Question Mazda5 2007 3 rd row shoulder belts?

My kids' dad is looking at a mazda5 to replace his camry and just drove over to show me the older two kids in the car. In the third row, 10 yr old looks fine except that the shoulder belt doesn't even contact his shoulder! It comes out of the seat several inches in front so there is a big gap. So I thought maybe we can booster 5 yr old back there, but the shoulder belt isn't able to retract freely and it just looks wrong (she us in a turbo with him). Vehicle also needs to carry almost 2 yr old RF. So, is it just not a good option? He likes it otherwise and I'd rather know my kids are safe with him as they grow.

I had a similar issue in my Highlander. A different booster might do the trick. I tried a few to find one with the right angle that positioned the belt right and retracted easily. I think a small gap wouldn't necessarily be an issue for an older child, but I'm not sure exactly when a small gap turns into too much slack in the belt!

Unfortunately it's a known problem - Defrost ran into it when she bought hers. Not sure if it was corrected in later model years or not. http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=18200

I can try a different booster, but 10 yr old only fits in the Monterey (and probably FR?) and this needs to be a longer term vehicle...
I remember reading about it before, I guess I was just hoping for a "fix". I guess RF toddler could go back there, but buckling through the hatch wouldn't be too fun.
I might have to suggest he look at different vehicles.

I've posted about this quite a lot; it drove me nuts for a while. There are now more booster options that work than when I first got mine, though. You're right - the Turbo is a horrible fit in the 3rd row. The Recaro ProRide works great, though. I don't think I was thrilled with the Monterey, but it was better than the TB. Basically, any booster that's thick works pretty well, it just needs to sit farther away from the vehicle seatback, which the Graco/Evenflo/Coscos don't do.

I'm trying to remember what all I've tried off the top of my head... the Frontier was good, the Nautilus in booster mode was all right. I don't think the Cybex worked, and I know for sure the old Parkway didn't, and I think the new one was better but I chose the ProRide instead. I feel like I'm forgetting one...

Anyway, I kept my harnessed kid back there (at least they put in tether anchors in all four rear seating positions!) and let the older kids have the 2nd row. I had a Recaro Start for Ricky in the 3rd row until he outgrew it; at the time it was the only thick booster I could find that was also tall enough for him. I also got a custom-made 86Y that I used for a while; it was great, but it's not really necessary now that there are more boosters.

So yeah, I'd say it's a good car for him, it just needs the right seats.

ETA: Buckling through the hatch isn't really that bad!

I wish I'd taken a picture. It definitely looked like there would be a ton of movement before being caught by the seatbelt.

No recaro in Canada.
How hard is it to buckle kids in the third row? Sam has years in a harness.

I don't know much about the shoulder belt issue (my only experience in a 5 was in a 2012) but buckling thru the hatch is SO easy Especially at 2 your RFer should be able to climb in the side door and get back to his seat on his own, then just lean in and buckle.

Lemme guess - it looked like this?





Or maybe as "good" as this?




ETA: Try out the Monterey. Honestly, I love my car so much, it was worth the headache!

More like the second pic, Greg has some bulk at the shoulder already (he is 10, 82llbs, 57 inches).
I am cool with buckling through the hatch, do it all the time in the van when I have daycare baby, but I am relying on a soon to be ex husband to do this over the long term. I don't want him to the kids to easier but less safe options if he feels something is too much of a pita. He has always been great with carseats and safety, but I know some of that was to humour me, and now he might not bother.

I considered this acceptable for my 12-year old (on the right). It looks like maybe an inch at the shoulder.

http://carseatblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HighlanderHybridThirdRow.jpg

It was marginal on my 6-year old with a backless, though.

Wasn't the issue addressed by Mazda and revised in 2009-ish?

I had a 2008 and, yeah, the 3rd row shoulder belts were set waaaaay too far forward. It didn't even fit *me* properly, not even close. And we also had some booster incompatibility issues, though I can't remember which ones (I traded the vehicle in when I was pregnant with #3) specifically - it's been awhile. I do remember the the Monterey being one of them and, I *think*, the OS Parkway.

That said, the 2nd row is pretty awesome, for just about any child seat. Loading and buckling a RF'er in the 3rd row through the hatch would be a much better option, IMO.