Verdict on the S4M :(

arly1983 · Jan 29, 2013

Update: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=240510

I hate that buckle.

I hate so much worse than the maestro buckle that is supposed to be the same buckle. I'm beginning to think there is some belt geometry making it worse on the S4M. It doesn't want to buckle or unbuckle. And we don't eat in the car at all so I know its not crumbs and I have blown it out.

Also, I am not a big fan of harness adjuster. I usually leave it on the same setting and my skinny son just slides in. However, because of the belt geometry it seems like he struggles doing this so I need to loosten it a little and then tighten it. It take a lot of force for it to tighten just a little.

Other than that the cover that keeps sliding off the side of the seat (just like the very first myride covers did-you think they would learn).

Now, I do love that the harness height can be adjusted with one hand and its so smooth. I love the latch connectors when I tried them out and the FFing and RFing install. The bottom slots look nice and low. The top slots are super tall and 70 lbs FFing is good, too.

Its such a nice seat at first glance. I just hate the buckle and harness adjuster just ruin it for me.

So its going into my closet and the radian will be back in my car. I can't stand the buckle THAT MUCH! Its just the pitts to be standing there in the cold with everyone else buckled in and I can't get the S4M buckled or adjusted and I have to lean over one of the other kids to do it. We did have one time where I didn't think it was coming undone but my DH got it (and I don't have long nails).

So we will go back to literider, radian, dreamtime.

I was hoping to pass it down to my baby cousin in the fall but unless graco comes out with a recall I don't see how I can.

ketchupqueen · Jan 29, 2013

I tried Katie Sue in a MySize (same seat) yesterday and had no problem unbuckling. The Graco/Evenflo buckles have known issues that only occur in some seats, and in some cases don't occur for years and then suddenly do. I'd encourage you to make a report on the buckle sticking to NHTSA so they can add it to the body of evidence we're hoping to build that these buckles have issues.

joolsplus3 · Jan 29, 2013

Oh Arly, I'm so bummed for you. People buy these seats at my store like they are the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread and I always caution them that the buckles and crotch straps are an issue in some seats (so far it's only Argoses that get returned with buckles completely unbuckleable....). I just don't get how they can't just "KNOW" how to make decent buckles and harness adjusters on every seat at every price point by now...

LISmama810 · Jan 29, 2013

I sparkly-heart our S4M. I haven't had issues with the buckle, but I do believe those who have. I really hope Graco fixes the problem. They have such a fantastic line-up of seats, and it's really being tarnished by this issue.

stephpook · Jan 29, 2013

This is kind of off topic, but I just got off the phone with NHTSA not 30 minutes ago. I'm sending them my messed up My Ride buckle and tongs. We've had the seat for 15 months, and while I've always hated the buckle because it's a pain, we'd never had a problem with it not unbuckling...until Friday. Couldn't get it unbuckled at all after several minutes of both my husband and I trying on Sunday so I uninstalled the seat and filed a complaint with NHTSA that night. I just sent an email to Graco as well at NHTSA's recommendation and am hoping that they'll send me a new buckle.

I, too, hope that they can get this issue fixed. I've been considering getting a new seat for either of my youngest two for awhile and really like the looks of the Headwise, but I will not buy another Graco seat until and unless this issue is fixed.

arly1983 · Jan 29, 2013

ketchupqueen said:
I tried Katie Sue in a MySize (same seat) yesterday and had no problem unbuckling. The Graco/Evenflo buckles have known issues that only occur in some seats, and in some cases don't occur for years and then suddenly do. I'd encourage you to make a report on the buckle sticking to NHTSA so they can add it to the body of evidence we're hoping to build that these buckles have issues.

Will do!

joolsplus3 said:
Oh Arly, I'm so bummed for you. People buy these seats at my store like they are the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread and I always caution them that the buckles and crotch straps are an issue in some seats (so far it's only Argoses that get returned with buckles completely unbuckleable....). I just don't get how they can't just "KNOW" how to make decent buckles and harness adjusters on every seat at every price point by now...

Its is very strange because I can't ever remember a buckle being like this until now...coscos, evenflos, gracos...The old graco button was probably my favorite. It IS a nice seat until I started using it every day. I can live with the cover and even the harness adjuster but its like the buckle picks the worst possible time to want to be sticky. Weird.

LISmama810 said:
I sparkly-heart our S4M. I haven't had issues with the buckle, but I do believe those who have. I really hope Graco fixes the problem. They have such a fantastic line-up of seats, and it's really being tarnished by this issue.

I know. I loved it when I first got it! I bet with a different buckle or even one that works like my maestro and I would love it again. I also hate that its on every one of their new harnessed seats because they have some really great seats that can fit such a wide range of kids.

Kecia · Jan 29, 2013

I can't help but wonder if the cold somehow affects the buckle. It seems that we started to hear a lot more complaints about buckles sticking once the weather started getting cold. Just a theory -no idea if there's anything to it or not.

VoodooChile · Jan 29, 2013

Our Target finally got a Headwise display and I've been wanting to plunk one or both kids into it, but the more I hear about the buckles, the more I'm afraid to, you know, get a kid stuck in the display seat. Especially since our Target has a "look with your eyes, not with your hands" policy regarding the displays and I'd probably get banned from the car seat aisle.

momtotwogirls · Jan 29, 2013

I tried the Headwise in Target last week and I had a hard time even getting it buckled. its like it has to be at just the right angle.

stephpook · Jan 29, 2013

Kecia said:
I can't help but wonder if the cold somehow affects the buckle. It seems that we started to hear a lot more complaints about buckles sticking once the weather started getting cold. Just a theory -no idea if there's anything to it or not.

My husband and I thought the exact same thing as we didn't start having problems with ours until the cold snap hit last week. Plus, it seemed to work better after I blew warm air into the buckle a couple times. That being said, my seat has been in my house since Sunday evening and the buckle still won't push in right - and I checked it just this afternoon when I took it off the seat to get it ready to send to NHTSA.

Phineasmama · Jan 29, 2013

I seriously just don't get why they can't use the nicer freaking buckles and call it a day. How much more could the IMMI ones possibly cost??

Phineasmama · Jan 29, 2013

I also found it MUCH harder to unbuckle once it was installed in the car with a kid in it vs just playing with it on the store shelf or in my living room. And I could never do it one handed, I had to use two hands to unbuckle every time.

arly1983 · Jan 29, 2013

Phineasmama said:
I also found it MUCH harder to unbuckle once it was installed in the car with a kid in it vs just playing with it on the store shelf or in my living room. And I could never do it one handed, I had to use two hands to unbuckle every time.

I agree.

I also found that true for adjusting the harness adjuster FFing (don't have a rfing kid). It sitting next to me on the floor and the harness adjuster is smooth. In the car with a kid in it and its a total pain.

LISmama810 · Jan 29, 2013

Kecia said:
I can't help but wonder if the cold somehow affects the buckle. It seems that we started to hear a lot more complaints about buckles sticking once the weather started getting cold. Just a theory -no idea if there's anything to it or not.

You better not have just jinxed me.

kaharris83 · Jan 29, 2013

arly1983 said:
I agree.

I also found that true for adjusting the harness adjuster FFing (don't have a rfing kid). It sitting next to me on the floor and the harness adjuster is smooth. In the car with a kid in it and its a total pain.

I didn't keep my 3 S4Ms long enough to have buckle issues, but the harness issue was just awful for me. And when we'd uninstall them and try them in the house, no problems. Install it and try to tighten the harnesses and they wouldn't tighten. It was maddening.

cookie123 · Jan 29, 2013

joolsplus3 said:
Oh Arly, I'm so bummed for you. People buy these seats at my store like they are the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread and I always caution them that the buckles and crotch straps are an issue in some seats (so far it's only Argoses that get returned with buckles completely unbuckleable....). I just don't get how they can't just "KNOW" how to make decent buckles and harness adjusters on every seat at every price point by now...

I just don't understand why so many things haven't been figured out about car seats by now!

ConnorsMommy · Jan 29, 2013

I wanted to like the Headwise at Target and its clone at BRU, but didn't like it. I had my small 11 month old sit in it and the headrest pushed his head forward. It didn't look comfortable. I also didn't like the fact that it had very little padding in the seat area unless using the insert (which eventually has to be taken out for a bigger kid right?). I didn't have any issues with the buckle, but I also was just playing with it in the store.

zactayaus · Jan 29, 2013

Got a Headwise today and I tried the adjuster with a child in it while the seat was installed with chest clip and crotch buckle done up both RF and FF and it was as smooth as butter. So hopefully they've fixed that issue.

The buckle was also super easy to undo but I was told a while back to only press right were the little dimple is (it's center top of the red button and you wouldn't even notice it unless someone told you it was there). Seriously can do it with the greatest of ease. However I do believe that there must be defective buckles out there because of hearing so many people with them getting stuck.

arly1983 · Jan 30, 2013

zactayaus said:
Got a Headwise today and I tried the adjuster with a child in it while the seat was installed with chest clip and crotch buckle done up both RF and FF and it was as smooth as butter. So hopefully they've fixed that issue.

The buckle was also super easy to undo but I was told a while back to only press right were the little dimple is (it's center top of the red button and you wouldn't even notice it unless someone told you it was there). Seriously can do it with the greatest of ease. However I do believe that there must be defective buckles out there because of hearing so many people with them getting stuck.

My seat is a 4/12 Dom so one of the first ones and the base model. I would really hope that your buckle is great because they fixed it. I would hope the same for the harness adjuster, that maybe they changed it somehow.

I do press the button at that spot and it does seem easier than if you pushed it at a different spot. I also have maestro with the same type buckle and no problems with it.

I can not express how much I wanted this seat to work. It made my 3 across so much easier. I am not the original owner but I think I am going to take a chance and call graco. I would pay for a new crotch buckle if it would work.

There may be a cold element involved but since I am in the southern south-east maybe not in our case? The very lowest temps are still in the 30s and not very often

stephpook · Jan 30, 2013

arly1983 said:
My seat is a 4/12 Dom so one of the first ones and the base model. I would really hope that your buckle is great because they fixed it. I would hope the same for the harness adjuster, that maybe they changed it somehow.

I do press the button at that spot and it does seem easier than if you pushed it at a different spot. I also have maestro with the same type buckle and no problems with it.

I can not express how much I wanted this seat to work. It made my 3 across so much easier. I am not the original owner but I think I am going to take a chance and call graco. I would pay for a new crotch buckle if it would work.

There may be a cold element involved but since I am in the southern south-east maybe not in our case? The very lowest temps are still in the 30s and not very often

For what it's worth, I contacted Graco about my My Ride buckle yesterday and was told that their crotch buckles are out of stock. I have no clue if the crotch buckles are interchangeable or if specific model seats use specific crotch buckles so this may not affect the S4Me at all. They're sending me a FEDEX shipping label and offered to replace or refund the seat.

Verdict on the S4M :(

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