Question top tether retrofit in cavalier convertible? or can I FF without?

I have a '98 Chevy Cavalier convertible, I've seen on other threads that normal Cavaliers can be retrofitted with a top tether anchor, but my owners manual seems to imply that this may not be possible in the convertible. It says to use a seat that doesn't have a top tether, but don't they all these days? Has anyone else been able to retrofit a convertible, or does the LATCH Manual say anything about it?
My daughter is currently ERF in a 1st years True Fit Premier seat, but she will have to be turned FF soon. If the car can't be safely retrofitted, can her seat be used safely without the tether?

Top tethering a forward facing harnessed carseat is mandatory if you happen to be in Canada, and optional if you're in the U.S. and using a carseat that doesn't specifically require it. I don't believe your TrueFit requires top tethering, but it is highly recommended to top tether forward facing harnessed carseat if the vehicle is equipped with an appropriate top tether anchor because tethering reduces head excursion, the amount the child's head moves forward/beyond the carseat's protective shell during a crash.

I don't see the Cavalier convertible model listed as an exclusion from being retrofittable in the LATCH manual's Chevrolet section, which is encouraging for you. The only excluded Chevrolet models listed are the pre-1993 Chevy Camaro, and the Chevy Corvette (all Corvettes). You should definitely inquire at your Chevrolet dealership to see if your Cavalier convertible can be retrofitted, and also double check with another Chevy/GM dealership and GM corporate (tel. 800-222-1020) if the first one you contact says no to be verify about any possibility of retrofitting. I can't give you a tether anchor retrofit part number for your car from the LATCH manual, though, because the LATCH manual doesn't include any part numbers for retrofittable GM models as the part numbers tend to change over time, and GM dealerships are supposed to have the current tether anchor retrofit part information. I can however give you the pertinent GM Technical Service bulletin number regarding 1 free top tether anchor retrofit in retrofittable GM models in the U.S. that you'll need to refer the Chevy/GM dealership to: GM Technical Service Bulletin Number 99-09-40-004a dated April 12, 2005. Good luck and fingers crossed you can get the car retrofitted.

Thanks,
I spoke to the local dealership yesterday and the guy was totally clueless. He looked at the car and said he thought they could figure something out for it. (as in makeshift something he thought would be safe!) He wasn't even aware of the existence of an official kit. Needless to say, I was not impressed! Hopefully pointing him in the right direction with the service bulletin will help.
The TrueFit manual isn't very clear on whether the top tether is required or not, and I called Learning Curve too late to reach a customer service rep last night. However, I just spoke to them this morning and they confirmed that the seat can be used without tt so that is an option if necessary, but I'd like to tether if I can.

An update in case anyone else ever needs to know:
After checking the service bulletin the dealer found that the convertible does not have a retrofit kit available because there is no appropriate place to anchor. The back shelf is designed differently than the regular model (because the top folds down into it) and it isn't strong enough to support anchoring. This agrees with what the manual says, and when I called GM the guy pretty much repeated exactly what was stated in the manual.
I went ahead and tried the FF install and I'm happy to say the TFP went in super tight and very easily. It doesn't budge at all-hard to imagine the tether could hold it to the seat back any tighter than it already is in fact- so I feel a bit better about not being able to tether it.
I will be saving up for a nice used minivan before DD2 (due in 1 1/2 weeks!) outgrows the snugride though!

Unregistered said:

I went ahead and tried the FF install and I'm happy to say the TFP went in super tight and very easily. It doesn't budge at all-hard to imagine the tether could hold it to the seat back any tighter than it already is in fact- so I feel a bit better about not being able to tether it.

Click to expand...

I don't want you to feel badly about the top tether, because you shouldn't, but that's not what the tether does. It's not an installation point. You want to get the seat nice and tight like you have it, and THEN tether it. What it does is reduce head excursion. So in a front collision your daughter's head wouldn't travel as far forward. It passes testing without, so don't worry, but it's not there in the least to make the installation more secure.

I'm glad everything was resolved, at least. It's always nice to have everyone on the same page.

Wendy