Question Rearfacing tether REQUIRED on Canadian Britax?

tiggercat

New member
Am I living under a rock here? I was helping a friend replace some crashed seats (Darn New Years Eve drivers :mad: ) and she wanted a new Britax Boulevard to replace her crashed one. We went and looked at the seats in store and I was all excited to see the new G4 models on the shelf. Until I read the big sticker on the back that says that rearfacing tethering is now mandatory. I read the manual and it is clear as day in multiple spots, the tether is absolutely required both RF and FF. Now I am generally pretty pro-RF tethering myself, but her vehicle has advanced airbags and no real good place to Swedish tether (and honestly I am wary of that now due to vehicle manufacturers saying it is not allowed), and it is such a small doorway that aussie style doesn't work at all. I can imagine the tether may not be long enough to reach in some vehicles too, with TAs on tailgate sils and ceilings... Not to mention vehicles without TA in all seating locations!

I am kind of thrown for a loop here, because I didn't realize it was possible for a seat in Canada to require RF tethering.

This is going to cause a lot of problems, no?

ETA, manual is available online at CDN Britax site, select boulevard and use a DOM of 01/01/2014.
 
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TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Ya I didn't they they could require it either. And the previous models met the rebound standard presumably and the G4's didn't change shell shape, did they? So shouldn't need the tether to meet the standard. Unless of course the previous models didn't actually meet the rebound standard...it seems like Britax is making up their own rules lately with regards to standards so I wouldn't be surprised if they were again.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
This is true and applies to the review sample we have as well. We have already discussed this with Britax, but it is definitely a potential compatibility issue with some vehicles, not to mention a potential conflict with the curriculum in Canada.
 

tiggercat

New member
Ya I didn't they they could require it either. And the previous models met the rebound standard presumably and the G4's didn't change shell shape, did they? So shouldn't need the tether to meet the standard. Unless of course the previous models didn't actually meet the rebound standard...it seems like Britax is making up their own rules lately with regards to standards so I wouldn't be surprised if they were again.

The G4s look the same, but I couldn't find a G3 on the shelf anywhere so I couldn't directly compare.
 

tiggercat

New member
This is true and applies to the review sample we have as well. We have already discussed this with Britax, but it is definitely a potential compatibility issue with some vehicles, not to mention a potential conflict with the curriculum in Canada.

Darren, does this apply to American seats as well?!? I thought I read a review of the American ones and this was not mentioned.

I was pretty shocked that such a big changed would be made and not be clearly mentioned in product descriptions or anything.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
This is true and applies to the review sample we have as well. We have already discussed this with Britax, but it is definitely a potential compatibility issue with some vehicles, not to mention a potential conflict with the curriculum in Canada.

Isn't it also a direct conflict with CMVSS? I swear Barb said that rear tethering could not be required. Unless our 2012 changes made it possible?
 

tiggercat

New member
Isn't it also a direct conflict with CMVSS? I swear Barb said that rear tethering could not be required. Unless our 2012 changes made it possible?

I was under the same impression.

The applicable section of the regs is

(3) If a rear-facing child restraint system is equipped with a tether strap and the manufacturer recommends its use, the restraint system must be designed to be secured to a vehicle

(a) by means of the tether strap together with a vehicle seat belt, without using any other means of attachment; and

(b) by means of the tether strap together with a lower connector system, without using any other means of attachment.

kind of open to interpretation...
 

carolyn_mtl

New member
We discussed this briefly in our refresher course, that it was possible that they could test the seats tethered, and if they don't also test untethered they could require the tether rf. Doesn't mean it would fail untethered but it wasn't tested, so we don't know for sure. What a headache. Parents will not be thrilled to have to tether Aussie style, I don't believe Swedish style is even an option in any Canadian car.
 

tiggercat

New member
We discussed this briefly in our refresher course, that it was possible that they could test the seats tethered, and if they don't also test untethered they could require the tether rf. Doesn't mean it would fail untethered but it wasn't tested, so we don't know for sure. What a headache. Parents will not be thrilled to have to tether Aussie style, I don't believe Swedish style is even an option in any Canadian car.

Way to encourage extended rearfacing, eh? Ok, now squeeze your 3yo through this maze of straps and then try to buckle them in.

Did you do your refresher in Ottawa, Carolyn? Can you PM me who taught it? It wasn't in the materials I had to teach from.
 

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I was under the same impression.

The applicable section of the regs is



kind of open to interpretation...

The test bench has an anchor for FF testing, right? So I suppose that Aussie-style RF tethering could be tested, but Swedish couldn't.
 

carolyn_mtl

New member
Yes... and it was more of a hypothetical, maybe someday this could happen, type conversation. I don't believe it was part of the material, but came up between some of us super nerdy techs. Lol
 

tiggercat

New member
The test bench has an anchor for FF testing, right? So I suppose that Aussie-style RF tethering could be tested, but Swedish couldn't.

Exactly. So how can they require something that isn't tested?

You must do A or B. But we aren't going to tell you that we only tested A. You are supposed to just trust us B is safe?
 

tiggercat

New member
Yes... and it was more of a hypothetical, maybe someday this could happen, type conversation. I don't believe it was part of the material, but came up between some of us super nerdy techs. Lol

I understand, and that was not a criticism, I'll send an email asking for clarification, perhaps.
 
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canadiangie

New member
Holy smokes thanks for posting this, OP. I'm sure I'll start seeing G4's any day and I had no idea about this change. :-o

Eta: forgive me if this is a stupid question, but are G4s still coming with a d-ring? Eta2: the manual finally loaded, and yes G4s do still have a d-ring included.
 
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kmw

Member
Where is AdventureDad? I recall him posting on another thread maybe a month or two ago about advanced airbags and Swedish tethering and that the risk seemed to be something that only us over in North America were worried about??

I have my G3 RF tethered Swedish style in my Mazda (doesn't have advanced airbags and I easily used the D-ring to attach to the seat track). Mazda wouldn't tell me their position, just that it was something they don't address in the manual.

The more I see about RF tethering, the more I want a Peg with an ARB.
 

SnoGurl

New member
This seems ... really dumb? (I'm sure there's a more elegant way of putting it, maybe in the morning i'll have better words)

I worked extra shifts last week for a lime green G4. My mom has gotten pretty decent at installing the triumph, but keeps getting the seatbelt caught up on the tensioning knob. However, rearfacing tethering is not going to make things easier!

Thanks for posting this, I would have been seriously disappointed if i'd already ordered :(.
 

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