before buying the car) was that it was all right for the car seat to touch the back of the front seats if all of the following held true (and they do, in my case):
Furthermore, my understanding is that the reason some carseats should not touch the back of the front seats in some cars is that some cars' weight sensors for the pressure of airbag deployment can be confused by the weight of the carseat pressing against the back of the seat.
I asked my SIL, who had car seat installation training for her job (RN in a neonatal ward), to look over the install (as we always do). She said it looked and felt like a good install. Then my husband asked her about the back of the seat touching the back of the front seats. I told her that the manuals didn't say anything against it.
She called the next day because she had asked one of her colleagues about it. He said that it doesn't matter if the manuals don't have warnings, rearfacing carseats should never touch the back of the front seats - no matter what. His reasoning had nothing to do with the air bags; his concern was that the force of the front passenger(s) against the car seat would be dangerous for the car seat occupant.
This is mainly my car, and I can probably manage driving it without the seats touching, but my husband is 6'4" and there is no way he can be in the front of the car without the seats touching.
My main question is: When someone receives conflicting advice from car seat techs (I am assuming he is a car seat tech), is there any authority one can consult for a reliable answer? Is there a printed guide or book that is used in the training of car seat techs? Or anything that I can read, watch, person I can ask that can tell me without a doubt that he is mistaken (if he is)?
My secondary (and more technical) question is: Does the scenario I described above sound correct? Again, it's a Radian 80, RFing in a Subaru Outback '11; the back of the carseat touches the back of the front seat(s). The seat is very stable and tight without touching the back of the seats, but the seats have to touch in order for my husband to be in the car.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Our RF Radian 80 touches the back of the front seats in our new Subaru Outback '11.
My understanding when I was researching this (before buying the car) was that it was all right for the car seat to touch the back of the front seats if all of the following held true (and they do, in my case):
- The carseat manual does not advise against it.
- The car manual does not advise against it (in the air bag section, seat belt section, or the child restraint section).
- The position of the carseat against the back of the front seats does not affect the recline or stability of the carseat.
Furthermore, my understanding is that the reason some carseats should not touch the back of the front seats in some cars is that some cars' weight sensors for the pressure of airbag deployment can be confused by the weight of the carseat pressing against the back of the seat.
I asked my SIL, who had car seat installation training for her job (RN in a neonatal ward), to look over the install (as we always do). She said it looked and felt like a good install. Then my husband asked her about the back of the seat touching the back of the front seats. I told her that the manuals didn't say anything against it.
She called the next day because she had asked one of her colleagues about it. He said that it doesn't matter if the manuals don't have warnings, rearfacing carseats should never touch the back of the front seats - no matter what. His reasoning had nothing to do with the air bags; his concern was that the force of the front passenger(s) against the car seat would be dangerous for the car seat occupant.
This is mainly my car, and I can probably manage driving it without the seats touching, but my husband is 6'4" and there is no way he can be in the front of the car without the seats touching.
My main question is: When someone receives conflicting advice from car seat techs (I am assuming he is a car seat tech), is there any authority one can consult for a reliable answer? Is there a printed guide or book that is used in the training of car seat techs? Or anything that I can read, watch, person I can ask that can tell me without a doubt that he is mistaken (if he is)?
My secondary (and more technical) question is: Does the scenario I described above sound correct? Again, it's a Radian 80, RFing in a Subaru Outback '11; the back of the carseat touches the back of the front seat(s). The seat is very stable and tight without touching the back of the seats, but the seats have to touch in order for my husband to be in the car.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!