Chevy Uplander and three car seats

MommaTooters · Jul 9, 2012

I am pregnant with our third and when this baby gets here the older two will still be in car seats. The three year old currently rides rear facing in his Evenflo Triumph Advance, the five year old rides forward facing in his Graco Nautalis, still harnessed. I have three top tethers but one is in the middle of the back row, not the best/easiest place to get to but there is not another top tether in the back.

I had planned to take out one captains chair and put both older boys in the back that way I could get to them easier and out the baby's infant seat in the remaining captains chair...but that won't work since there is only one top tether. The five year old still doesn't know how to buckle himself in his seat with the harness.

This lack of top tethers sure does make it hard for me to decide where to place each of the kids. Anyone have any experience putting three seats in an Uplander without having to go through and obstacle course to get the one in the back buckled up? Do I have the option of having at least one (possibly) two top tethers installed?

katymyers · Jul 9, 2012

In my van I put my two year old and three year old rear facing in the third row and load them through the rear hatch

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MommaTooters · Jul 9, 2012

I've thought about that but I'd literally have to climb in the back of the van and hang over the seat to get them in. I'd rather climb in the regular part of the van! lol

alinae · Jul 10, 2012

I have my uplander configured like this I have 2 RF kids in the middle captain's chairs. A 19mo old and a 4 yo (Evenflo Tribute & Evenflo Triumph Advance 65) than in the back I have a 5yo FF on the drivers' outboard side (yes no tether but it won't work with the seats I have) in another Evenflo Triumph Advance 65, in the middle of the back row I have a 10yo in a seat belt and on the passenger outboard side I have a 7yo in a Evenflo Big Kid booster still in High Back mode. I wish it had more tether options too! If my 7yo ever gets out of a booster I will move the 5yo to the middle for the tether. But I hopefully am buying a honda odyssey with 4 tether anchors so I won't have to worry about it for too long.

MommaTooters · Jul 10, 2012

I really love my Uplander but this tether thing makes me hate it. I know it's not a HUGE deal but it sure is tempting to trade it in so I can make it work a bit nicer for all of us. I just can't seem to get a nice & tight fit without using a top tether.

Brianna · Jul 10, 2012

Do you think the 5 year old would sit properly in a booster?

Also, a top tether isn't used to make an installation secure. You should have less than one inch of movement at the belt path before the top tether is attached.

MommaTooters · Jul 10, 2012

I've tried the five year old in his Nauti without the harness and he rides just fine, maybe one reminder a week to not lean so far forward so his shoulder doesn't come out from under the belt but he does great. He just can't get the belt to the hook by himself. He can undo it just can't fasten it in.

I'm half tempted to put him in the back (not sure where at exactly) and get a new seat for the three (four when the baby gets here) year old that isn't as bulk as the EFTA so it will be easier for me to hop in the back and help the five year old buckle up.

I can't find my Nauti manual right now, so I looked online but the pictures and wording were a little confusing. It wasn't very clear (to me) if you had to use the top tether for the seatbelt booster or not. The picture looked like it was used but the text didn't specify yes or no.

Brianna · Jul 10, 2012

You may use the top tether in booster mode, but it's not required. If you booster him, you can put the middle child in the back row as well. That way you can remove a captain's chair and have easier access to the 3rd row.

MommaTooters · Jul 10, 2012

That's what I was thinking about doing...just haven't fully committed to it yet. I really wanted to see if I could avoid sitting them right next to each other.

I called two dealerships asking about putting in top tethers in our van and both told me it wasn't an option. Well one told me he couldn't get the GM part but might could possibly get another top tether from another vehicle/company and try that. But I'm guessing since GM doesn't make the part for my van that it's not supposed to go there!

Chevy Uplander and three car seats

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