Radian harness pads breaking

**callaroz** · 11-07-2011, 12:30 PM

I ordered a new Radian 65 a few months ago and was shocked by the huge harness pads. I've disliked them since I got the seat. This morning was quite cold (just around freezing) and as I grabbed the straps and pulled them forward to get the little ones arms through, both pads snapped right in half. I grabbed another part of the pad that wasn't broken and just pushing my thumb lightly into it broke that part as well. Has anyone else had this happen? I'm assuming this is because of the cold...I wonder if it is even something they tested. I'll be contacting them regarding this today. What is the best way to contact them? Via phone or email?

**Car-Seat.Org** · 11-07-2011 12:30 PM

**jourdysmom** · 11-07-2011, 12:34 PM

Uh, thats scary! They say you can remove them if you like, but they should definitely not break like that!

**callaroz** · 11-07-2011, 12:42 PM

In the cold they were not at all flexible, they just became hard and brittle. This is the first really cold morning we've had that I've used that seat. Now that I have them inside my warm house they are squishy and flexible again. I've folded the pads right in half and there is no way I could snap them or even rip them. It's good to know I can use the seat without them...I never liked them anyway! I wonder if they are able to replace them with the older style pads.
I've sent an email, so hopefully I get a response! If not I'll try and call them tomorrow.

**Brigala** · 11-07-2011, 12:45 PM

They have replaced them with older style pads for other people who have just called and asked for them. So I think they'll send you those.

I have only seen those pads once. I could not for the life of me get the straps to pass the pinch test with them on, no matter how hard I yanked. The parents decided to remove them and the straps tightened just fine. I am not a fan. Now I'm even less of a fan! I'd be interested in knowing whether this problem spreads as winter approaches.

**callaroz** · 11-07-2011, 12:49 PM

I searched the forums for others with the same problem but came up with nothing. Is this the first winter that they would be used for? My seat was manufactured 01/2011 and I think I ordered it around July. I hope they come through and replace them for me with the older ones. I don't particularly care for my Radians (I have 3), but the only way I can get 3 seats across the back of my van is to have 2 ff'ing Radians and 1 rf'ing Radian.

**Brigala** · 11-07-2011, 12:53 PM

I think they were only produced for a very short time at the start of this year. The ones I have that were manufactured in 10/10 have the old style pads. So when you account for the time it takes for the car seats to move from the manufacturer to the customer, probably very few of them made it into the market before spring last year.

So yeah, I think the real test to see if this is a widespread problem is going to be this winter.

**callaroz** · 12-30-2011, 06:23 PM

Well I finally got replacement pads for my seat, but was never given an explanation, apology, or anything in regards to the pads snapping. This bothers me because the pads appear to be made out of the same material that is on the actual seat.

**callaroz** · 03-04-2012, 06:20 PM

I hate to bring up an old post, but i'm just curious of anyone else heard of this issue since I first posted this
My bigger concern with the harness pads breaking, is that the same padding is used in the actual seat...thankfully I haven't had an issue with that. Although I have yet to take the covers off of my 3 Radians for one last check now that the weather is warming up.

**tiggercat** · 03-04-2012, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by callaroz

I hate to bring up an old post, but i'm just curious of anyone else heard of this issue since I first posted this
My bigger concern with the harness pads breaking, is that the same padding is used in the actual seat...thankfully I haven't had an issue with that. Although I have yet to take the covers off of my 3 Radians for one last check now that the weather is warming up.

Do not try to remove the cover while the seat is "frozen", or the foam around the crotch strap will snap into two pieces with minimal effort. Yes, I know from experience. My harness pads have been fine, though I did remove them when I switched covers because I found them annoying and bulky.
In Canada, anyway, the big covers are optional for rearfacing but required for forward facing, if your seat came with them. I am not sure about American models.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

**callaroz** · 03-04-2012, 07:24 PM

Oh yikes!! Thankfully that never happened to me. Did you complain to Sunshine Kids? Are the new Diono seats the same?

My seat did come with the big harness pads, but after they broke I was sent the old style of harness covers by Sunshine Kids. I was never told that they shouldn't be used forward facing. Can anyone clarify this for me?