1998 Dodge Dakota ext cab pickup + rear facing car seat

U

Unregistered

Guest
Can you put at car seat rear facing in an 1998 Dodge Dakota ext cab pickup? We are looking at buying one.
 
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CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Hi, welcome to car-seat.org?

Can you tell us a little more about the back seat in this vehicle? Is it an actual full size bench seat? Or is it a short (i.e. not deep) bench that folds up? Sideways seats?

I tried googling and it looks like it might be the folup up bench but want to be sure.

ETA: And also, is the front seat a bench or Captain's chairs?
 

Besims89

New member
My father in law has a 2001 dodge ram. The install is tricky to get the recline correct with my son in a RF Safety 1st Guide 65. I have to use two pool noodles to keep it secured but it does work. Not sure how similar the two trucks are.
 

bubbaray

New member
The two trucks are not similar in terms of room.

The extended cab Dakota is VERY un-friendly for child restraint installs. You should be able to get a RFg install behind the passenger but will need to move the front passenger seat quite far up, especially for a newborn recline.

FFg seats are far more problematic. It is a very shallow seat bottom and most seats won't work. Your most upright options are probably something like a Radian or (for a FFg only seat) a Maestro.

Honestly, if you don't already own the Dakota, it is not a vehicle I would recommend trying to install a child restraint in if you don't have to.

GL
 

sunnymw

New member
We have a 2004 extended cab Dakota. I've had a rear facing coccoro, rear facing Radian, forward facing radians, maestros, and nautilus (harness mode only), and FF Myride (you will have to remove the top tether and thread it through backwards)

The FF seats have to be wedged very upright and back to have 80% of the carseat on the vehicle seat.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
My mom has a 1995 Dakota. We could not get a RF seat in it at all. It literally didn't fit behind the driver or passenger, even with the seats all the way forward. And if it was in the middle, it went so far forward that the driver had problems moving their arm to drive. We ended up FF our 12 month old when she had to ride with him. :| She was our babysitter at the time and she did have to take him out with her once a week. I would definitely recommend against getting it.
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
I have this exact truck and its a giant pain in the rear for car seats. I used a RF Roundabout and that was the best fit rear facing. I'm currently using a Maestro for forward facing. The bench of the back seat is only 13.5" deep, and the buckle stalks are super long. It's difficult to get a seat that doesn't overhang too far, can be installed with the buckle stalk length, and fits the small cab.

Alternatively you can shut off the passenger airbag manually and put a rear facing seat in the front passenger seat if you need to.
 

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