Question LATCH Limit '12 Ody

patterson0711 · Aug 18, 2012

In my copy of the 2011 LATCH manual, it states that Honda has a 40# LATCH weight limit. When I purchased my '12 a few months ago, I tried to find out if the weight limit had changed at all. (No mention of a weight limit in my Ody's manual)

After several very painful & frustrating calls w/ Honda which made me just want to :banginghead: (LOL) they insisted that there was NO LATCH weight limit whatsoever & that I should go by whatever the limit was on my car seat (even 80 or 85# they insisted was perfectly fine).

Now, I was just certified last summer (so I'm still quite new) but I don't recall seeing any cars specifying an approved weight limit anywhere even close to that & we were tought that if nothing was specified then you had to assume it was 40#.

Anyone know for sure?
Thank you!

ketchupqueen · Aug 18, 2012

Did you actually get to talk to the engineers who design the LATCH system? Because that's who SRN talks to to get the information. If you were just talking to CS reps, it's quite possible no one actually had a real definitive answer...

LISmama810 · Aug 18, 2012

If you call Honda's customer service number a dozen different times, you'll get a dozen different answers. I have received as answers: 40 lbs, 48 lbs, 48 lbs (seat plus child), and no limit.

I have never encountered a Honda manual that included a limit of any kind.

When no limit is stated, you are supposed to assume 40.

However, when a parent calls Honda, how is s/he supposed to know that the answer s/he gets is wrong? And if it's coming from the manufacturer, IS that answer wrong? Should we rely more heavily on a third-party source?

I have spoken with the Honda engineer Safe Ride News uses to compile info for the LATCH Manual, and he is adamant that the limit is 40 pounds. That's what I go with.

This issue does epitomize the problems with the current LATCH system. Hopefully changes coming in the near future will eventually eliminate these issues.

ketchupqueen · Aug 18, 2012

Yes. It really does illustrate how parents are given bad/conflicting info by different reps at many companies (not just Honda) and I hope the new changes do help with that. Although there will still be problems with older vehicles...

patterson0711 · Aug 18, 2012

I actually specifically asked to speak w/ an engineer & they absolutely refused & seemed shocked that I even made the request at all. lol

I think what shocked & infuriated me the most about it was that I have never had such a hard time getting a correct answer from any other manufacturer before (I've called Saturn & Volkswagon in the last couple of years about it & about several other installation questions, problems etc... Never had a problem other than being on hold for 5-10 min).

Since I didn't trust their answer in the least, I installed it w/ the seatbelt (I'd never had to do a long belt path install on the Frontier before. What a PITA! lol). Oh well.

I am still just flabbergasted that after multiple phone calls & supervisors "researching it" & calling me back days or weeks later that no one could give me an accurate, evidence-based answer. Their cars are so well-designed & get such great crash ratings. I expect more out of them than this, kwim?

SafeDad · Aug 18, 2012

patterson0711 said:
In my copy of the 2011 LATCH manual, it states that Honda has a 40# LATCH weight limit. When I purchased my '12 a few months ago, I tried to find out if the weight limit had changed at all. (No mention of a weight limit in my Ody's manual)

After several very painful & frustrating calls w/ Honda which made me just want to :banginghead: (LOL) they insisted that there was NO LATCH weight limit whatsoever & that I should go by whatever the limit was on my car seat (even 80 or 85# they insisted was perfectly fine).

Now, I was just certified last summer (so I'm still quite new) but I don't recall seeing any cars specifying an approved weight limit anywhere even close to that & we were tought that if nothing was specified then you had to assume it was 40#.

Anyone know for sure?
Thank you!

You were given information consistent with what I received a year ago. I do not know if it has changed since then. I have discussed this with their regulatory office (that's where the buck stops, so to speak) a couple times in the past.

http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=112514&postcount=17

It would be nice if they could simply put some clarification in their owner's manuals, or at least be consistent and tell SRN that they defer to the child seat manufacturer, as Toyota does.

I suspect this will never be resolved in everyone's mind until we see the new 2014 labeling requirement that puts an actual limit on the carseat (65lbs less the weight of the carseat). The auto makers petitioned for this requirement so they could avoid additional design and testing costs, so presumably they will all endorse it.

patterson0711 · Aug 18, 2012

Thank you!!!

So basically, just keep assuming the 40# limit, huh?

Sigh.....consistant, evidence-based info is just so nice to have.

SafeDad · Aug 18, 2012

I still stand by my comments in the thread I linked. Sad that little has changed in 5 years.

I will try to get another clarification.

Update: http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=2461275&postcount=5

Question LATCH Limit '12 Ody

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