Question Use of Britax Marathon 70 rear-facing tether in 2006 Acura TL

cswmum95

New member
This is a partly a vent and partly a question. I bought the Britax Marathon 70 for my 7mo old daughter (who, while still under the weight limit is getting to long for her infant seat) to use in our 2006 Acura TL. She is about 20lbs, and sits up on her own quite well. We decided upon the Marathon 70 as it was highly recommended in just about every baby book we read.

First, the vent. The use of the Marathon 70 in rear-facing mode apparently "requires" a a tether. Trouble is, the only tethers that I know of in a 2006 Acura TL are behind the headrests in the backseat, so you have to pull the tether straps around the sides of the seat to anchor it. That is fine and well, but I am finding it IMPOSSIBLE to get my child into the seat with the tether straps in the way. You can't move the straps, or easily release the tether to get your child in and out. I called Britax and they said that you have to get your child in and out under the straps and that they can't guarantee their seat will be safe without it. They recommended using a floor or front-seat anchor point, but I am pretty sure that my car doesn't have them -- generally only SUVs and vans have this feature.

It is practically impossible getting her in and out now -- I can imagine it would be completely unusable when she gets even bigger. I wish I had known this before buying it -- I am so angry that I am considering returning it for a model that doesn't require a rear tether. I hate how carseat manufacturers just assume that people with kids only drive SUVs and vans these days! (OK, vent is over.)

So my questions are these -- are there tether anchors behind the front seat in a 2006 Acura TL that I seem to be unaware of? And, if not, is it *really* unsafe to use the Britax Marathon 70 rear-facing w/o the tether, considering most other convertible seats don't have them in rear-facing mode???

Thanks so much!
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The tether is optional, not required. I'm surprised Britax told you otherwise.

I'm also surprised they didn't mention the Swedish instructions in your manual. Your seat came with a tether connector strap, since Britax knows that most cars in the US don't have rear facing tether points. You use that to make one. You wrap it around a non moving part of the car down and in front of the seat. Usually a front seat leg. That's the whole point of the extra part.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2upADev-UrM"]Installing a Rear-Facing Tether Connector Strap (D-Ring) - YouTube[/ame]

Very few people here recommend Australian tethering (which is what you've done) because it's a pain. I'd either undo it, or do the Swedish method, as in your manual and video.

Wendy
 

cswmum95

New member
Thanks so much, Wendy! The Britax videos I found didn't go into any tethering installation detail, so this is very helpful.

Unfortunately, the manual that came with our seat was AWFUL. It only showed the Swedish method in a single illustration, and there was completely NO step-by-step illustration as to how to tether it that way. There was no mention of the special loop strap to connect it to the front seat leg, or how to use it. So after a long search in our car for front-seat anchors, we assumed our car wasn't equipped for the Swedish tethering method.

I was surprised that Britax was rated highly in "ease of installation" -- we found the installation steps in the manual to be completely nonsequential and scattershot. Even something as simple as the seat diagram was horrendous -- we *still* can't even find the slot to store the manual, as it is not where the diagram indicates it should be (and we looked all over the front, back and bottom of the seat for it!). I am hoping we sacrificed ease of use for a more safe seat in the Britax. The Graco manual for our infant seat was much, much better.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Sorry, no. All carseats pass the same tests. So provided they're used properly, they're all as safe as another.

I'm guessing you're using LATCH, since it sounds like you didn't pull the cover open to get to the lockoffs. Are you installing in the middle or on the side? The middle of your car doesn't allow for LATCH.

If you pull the cover apart (it flips up from the child's bum, the part with the warning label on it, then the part under that flips out toward the backseat) you'll see the lockoffs, and a sheet of yellow sticking out from a pocket. That's a little cheat sheet, and the manual storage location. It's literally IN the seat.

Wendy
 

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