Any vehicles have lower anchors but no top tethers?

zactayaus · Oct 11, 2013

Title says it all.

NannyMom · Oct 11, 2013

Some convertibles. The VW Beetle convertible for one.

zactayaus · Oct 11, 2013

NannyMom said:
Some convertibles. The VW Beetle convertible for one.

My latch manual says the convertible Beetles have the top tethers on the backs of the seats and that you must fold the vehicle seat forward to access them.

zactayaus · Oct 11, 2013

Ok, and after browsing through my manual I did find one, the Audi Cabriolet convertible. Says TA's not required. Hmm, very interesting.

ETA: And I've now found several others including BMW, Chevy, and Ferrari. Wow, I'm a little bit in shock. lol.

carseatcoach · Oct 11, 2013

I'm pretty sure that some seats require the top tether if the lower anchors are used. So some seats would need seatbelt installs in these vehicles.

TechnoGranola · Oct 11, 2013

A tech on another thread said that LATCH is a system and must be used together. The comment confused me a bit since it can't be used together RF for most seats. In Canada at least we have to use the top tether so we wouldn't be able to install any harnessed FF seat in those vehicles using the lower anchors. We would be able to install a RF seat or an anchored booster.

carseatmama007 · Oct 11, 2013

My parent's 2000 Montana has top tethers but not lower anchors (so, opposite of what you're asking) - I do not use the "system" together since I have to do a seatbelt install but I use the top tether.

TechnoGranola · Oct 11, 2013

carseatmama007 said:
My parent's 2000 Montana has top tethers but not lower anchors (so, opposite of what you're asking) - I do not use the "system" together since I have to do a seatbelt install but I use the top tether.

I wasn't clear. The tech on the other thread said if you use lower anchors, you must use the top tether as well as a system. Here in Canada we had top tethers way before we had lower anchors. My 1989 vehicle had a top tether.

cryswilkins · Oct 11, 2013

There is a small handful of vehicles but they are mostly oddball convertibles and luxury cars. I've never come across one "in the wild".

Sent from my iPhone and probably NAK, please excuse my typos.

tl01 · Oct 11, 2013

VW EOS convertible. Installed a nautilus in it using the seat belt.

Patriot201 · Oct 12, 2013

Techno is right that top tethers have been around longer than lower anchors. (in the US, too).

My car has lower anchors, but it might as well not have them because they are a PITA to access.

joolsplus3 · Oct 12, 2013

This is interesting... ". Radian and SuperLATCH™ are designed with exceptional strength so that top tether use is never required – even at 80 lbs."
http://us.diono.com/resources/safety-info

Anyway, yeah, mostly convertibles don't have top tethers, and the LATCH without top tether is the same as the 'misuse' standard for all seats with just a lap belt...32" HE without a top tether (after all, most LATCH straps ARE just a glorified lap belt

)
Ideally, it IS a system that should always be used together, and many of us probably have heard it explained that way in our classes. Very few top tethers in Europe, the Isofix on their carseats is generally rigid and doesn't require it (would someone correct me if I'm wrong, please?)

glockchick · Oct 12, 2013

TechnoGranola said:
I wasn't clear. The tech on the other thread said if you use lower anchors, you must use the top tether as well as a system. Here in Canada we had top tethers way before we had lower anchors. My 1989 vehicle had a top tether.

I think maybe you're talking about me? I meant forward facing.

We were taught in class that FFing you had to use top anchor if you used the lower ones and that it was a system; that lower anchors did not exist without top tether anchors. However, top tethers can be used with a seat belt.

_juune · Oct 12, 2013

joolsplus3 said:
Very few top tethers in Europe, the Isofix on their carseats is generally rigid and doesn't require it (would someone correct me if I'm wrong, please?)

If a FF isofix carseat has no top tether, it usually has a support leg instead, which is an anti-rotation device, too. There are a few exceptions that have neither, though.
Yeah, and there should be plenty of cars over here that have isofix anchors but no top tether anchor, because isofix became mandatory in new car models in 2007, but top tether anchors only in ... 2013

TechnoGranola · Oct 12, 2013

glockchick said:
I think maybe you're talking about me? I meant forward facing.

Hmm..I don't think it was you. I'll see if I can find the thread as maybe they can chime in too.

ketchupqueen · Oct 12, 2013

glockchick said:
I think maybe you're talking about me? I meant forward facing.

We were taught in class that FFing you had to use top anchor if you used the lower ones and that it was a system; that lower anchors did not exist without top tether anchors. However, top tethers can be used with a seat belt.

You were taught wrong... The curriculum mentions the exceptions, and it was taught in my class...

glockchick · Oct 12, 2013

Perhaps I missed it then. It's been a couple years.

I'm glad we have this board so I can refresh my memory on things like this.

TechnoGranola · Oct 12, 2013

glockchick said:
I think maybe you're talking about me? I meant forward facing.

Okay, I did some searching and I guess it might have been you! LOL At the time I couldn't remember who it was and I swore it was a username that I hadn't seen much before so I didn't think it was you.

glockchick · Oct 12, 2013

Lol. It happens. I remembered saying it. That's impressive on my end. Paramedic school is using all my brains cells lately and leaving nothing for the rest of life. I even missed the turn onto my street last night...

Any vehicles have lower anchors but no top tethers?

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