Sienna & Radian questions

Hi all! Thanks in advance for your help!

We have a 2007 Toyota Sienna (8 passenger). We have 4 kids (6, 4, 2, and 6 months). The 4 & 6 year olds are FF in Radians, the 2yo is RF in an Evenflo Momentum 65 , and the baby is RF in a Marathon 70.

A few questions for the experts: ;-)

1) After reading the Sienna Manual, I was under the impression that the 3rd row seatback was supposed to be reclined 11 clicks (basically all the way back) and the 2nd row seatbacks are supposed to be reclined 5 clicks (or about halfway). However, I've read through several threads regarding Siennas in which CPSTs are discussing installations in which the seatbacks are all the way forward. Am I missing something? How should the seats of the car be reclined in both the 2nd and 3rd rows for carseat installs?

2) Is it ok to tether a FF Radian that's in the 3rd row driver's side to the tether point position of the middle seat (3rd row)?

Now as far as configurations...

3) Can I have 2 radians FF outboard in the third row (one is a Sunshine Kids 65SL and the other is a Diono R120) with the new style Marathon 70 RF in the center? (We do seatbelt installs all the way across- no latch installs in the 3rd row)

4) Will either the Momentum 65 or the Marathon 70 fit RF outboard in the 3rd row? And if so, will it fit on either side or only one? (latch is only on the passenger side so maybe that makes a difference?)

Thanks for your help! I've been so careful about carseat installations for years but I'm having a heart attack now after reading all these threads where the seatbacks aren't reclined the way I've been reclining them. Looking forward to more insight! Thanks!

Following this thread. Ours is a 2011 sienna. The manual tells you to recline the seat to the 11th click to install. But never says to bring it back upright... And ours says captains chairs should be fully reclined for install. Again though, never saying to bring them back upright. Also, out manual only makes these specifications with latch install. No mention of seat back location for seat belt install.

Good point MommaMia about latch vs seatbelt installs. Also, I'm sure you already know but I have a second generation Sienna (2004-2010) and yours is a 3rd generation (2011+) so the answers may vary for your situation.

Also, reading your post made me question the manual now. I can't remember which since it's not right in front of me but one row they are all the way back and one row they are halfway. I might have them mixed up and they are like yours above (captains chairs all the way back, 3rd row halfway back. I can check if anyone would like. I'm more concerned with what they are SUPPOSED to be vs how I currently have them. if that makes sense... fussy baby distracting me while I type

Hi,
I have a Sienna 2010 and 4 kids...
1- About the # of clicks: someone here has called Toyota a few months ago to understand why they ask exactly 11 and 5 clicks. The answer: when the seat is reclined by 11 or 5 clicks, the LATCH anchors are more visible so it is easier for you to clip your LATCH connector to the LATCH anchors. It was a suggestion to use these numbers of clicks, not an obligation. I usually use these # of clicks anyway because the recline is the best for my car seats.

2- I have read some thread saying that you can't use the middle thether point for a seat installed outboard. I hope someone will confirm that. The driver's side 3rd row is only suitable for boosters or rf.

For your configuration, I can tell you what is easier for my family:
2nd row, driver's side: baby (rf)
2nd row, middle seat: my kid #2, ff. He is enough old to understand that he can't annoy the baby. You could place your kid #1 or Kid #2 there, depending of witch one would be nice with the baby.
2nd row, passenger side: the seat is in my basement so you get more room in the van.
3rd row, driver's side: kid #3 (rf)
3rd row passenger side: kid #1 (booster) but you could place a ff seat there.

Frenchgirl- That's almost the same setup we are hoping to have. Except oldest in the 2nd row and 2nd oldest in the third row. and all harnessed. otherwise the same I'm hoping I can get the Evenflo RF in the 3rd row but so far we haven't been able to RF any of our seats in the 3rd row because the 2nd row seats are so reclined. I'm hoping it's like you said above that we don't have to! (oh and we also have removed the same seat you did for more space)

As far as the third row driver's side- I know I've read that I can put a FF Radian there, untethered, at my discretion. I'm comfortable with that given the impressive crash test data of Radians untethered in that position. However, I'm hoping to put my RF Evenflo there and avoid all of that completely- just need to confirm I don't need to leave the seat reclined to that specific # of clicks!

I think that the way you count your clicks might be wrong. #1 is all the way up. Then the clicks after that are really really really close to each others. So, 5 clicks in the 2nd row doesn't place the seat OVERrecline. It is slightly reclined; just enough to be confortable for your kids when they are in a ff seat. 11 clicks in the 3rd row gives the same result: a slightly reclined seat.

I've tried a Radian rf and a Myride rf n the 3rd row, driver's side. My radian was thetered to the 2nd row, driver's seat theter point. I think any seat rf could fit there but if you use a seat that doesn't allow bracing, your 2nd row will have to be moved up a bit.

that's how i've counted the clicks as well but it's still reclined enough that it inhibits seat installation there. I'll have to try again. Can I brace a Radian (or any seat that allows bracing) against the back of the 2nd row seats? I know you can't against the driver/passenger seats because of airbags.

For the bracing with the 2nd row, my understanding is that you can. I haven't seen anything in the Sienna's manual. And usually, when it is prohibited, the reason is because of the airbags. There is no airbags in front of the 2nd row as opposed to the driver and passenger row.