Question Diono Radian RXT boot doesn't fit well in 2011 Subaru Forester

Gee02

New member
Hi! It's my first post here although I had been reading lots of info in this site. I am really glad to have found this web site! Thanks for helping in advance! :)

I had trouble installing Diono Radian RXT rear facing in my Subaru Forester 2011. It's the back seat bight where the diono boot is supposed to go in. The boot won't really fit there because it actually looks like it's blocked except the anchor area. I actually just put the boot tightly as much as possible and the car seat is now firmly installed. Now I am worried it will ruin the back seat because the boot will eventually push the cloth and rip it (and maybe the installation will get loosen up sometime later).

Is there any suggestions to improve with this problem?
Do you know if I can install it without the boot? I guess the boot NEEDS to be there to be safe but I am curious. I want to keep the car as clean as possible because I am leasing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! :)

JY
 
ADS

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Welcome to car-seat.org! I hope we can help you figure out how to make your situation work.

I don't have specific experience with Subarus, but my general recollection is that Subarus and rear-facing Radians don't get along very well. This could be why, but I'm not 100% positive so hopefully someone with experience will chime in.

That being said, I'm not entirely sure I'm imaging correctly what you're saying. Can you take a few pictures to show us? Show the seat from the side, show how the boot is sitting against the seat bight, and show from the top or side if the front of the seat (where the child's feet would be) is touching the vehicle seat back. To attach a picture click on the little paperclip symbol along the top tool bar, and it's faster if you reduce your file size to something not huge :)

You absolutely MUST have the boot on for rear-facing, there is no negotiation there. If by chance it won't work in your vehicle we can help you find something that will. While you're replying, can you share the age and weight of the child this seat is for, and if anyone else needs to fit in the back seat?
 

AutumnGoddess

New member
I also have a subaru wrx impreza. more of a sporty car. and i never had my Diono RF. I did have a combi cocorro RF and FF and fit good. that is why i got it. Now my Diono is FF for my son. I do not think it would fit RF in my car
 

Gee02

New member
Thank you all for your replies. I tried to figure out how to write quick message on this thread but it looks like it doesn't work. So I am doing 'reply to thread' if I am doing it correct.

I bought Diono car seat to install rear facing as long as possible for my 22lb and 32" daughter. She just turned 2 years old last week, and she's our first and only daughter so there will be only one car seat in the back.

To Pixelated's suggestions, I tried to take pictures of the area I am referring to. I took the picture of the other side (driver's side) of my car so it shows how the bight looks like without the car seat. If you look at the blue circled area, there is this blocked clothes(?) which prevent the diono boot fit nicely.

3.jpg

You know, the Diono boot is a bit sharp (refer to the image below I captured from you tube below).

4.jpg


So this sharp Diono boot needs to go into the this blue area but Subaru has this wide bight and Diono boot won't go in. Instead, it will press the clothe area very hard. Well, I tried to tighten it as much as possible so the car seat is very tightly installed and moving less than 1" from side to side, back and forth.

1.jpg
2.jpg

Now, the boot is pressing very hard on the blue circled area and I am worried the clothes of the Subaru will be ruined eventually.

I am kind of thinking I can reduce damage by putting some towels between the car seat and the bight. Any thoughts?

Thank you very much!

JY
 

creideamh

Well-known member
I'm still a little confused so hopefully someone else will jump in... but you only install with either LATCH or seatbelt, not both.
 

Dorothy

New member
You are concerned the toes of the recline boot will poke holes in your upholstery/vehicle seat. Am I understanding your concern correctly? If so, you can typically use a very thin towel in a single layer under your carseat to help protect the vehicle seat. You cannot use a rolled or folded towel with your Diono. Also, I just wanted to highlight what pp said- only LATCH or seatbelt, not both.

This is a great place to get all of your questions answered. We are glad you're here. Welcome! :)

Sent from my phone using the app :)
 

Gee02

New member
Sorry to have caused the confusion. Yes, Dorothy is correct about my concern of the boot poking the upholstery. So I guess i will try with hin layer of a towel or something. Maybe it's the best I can do. :(

Just another question. So Latch or seatbelt cannot be used together? I just thought it would be extra safety that if the Latch doesn't work by any chance, the seat belt would do its job. Is there any reason why they shouldn't be used together?
 

creideamh

Well-known member
Yes- the seat is not tested with both LATCH and seatbelt together. A lot of things could happen... it could be fine, or it could put too much pressure on the seat and end up breaking. We just don't know. But what we do know is the seat has passed testing with EITHER seatbelt or LATCH, and your child will be very safe in a properly installed, properly used car seat (especially RFing!)

I wouldn't worry too much about the upholstery. I've installed a lot of seats super tightly, and the car fabric has always bounced back. May take a week or two, but it does.
 

Gee02

New member
Yes- the seat is not tested with both LATCH and seatbelt together. A lot of things could happen... it could be fine, or it could put too much pressure on the seat and end up breaking. We just don't know. But what we do know is the seat has passed testing with EITHER seatbelt or LATCH, and your child will be very safe in a properly installed, properly used car seat (especially RFing!)

I wouldn't worry too much about the upholstery. I've installed a lot of seats super tightly, and the car fabric has always bounced back. May take a week or two, but it does.

I see. I will remove one of them. Thanks very much all for your replies. It helped me a lot! :D
 

Cryssy Jane

New member
AutumnGoddess said:
I also have a subaru wrx impreza. more of a sporty car. and i never had my Diono RF. I did have a combi cocorro RF and FF and fit good. that is why i got it. Now my Diono is FF for my son. I do not think it would fit RF in my car

Slightly off topic but yes you can rf a radian in a wrx. I have an 06 sedan and have done many many rear facing and three across combinations.

Please excuse the silly faces it's their new 'thing'. That was the current setup in my 06 for a while. 2 rear facing radians (one a sunshine kids radian 80sl, the other a diono rxt) and a graco nautilus.

Eta: both seats are two clicks up from the very back of the seat track and mostly straight backed.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org
 
Last edited:

Suberclues

CPS Technician
Sunshine Kids/Diono seats do not play well with Subaru. However, for my husband's wagon, I was able to get my hands on an older boot (pre-2008). It fits SO MUCH BETTER, and may work for you.

Unfortunately, I am getting an error message when I try to upload a picture of the old boot and the new boot next to each other. Sorry about that.
 

Cryssy Jane

New member
Sunshine Kids/Diono seats do not play well with Subaru. However, for my husband's wagon, I was able to get my hands on an older boot (pre-2008). It fits SO MUCH BETTER, and may work for you.

Unfortunately, I am getting an error message when I try to upload a picture of the old boot and the new boot next to each other. Sorry about that.

Bolded. I disagree completely. It's all about working with the seat you have and the space you have to work with. I'd say about 80-90% of all the cars I'm done checks in are all various subaru models (typically foresters, outbacks and imprezas, both wagon and sedan). Being hugely involved in the subaru community (hello nasioc and subiegirls;)) a ton of subaru enthusiasts come to me regarding subie questions and I have been able to help them through nearly all potential issues they may be experiencing. I have only had one issue in any of those vehicles when rear facing a radian and that was the very first time I attempted in an 2002 forester and was very unfamilar with the vehicle. The one thing that busts my buttons is when someone comes onto a board and takes full claim of being 'right' and that their experience must be typical of all similar vehicles. Sure there have been minorly difficult situations but it's always worked out correctly in the end. By generalizing that radians and subaru's do not play together well is untrue for the most part.
 

emilysusan

New member
When I was researching carseats for my Subaru I was super intimidated by all the negative comments about radians in Subarus. Luckily, I tried it anyway, and it installs really nicely. So I agree, the Subaru/radian paranoia can be detrimental and scare newbies like me off from buying a really great seat.
 

Suberclues

CPS Technician
I love this forum because we have such a diversity of experiences. I think it is great that we can all ask questions and get helpful advice that makes our children safer.

It is great that we have a Subaru expert here. I think it is too bad she didn't offer any helpful advice. Keep in mind ladies, we are here to help. It is not helpful to tell someone that it can be done, and leave them questioning themselves as to why they cannot do it themselves.

Not trying to be rude. I just want to remind everyone that it doesn't matter how great of a tech you are, if you cannot empower the parent to install the seat themselves, they are no better off.
 

Cryssy Jane

New member
Never mind. Not worth the drama. Please note that the thread is from August. Also there was no further question when the thread was resurrected. It was a blatant statement and a person disagreeing with your statement. Neither of which really had anything to do with op's thread.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Suberclues, if you are having Radian/Subaru difficulties, please feel free to start a thread in the installation forum. We'd be happy to help you through it. As Cryssy said, they are usually quite doable, and now that the angle adjuster is out it makes it a LOT easier. Before the angle adjuster it could be done, but it was a blood sweat and tears job. Now with the adjuster it's easier. I've found that often (this is in the center, btw, with the seatbelt), you need to twist the female end of the buckle a couple of times, and then use an angle adjuster. On the sides it's a bit easier, as I recall. However, when I have Radian and Subaru questions, I ping Cryssy. I've installed quite a few Radians in quite a few Subarus (she and I live near each other, and about 22% of all my carseat checks are in Subarus. They've rather overrun our area). I can do it. Cryssy can do it in her sleep. However, it is not the easiest and most intuitive installation there is out there. It takes time and practice, and often a tech to help show you through it. Not any ole tech, but a tech familiar with the ins and outs of the quirky beast called the Radian, and ideally one who knows Subarus as well. Oh, and get an angle adjuster. Seriously, it'll make your life easier.

Wendy
 

canadiangie

New member
I work in way too many Subarus. Yes, Radian and Subaru can be just fine. As pp said, an experienced tech is a lifesaver, and it's not an easy-breezy install for the most part. Outboard with LATCH and AA makes life easier, middle with twisted belt stalk, locking clip, and AA is my typical modus operandi if parents are tall and request having the most front seat space possible. :)
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
Also keep in mind that discussions happen outside a thread. An in depth walk through is often better felt with by sending a private message to someone asking a question to give them a private email addy we don't want immortalized on a searchable page. This forum has a limit for attaching pictures so other means of communication are sometimes more practical for the really tough issues that need lots of visuals.
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top