Towels/Noodles in a crash

Hazelandlucy

Active member
I just read about that recall of the Via infant seat because the recline foot might give way in an accident and cause the installation to be wrong (something along those lines!) So what about towels and pool noodles? Are they not going to fly out during a crash and cause the seat to be in the wrong position? I know there is a whole lot of downward rotation and movement away from the seat back any - so I had figured as long as the seat was in the right position pre crash, everything is ok....but the recall got me thinking!
 
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Shanora

Well-known member
I think that in the testing it was found that the recline foot doesn't hold up at all in a crash, so that in the event of a secondary crash there is nothing to keep the seat properly installed. I think with a tightly rolled towel or a pool noodle, its not going to introduce as much slack into the seat belt as a collapsed recline foot after the first crash, and so would hold in a secondary crash.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Agreeing with Shanora... a recline foot that literally disappears (falls up into it's base, creating nothing but dead air where it was supposed to be), is different from a towel or noodle that is basically trapped in place under the seat and will compress, but not a a rate particularly higher than the vehicle seat materials.
 

tiggercat

New member
Agreeing with Shanora... a recline foot that literally disappears (falls up into it's base, creating nothing but dead air where it was supposed to be), is different from a towel or noodle that is basically trapped in place under the seat and will compress, but not a a rate particularly higher than the vehicle seat materials.

What about a noodle-less install, say on a scenera?

IMO, that kind of speculation doesn't really belong in a recall.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
We really have no idea how any seat will fare in a secondary crash. Any severe (and some moderate) crashes are going to cause the seat to shift and the belt/LATCH strap to stretch. Anything that happens after that will depend on circumstance.
 

1mommy

New member
How does the scenera pass federal testing? Do they use noodles or do they install it at the right angle without noodles, or do they not bother with the right angle and just install it? (I would guess not, but I honestly don't know).
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I have had a Snugride 22 come into a check with a missing foot several times. The first time it happened, after explaining that they would need to use the seat baseless until the foot was replaced, I attempted to do a demo base install just so they would know how to install the fixed base. Without the foot inserted, the sides of the base flexed inward at the belt path when the seat belt was tightened-to the point that the seat wouldn't have been able to click into the base. The side walls are just too flimsy without the additional layer of plastic inside.

If the foot is supposed to be a structural component of the base itself like the SR22, it would be a big problem if it broke.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I have had a Snugride 22 come into a check with a missing foot several times. The first time it happened, after explaining that they would need to use the seat baseless until the foot was replaced, I attempted to do a demo base install just so they would know how to install the fixed base. Without the foot inserted, the sides of the base flexed inward at the belt path when the seat belt was tightened-to the point that the seat wouldn't have been able to click into the base. The side walls are just too flimsy without the additional layer of plastic inside.

If the foot is supposed to be a structural component of the base itself like the SR22, it would be a big problem if it broke.

Yeah, big difference between the two seats, thanks for pointing that out.

I guess technically my kid stayed in the seat and the seat stayed attached to the car, so... Sceneras are safe enough, even with a gap? (rhetorical... I still actually do recommend them to people, can't wait for the NEXT to come out, it seems like it's going to be a vast, vast improvement).
 

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