I hate the new Graco buckles!

fyrfightermomma

New member
So I must be out of the loop and Graco got new buckles??

I got a GN the other day for the in laws car. I got green so I figured Joey can inherit it and I'll give them S's pink one she currently has.

So I gave the seat to them and installed her new GN. She has independently been buckling and unbuckling for close to a year.

She CANNOT even come close to doing the new buckle. Its' driving DH crazy cause both girls have always buckled themselves.

What the heck? What was wrong with the other buckle?

Does anyone see any safety issues with putting the old buckle and tongues on the new seat? Expiration wise does it matter? Like if the buckles and stuff were from a 2008 seat and I put them on a 2011 seat, do I have to replace them when the 08 would have expired?

Anyone else hate these?
 
ADS

NannyMom

Well-known member
Yes, I hate them too. ALOT of people hate them. We told the engineers at Kidz In motion. We told them on their Facebook. We told them via customer service.
 

Kecia

Admin - CPST Instructor
The new Graco buckles are a love it or hate it kind of thing. The Graco rep said they had a lot of positive feedback from parents who prefer the new buckle. I guess if you have a 3 year old who constantly unbuckles himself when he shouldn't, then you're going to love the new style. And if you have an older child who is used to buckling/unbuckling on their own and suddenly can't - well then, you're going to hate it.

I don't think it will be a problem to switch the buckle from the old one to the new one but you might have to swap the whole harness. Call Graco and ask! And yes, age of components needs to be considered.
 

Auntie2Avi

New member
I personally love the new buckle. The old style is hard on my hands. I do not like that the harness seems thinner and twists more easily.
 

JeDeeLenae

New member
Patriot201 said:
New? What does it look like?

I'm interested too. I really like the buckle on my Graco seats, but with the buckles sticking sometimes, I was considering calling Graco for replacements.
 

mcomommy

New member
I am not a fan either, I miss my dd being able to unbuckle herself and buckle herself. She can't do either with the new buckle.
 

msg221

Well-known member
I am disappointed as well. I had no idea that the buckle had been changed until I got a new MR. It's harder for me to buckle AND unbuckle. The buckle tongues don't go in as easily either.
 

Spam

New member
:yeahthat: I also don't like it. The old style would stick sometimes, but the new one is harder to get buckled and unbuckled. The tongues have to be lined up just right. If I used the seat everyday, I'd probably get used to it. I however, have only used it a handful of times and still find it annoying. :thumbsdown:
 

Athena

Well-known member
When searching for info on this, I found this thread from a few months ago. Any updates on this?

I was very interested in the Argos, but then I heard about these new buckles. I keep thinking, it cannot really be that bad so I try it again at the store, try to conquer the learning curve if there is one, and so on. But after several tries playing with it there, I just hate it more. It isn't even about the unbuckling (although that is harder), but the big problem is how dangerously difficult it is to buckle! My DD could not even come close, but even my DH and I found it very difficult. The real problem will occur when someone is in a hurry, does not double check that it fully clicked in, and thinks they buckled it when they did not. Even in this store, I thought I'd pushed hard enough, then when I pulled found it was not actually buckled. Are they kidding? (thanks for letting me vent. ;))

I will certainly be calling them, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if the calls are doing any good. Thanks!
 

hrice

New member
At first I thought the buckle wasn't that bad. But I only played with it once and then installed in my moms van. She was complaining to me about it so I investigated. Holy hell that thing is awful! It is so difficult to engage the damn buckle tongues.
 

gsdguenter

Well-known member
I hate them with a passion! I got a new MR and my mom CAN'T buckle them shut. I struggle, but for my 68ish (lol can't remember her exact age) mom they are impossible.
 

Athena

Well-known member
Glad to know I'm not alone! In some ways the Argos would be the perfect seat to leave in the grandparents car because it could be easily adjusted for either of my kids (and that might convince them to let me leave one in there ;)), but I just cannot do it with that new buckle. Good point about it being harder with age too! If my 30 something DH has trouble with it, then I can only imagine my 60 something parents trying to use it. It makes me sad because there are a lot of things we like about our Nautis, but until they fix this, I am going to try to convince myself to forget about buying Graco.
 

turtlemama

New member
I also hate it and do have to use it multiple times a day. I did find that it got a little easier, but I have to make a concerted effort to check it every single time just to make sure I really did get it buckled.
I learned that it's easier to unbuckle if you push towards the top of the red button. You also have to push in one side of the chest clip before the other, not both at the same time, to unbuckle.
I have broken several nails, unfortunately, trying to buckle and unbuckled this thing. I'm definitely selling it as soon as we have money to get something else.
 

Athena

Well-known member
FYI: I did call and add mine to the list of complaints. The person said she'd pass it along, but I wonder what she really passed along. She clearly did not care or want to hear any details. Oh well, I tried. I'm disappointed I cannot buy Graco anymore, but very glad I have other options. (and really hoping no child is hurt when their caregiver *thinks* they buckled it and does not double check.)
 

msg221

Well-known member
Yep, I cursed the MR this past weekend every time I had to buckle one of the kids in it. The buckle tongues are a royal PIA. It took me a few tries each time to get them in where they would click. I was eyeing that Eliza Argos, then I remembered the new buckle when I was using the MR.
 
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Athena

Well-known member
I forgot the Argos came in a pretty fabric! Thanks for reminding me! (joking)

If not for the buckle problem, I would totally get one. :(
 

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