WTH? This can't be right!

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

Update in post #15.

I bought a Onside Air for DD. Just got back with it and was playing around with it and when I tried her in it I discovered that when the recline stand is flipped forward for RF it is right on top of the harness! It's continous harness so that is so not going to work. I've spent that last half hour messing with it and it is where it is and simply doesn't work. What the heck? Should I call Dorel?

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

Just got off the phone with Dorel. They didn't believe me. They said they played around with one there (while I was on hold for 15 min.) And the only thing that could get caught is if the splitter plate is on top of instead of under the recline stand. Um no. The recline stand rests right on the continous harness. I had to send pictures.

I so freaking give up on finding seats for my kids. I'm just never going to drive anywhere.

mamakc · Feb 20, 2012

Can you share a picture? Is it actually getting stuck and causing the harness to not tighten properly?

featherhead · Feb 20, 2012

Could you post pictures here? There used to be a "spike" on each side, which the harness needed to be behind (this was for the Scenera). Now it's just a bit of a round bump. But if the harness is behind that bump it should be fine.

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

These are what I sent dorel. If the harness would stay on the other side of the recline stand it would be fine but it doesn't stay there, it keeps wanting to slip back under the recline stand.

lorismurph · Feb 20, 2012

That is strange. Does it interfere a lot with a child in the seat when you try to adjust it? The harness doesn't tend to slide a lot back & forth right there. Maybe it will hold it in place so the continuous harness will stay put and not get lopsided.

I would not think that it is supposed to be that way though.

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

lorismurph said:
That is strange. Does it interfere a lot with a child in the seat when you try to adjust it? The harness doesn't tend to slide a lot back & forth right there. Maybe it will hold it in place so the continuous harness will stay put and not get lopsided.

I would not think that it is supposed to be that way though.

Yeah, it interfers huge. I cannot get the harness to move side to side AT ALL with it like that.

I thought about it holding the harness in place but I so don't want to take the risk of it becoming uneven and having to unistall and reinstall in some parking lot somewhere, KWIM?

glockchick · Feb 20, 2012

I posted here about that quite a while back with the Scenera. It's just the way the seat it. I hate it. It's even worse installed with a kid in it putting pressure on that area.

Brigala · Feb 20, 2012

I bet it's defective. Can you take it back to the store and exchange it? Maybe they'll let you test out a different one to see if it has the same problem before you take it home.

I think Dorel has some Quality Assurance issues going on.

Keeanh · Feb 20, 2012

Not a defect. That's just how they are. I've never found it a big problem, to be honest. I find it one of the easiest seats to use the adjuster RF, so I don't pull the harness back & forth except to even up the straps if necessary.

If this is a seat you're going to use every day, then I would get another one if this is going to drive you nuts. Who is this for? From your siggy it looks like they all have seats.

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

Keeanh said:
Not a defect. That's just how they are. I've never found it a big problem, to be honest. I find it one of the easiest seats to use the adjuster RF, so I don't pull the harness back & forth except to even up the straps if necessary.

If this is a seat you're going to use every day, then I would get another one if this is going to drive you nuts. Who is this for? From your siggy it looks like they all have seats.

Yeah, no way can I deal with it like that, it'll drive me nuts.

Seat is for my DD. She has a MA65 in DH's car and is riding in a SR30 in my van. But in like 7-8 weeks I'll need the SR30 for a new little one.

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

glockchick said:
I posted here about that quite a while back with the Scenera. It's just the way the seat it. I hate it. It's even worse installed with a kid in it putting pressure on that area.

Huge design error, IMO. It's just nuts.

Keeanh · Feb 20, 2012

You've probably covered this elsewhere, but what about the XTSL for DD & a new seat for DS2?

If you've decided on a new seat for DD, how about listing everything you HAVE tried so far.

purplemama · Feb 20, 2012

Keeanh said:
You've probably covered this elsewhere, but what about the XTSL for DD & a new seat for DS2?

If you've decided on a new seat for DD, how about listing everything you HAVE tried so far.

LOL, yeah, I've had a few threads.

XTSL is for DS2 in DH's car. I'm hunting for a seat for him too.

Back story: I had the MA65 and XTSL in my van, DH had nothing because he never drives them. DH decided he wanted seats "just in case". The MA65 and XTSL go in his car and I start the hunt for new seats for my van. In the meantime DD is in the new baby's SR30 (gonna need that soon!) and DS2 in a Maestro I got at Target for $25 (I don't like it).

For DD I've tried MR- she fit terribly http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=212821. RA50 & MA70 - those are both pretty reclined in my van, I'd prefer something a little more upright but I'm probably going to go with the MA70. This current no go with the onside air and the CA - didn't like her fit. She's really tiny and doesn't fit good in some seats.

For DS2 I've tried the Maestro - I don't like the head slump and the harness. The Nauti - he refused to ride in it and I was pretty sure he'd have head slump anyway. The CA is okay, again don't like the harness and I'm po'd at dorel for designing stupidly right now

. Also tried the MA70 and it was IDK, weird for FF. NO classic Britax FF for us so no on the MA65 and RA50 for him.

I'm sick and tired of the buy, try, return I've been doing and I'm sure the credit card company is too. And it feels kinda wrong even if the store just reshelves and sells.

I'm just going to go with the MA70 for DD. She'll just be nice and reclined. As far as DS2, I just don't know. I need to just settle on something for the sake of my mental health, this is really getting to me. Plus installing seats 32 weeks pregnant is getting to be too much. I'm just done with not having permanent seats.

purplemama · Feb 21, 2012

This is the email I got back from dorel.

Thank you for the pictures. The pictures show the car seat straps are threaded correctly. The strap that the kickstand is resting on is not supposed to move when adjusting the harness. We would like to troubleshoot to determine why the adjustment strap will not adjust in rear-facing. We have some additional questions for you.

1) Does the seat adjust normally while forward-facing?

2) Does the adjustment strap appear to be fraying?

3) Does the splitter plate appear to be getting caught on something or does it move back and forth easily?

4) Which direction (up, down, left, right, or straight out) do you pull the adjustment strap when attempting to tighten it?

If you require additional assistance, you can also contact our Consumer Relations Department at 800-544-1108, Monday - Thursday from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST and Fridays 8:00 - 4:30 PM.

So with a continous harness I'm not suposed to be able to move it side to side? Even when the harness is uneven? WHATEVER dorel.

Pixels · Feb 21, 2012

Just because it has a continuous harness doesn't mean you're supposed to be able to move it. I have other seats with a continuous harness and I can't move them usually. One, I have to take the seat out, turn it over, pull a little slack over here, move the slack over there, repeat. Another seat I can move it, barely, if I pull really hard.

Just make sure the harness is even before you install the seat. Then treat it like a terminal harness. No big deal. :shrug-shoulders:

MommyShannon · Feb 21, 2012

Yeah, I would buckle it and tighten all the way before installing. That should make it even. Then it will stay even.

Baylor · Feb 21, 2012

I would get rid of it and get something different. It would irk me too much.

auto correct hates me

purplemama · Feb 21, 2012

Pixels said:
Just because it has a continuous harness doesn't mean you're supposed to be able to move it. I have other seats with a continuous harness and I can't move them usually. One, I have to take the seat out, turn it over, pull a little slack over here, move the slack over there, repeat. Another seat I can move it, barely, if I pull really hard.

Just make sure the harness is even before you install the seat. Then treat it like a terminal harness. No big deal. :shrug-shoulders:

Sorry, to me it is a big deal. I would not like to be in a parking lot somewhere and have the harness become uneven and have the weather be bad and have to unistall and reinstall with my kids screaming at me the whole time. I'd really rather avoid that situation.

It's a design flaw, IMHO. I've had seats with a continous harness and it moves freely side to side. An avenue and a titan. And people on here talk about how a continous harness is okay because you just pull one side out longer to help get the kid in and out. And to make sure you even out the harness. How can you even out the harness if it doesn't move?

It's fine if some people don't have a issue with a continous harness that won't move. It's fine if some people don't mind messing with it if it becomes uneven. I'm not one of those people. We all have what we like and don't like about seats. We all have things that we can deal with and things we can't.

purplemama · Feb 21, 2012

Baylor said:
I would get rid of it and get something different. It would irk me too much.

auto correct hates me

I plan on it.

WTH? This can't be right!

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