Boosters and the Grand Caravan/Routan

cookie123 · May 11, 2013

Can we revisit this? Hannah might consent to a high back if she can stay outboard back there. It couldn't have a really high seat though. Any thoughts on that? ALso, does anyone know if latch is offset back there off the top of their head?

I finally got a look at the seat belt fit for the Hannah (10) in the back row of the Routan and it is hardly on her shoulder at all in the Walmart booster - the cheap one - I'm forgetting the name. Also, will the shoulder strap thingie help?

Any ideas anyone? I did pick up the Graco Affix yesterday. After lunch I'm going to force them out there to check what's what.

cookie123 · May 11, 2013

Well, darn. DD had to leave with the van to get Hannah. I tried Brett in the Connext in the Prius. The shoulder belt behind the driver seems a bit too much off his shoulder. The adjuster strap didn't help. Actually it seems to loosen after I adjust it. I tried him in the Monterey backless and it was the same. No adjuster strap. I put the back on and it was maybe every so slightly better but he's just about too tall for it. He's at the belt guide.

featherhead · May 11, 2013

You should try the backless that has the odd routing. The shoulderbelt goes over the armrest instead of under. It pulls the belt further onto the shoulder. Unfortunately I forget the name of it.

amyd · May 11, 2013

featherhead said:
You should try the backless that has the odd routing. The shoulderbelt goes over the armrest instead of under. It pulls the belt further onto the shoulder. Unfortunately I forget the name of it.

Topside

cookie123 · May 12, 2013

Thanks. I'll give it a shot. Brett liked the Connext ( I guess I got that, not the Affix - oops!)

Unfortunately they did not get home with the van before I had to go to work. With tomorrow being Mother's Day, and brunch, and work, it will probably be Monday before I have a chance to try and deal with this again.

kater-tot82 · May 12, 2013

I have yet to find a backless that works in the outer backseats in the third row of our Routan. DD1 sits in the middle seat of the third row for that reason. I've tried Harmony boosters, TB backless, topside..none have had good shoulderbelt fit.

I'll be watching this to see if you have better luck!

stephpook · May 12, 2013

I had to put my boostered kids in the second row captains chairs and my harnessed kids in the third row in the GC we rented while on vacation last year for this very reason. I had two backless Turbos for them and the shoulder belt didn't even come close to being in contact with their shoulders and the belt positioning clip did nothing to help.

Phineasmama · May 12, 2013

The Kiddy World Plus and Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro will work in the 3rd row, but I am planning on moving DD1 to the captains chair when she is old enough for a backless- she will probably stay harnessed in the FR90 till then. And hopefully at that point DD2 will be more than old enough to go FFing and I can just have her and DS FFing in the 3rd row together. I really like having one of the captains chairs stowed.

cookie123 · May 12, 2013

I think we should all complain to their customer service.

I shouldn't bother with the topside then? Darn.

kater-tot82 · May 12, 2013

cookie123 said:
I think we should all complain to their customer service. I shouldn't bother with the topside then? Darn.

I wouldn't bother with it. When I tried DD in it, the belt was really far forward from her body still. Not something I was really comfortable with. I would let it go in a pinch, but not for daily use or anything.

cookie123 · May 12, 2013

I'm trying to talk DD into having Hannah stay in the middle rear and having Matt in the secureKid back there with her. They could probably make that work for a year or more til he's 7 , but when Matt is out of his harnessed seat there's going to be a problem.

fyrfightermomma · May 13, 2013

Yeah we've tried them all. They all suck. Can't wait to get a new car

Genevieve · May 13, 2013

I hated that van and was thrilled to get rid of it in march. No backless boosters worked because no matter how the belt is routed at the armrests, it's still a good 3" away from the body.

cookie123 · May 14, 2013

Fabulous. Just what you want to hear when you've made a sacrifice to get a van to safely fit your kids in. And you expect to put your big kids in back and so on.

Phineasmama · May 14, 2013

I didn't know it was so bad for boosters when I bought it either. But it was really the only thing we could afford because we needed to get something newer...

stephie1012 · May 14, 2013

I had it as a rental for 2 weeks. My kids begged everyday for our sienna back. The belts slipped out of the belt guides of their boosters so much. They were so frustrated, every time they went to buckle they had to reroute the belt. And what is with that weird latch location in the 3rd row?

alex9179 · May 16, 2013

cookie123 said:
Fabulous. Just what you want to hear when you've made a sacrifice to get a van to safely fit your kids in. And you expect to put your big kids in back and so on.

Yep. We bought the GC in 2010, when everyone was still in harnesses. I was peeved when the boosters started replacing them and the seat belts weren't working. My 5 yr old will be in a harness forever since my 9 yr old will be 18 before the 3rd row seat belt touches her shoulder!

Stupid design team.

cookie123 · May 16, 2013

I emailed VW and they referred me to the NHTSA, lol!

One more thing. Does the Topside route the belt closer in on the neck? I was thinking maybe then the belt guide would keep it close to the body.

cookie123 · May 17, 2013

Took a quick look at the Topside today at Target. It didn't appear there was a belt positioner. Is that true?

njkj · May 17, 2013

We are having a problem with the belt staying in the guide of DSs Turbo SS in our new T&C For the first time I am glad I have a Monterey with the crappy belt guide so we have a solution for the moment.

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