Ma Lock offs

Loves2sing

New member
I have heard that it is common for the MA's lockoffs to break. I found out mine are when I tried to use the lockoffs on the MA instead of my mil's caravan's lockoff, (which I HATE!!) What does Britax do about it? is it worth calling them? I don't know if it really is, because besides in my mil's van, I never use them. And I could always use the other captian's chair so that I would be using the opposite lock off instead. What would you do? What have you heard?
 
ADS

lynsgirl

New member
Call and tell Britax the lockoff is broken and they should send you a new one w/out a problem. :)

I haven't done this yet, but I plan to try it - I believe you can now put your RF lockoffs on backward, as in flipping them 180 degrees. Good luck!
 

Loves2sing

New member
Call and tell Britax the lockoff is broken and they should send you a new one w/out a problem. :)

I haven't done this yet, but I plan to try it - I believe you can now put your RF lockoffs on backward, as in flipping them 180 degrees. Good luck!

Thanks!

I am a little confused though. Do you mean install the new lock offs backwards, or just fixing the old one by putting them on the other side of the seat backwards? (that wouldn't fix the old ones anyways, as the lock-off won't even close!) I am almost positive you mean the new ones, but what would be the point? (I am not being sarcastic, I really want to know why you would do it!)
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
Call Britax, they should replace the lock-off, maybe they'll even replace your seat and you'll get to keep the cover you already have :whistle:
 

Loves2sing

New member
Call Britax, they should replace the lock-off, maybe they'll even replace your seat and you'll get to keep the cover you already have :whistle:

I would be SOOOOOO happy if they would replace the seat!!!! Do you think I would get to choose a different cover? Maybe if i lied and told them that neither dh or I know how to use a screw driver?....:whistle:
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
When you call complain about them not issusing new stickers to go to 65lbs and that you are extrememly disappointed in them . . . :whistle: I called and asked about a d-ring strap that I lost and they wanted to charge me $12+$8 shipping :eek: I've heard of people getting them for free so I might call back later to ask again. You might want to call in the morning so they aren't as busy, one time it took 56min to get through for a 2min conversation, thank goodnes for speaker phone! Let us know how it turns out.
 

lynsgirl

New member
I mean putting the new ones on backward. I need to look it up where this was discussed, but it *was* discussed and I believe Britax has OKed it and possibly started doing it themselves (this is my scratchy memory on this one, so I'll be looking it up for you :p ). It's supposed to help with positioning the belt better and keeping the lockoff closed better. Off to look that up ;) .

ETA: Ok, what I'm finding is that at Lifesavers in March, the Britax rep actually did say this - to put them on backward. Also, a retail store received a shipment from Britax that had the RF lockoffs attached in this way. This causes the belt to want to slip more toward the hinge instead of the opening of the lockoff. HTH!
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
ETA: Ok, what I'm finding is that at Lifesavers in March, the Britax rep actually did say this - to put them on backward. Also, a retail store received a shipment from Britax that had the RF lockoffs attached in this way. This causes the belt to want to slip more toward the hinge instead of the opening of the lockoff. HTH!

That's cool.... can you do this with the old lock-offs as well as the new ones?
 

Loves2sing

New member
That makes sence! Because the way they are positioned now, the seat belt is in the way of closing the lock off. I thought that was the problem with mine, until I realized that they won't actually stay closed at all!
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
Thought I'd chime in. I called yesterday morning. The right ff lockoff is broken on my son's '04 Marathon. There really wasn't any conversation or anything. Just a short "That'll be $13, shipping included." I told her I couldn't afford that right now and would have to call back later. Since a few others have had them replaced for free, I will likely try to call again. I posted a similar question in the car seat area last week, and the general consensus was that it never hurts to try, but that with an older DOM like mine, they probably aren't going to replace it free of charge. I LOVE the seat (it was given to me) but I must say, if I had spent some $200+ on it 3 years ago, I would be rather perturbed that this integral part broke, especially since it seems so common. Built-in lockoffs are great, but only if they work! Luckily I have a '99 Civic with switchable belts so I can lock it that way. But occasionally I need to use the seat in a friend's car, and she already has one other seat in there, so I'm at the mercy of which side her seat is on on whether I can use the lock-off or not. And since Britax apparently doesn't allow locking clips, if her daughter's seat is on the 'wrong' side, I'm pretty much, well, up a creek! If they allowed locking clips, that would be different. Because at least then there would be a way to use the seat even it broke. But since they don't, it makes the seat unusable in some situations.

Anyways, sorry I'm longwinded. :D Wanted to share my experience. I'm gonna call again. I also just plain hate having anything broken on a car seat. :(
good luck
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Thought I'd chime in. I called yesterday morning. The right ff lockoff is broken on my son's '04 Marathon. There really wasn't any conversation or anything. Just a short "That'll be $13, shipping included." I told her I couldn't afford that right now and would have to call back later. Since a few others have had them replaced for free, I will likely try to call again. I posted a similar question in the car seat area last week, and the general consensus was that it never hurts to try, but that with an older DOM like mine, they probably aren't going to replace it free of charge. I LOVE the seat (it was given to me) but I must say, if I had spent some $200+ on it 3 years ago, I would be rather perturbed that this integral part broke, especially since it seems so common. Built-in lockoffs are great, but only if they work! Luckily I have a '99 Civic with switchable belts so I can lock it that way. But occasionally I need to use the seat in a friend's car, and she already has one other seat in there, so I'm at the mercy of which side her seat is on on whether I can use the lock-off or not. And since Britax apparently doesn't allow locking clips, if her daughter's seat is on the 'wrong' side, I'm pretty much, well, up a creek! If they allowed locking clips, that would be different. Because at least then there would be a way to use the seat even it broke. But since they don't, it makes the seat unusable in some situations.

Anyways, sorry I'm longwinded. :D Wanted to share my experience. I'm gonna call again. I also just plain hate having anything broken on a car seat. :(
good luck

You know, you raise a very valid point - Britax doesn't allow the use of a locking clip, so a broken lock-off is a safety hazard. Since it's an integral part of the safety of the seat, I think they should have to replace it for free.

For the record, Britax has ok'ed using either one lock-off or both lock-offs.. I'm personally still more comfortable using the one farthest from the buckle, but in a situation like yours I'd use the one that worked.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
You know, you raise a very valid point - Britax doesn't allow the use of a locking clip, so a broken lock-off is a safety hazard. Since it's an integral part of the safety of the seat, I think they should have to replace it for free.

For the record, Britax has ok'ed using either one lock-off or both lock-offs.. I'm personally still more comfortable using the one farthest from the buckle, but in a situation like yours I'd use the one that worked.

That was brought up when I asked about broken lock-offs, last week, but no one seemed to be sure. :) When I read the manual it said use the one furthest from the buckle, but Britax says its ok to use the one right next to it? I've never tried that. SEems like it wouldn't work well with should/lap belt, becuase it comes out like this > and the lockoff would be up higher, I'd have to pull the should portion into a weird higher position to get it into the lockoff. Make sense? I dunno. I'll still try it and see if it seems secure.
Thanks!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
That was brought up when I asked about broken lock-offs, last week, but no one seemed to be sure. :) When I read the manual it said use the one furthest from the buckle, but Britax says its ok to use the one right next to it? I've never tried that. SEems like it wouldn't work well with should/lap belt, becuase it comes out like this > and the lockoff would be up higher, I'd have to pull the should portion into a weird higher position to get it into the lockoff. Make sense? I dunno. I'll still try it and see if it seems secure.
Thanks!

Mmmm, I was thinking rf'ing. I don't know if that would work for a ff'ing install.
 

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