Should I make a sign?

Not sure if this is the right spot, but I've got a question.

We just turned DS2 back RFing in his XTSL in a Sienna. The seat is in fine, I've adjusted the passenger seat as far back as it can go without having the RN touching the seatback or headrest. DH is up to speed on the fact that he can't move his seat farther back, and is OK with this for the time being until our angle adjuster arrives in January... late to the party, I know.

However, every time he takes the van out and has a passenger, he never tells them they can't move their seat back, regardless of whether DS is in the RN or not. And every time, without fail, I'll go out to take the car after DH has had it and the passenger seat is jammed into the RN. DH doesn't move the driver's seat, but NEVER explains to his passengers - family and otherwise - that they can't move their seat.

Should I just make a sign and tape it to the glovebox?? I clearly cannot rely on DH to explain the safety issues... I think he's just embarrassed that our 2.5 year old is RFing in a part of the world where we routinely see kids boostered at age 3.

WWYD, when DH knows the issue but doesn't bring it to light? Is a sign overkill??

What year is your sienna? Mine 2004 doesn't have any sensors so I always had the front seats back as far as they go.

Can you move the radian behind the driver instead?

I'd say either make a sign, or move rfer(s) to the third row.

I have a sign in my car right now. Also waiting on a wedge to eliminate this issue. I also try to remind people, but the sign is there for back up. No one has had a problem with it yet and I doubt anyone will.

(and yay VT!)

Smear Vaseline on the seat adjuster? That would get their attention!

Do you have two RFers? Is that why the seat in question is not behind driver's side?

If it has to be passenger side, yes, a sign MIGHT help! Good Luck!

tjham said:

Do you have two RFers? Is that why the seat in question is not behind driver's side?

Click to expand...

I would ASSume (but correct me if I am wrong) that it is in the middle, since she mentions her husband understands he can't move his back. So I would guess that it touches both front seats.

I'd definitely make a sign...and explain to your husband also that its not for your child's safety that the seats can't touch, its for the PASSENGER'S safety. If the seat puts pressure on the vehicle seat in front of it, the sensors read that as extra weight, and in a crash the airbags will deploy with more force since the seat 'thinks' there is a heavier person there than really is (therefore more likely to injure the passenger) than they would if the seat wasn't touching and the sensors sensed the correct weight of the passenger.

And Sienna sensors, at least in my '08 are SENSITIVE...when my front seat is empty, if my 6 year old just puts his feet on the seat back (without really pressing) the alarm turns on alerting me that there is supposedly a passenger in the front seat that doesn't have a seatbelt on.

Yes, two RFers, middle row captains chairs, installed center and driver's side. DS2 is in the center, DS3 behind me, the primary driver. It is set up this way so that my 4.5 year old can get to the way back in his Frontier, passenger's side, 3rd row. I've also got the captain's chair installed in the center so that I can easily un- and redress the kids in their coats behind the passenger side when we unload at preschool come January when it's hovering around zero in the AM.

It's a 2010, so sensitive sensors.

I hadn't thought of moving him to the way back. Hmm. I might tinker with that on Tuesday morning when I have some down time.

Sounds like a sign - or the vaseline if it's my BIL in the passenger seat p) - is in order until that angle adjuster is handy next month though. I so wish I'd been quicker on that now. Thanks all.

(and thanks for the shout out for VT, cmm7! we love it here!)

Thanks all -

Yeah, I'd do the sign too. FWIW, I can't believe someone is rude enough to move a vehicle seat without asking first. It's someone else's property and you shouldn't be adjusting it, KWIM?

It happens in my dh's car too when he drives people out to lunch and they usually adjust the seatback so far reclined that when I get in, I feel like I'm falling in the backseat. Dh gets an earful from me about it .