backward buckle in subaru

rachelandtyke

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
Is there any chance I can get it turned around myself?

We have a 2002 legacy wagon. First year, DH drove it, hardly had any passengers except the dog in back. Next year I drove it, but had car seats for friends in back with LATCH. Ever since then, we've had an infant seat or convertible installed rear passenger side with LATCH. DD1 now rides behind driver in booster, and that belt is fine.

I went to install a HBTB for DS on the rear passenger side, and it looks like the buckle is backward. I guess we never noticed since we never sat in that seat! The female end faces the opposite direction than what it should. Is there any way I can get it around or can only Subaru? DS needs to sit there in a booster now, and I don't think it's safe with it the way it is. :(
 
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bnsnyde

New member
OMG!
My mom has a new Subaru (a sedan of some sort) and the middle belt in back is...twisted or something. I see NO way to fix it.

What is going on here? I had a booster rider there when we had to do 3 in a row and it truly was perplexing. I need to figure out what to do, too!

I told her to take it to the dealer but my mom isn't good about getting stuff done. If it were super easy for me to do so, I'd have done it by now.
 
J

jjordan

Moderator
We have a 1997 legacy wagon, so probably a previous generation from yours? But just in case it helps, in ours the hardware to which the buckle stalks are attached are buried quite far down in the bight of the seat. I can see where a buckle could get turned backwards and it would seem like it was attached incorrectly. Any chance that is the case for you?

If not, I'd probably have a Subaru dealership look at it. But I'm not an expert; I'm curious to see what other advice you get here.
 
rachelandtyke

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
I just double checked and the male end of the buckle is on the seat belt strap completely backward. :thumbsdown:
 
Last edited:
rachelandtyke

rachelandtyke

Well-known member
Fixed it! I was trying to fold it and then slide, but the opening was too narrow, but it was easier with that triangle trick. I also discovered that the opening is a little wider if you slide it with the buckle tongue flush with the seat belt strap and not perpendicular. :thumbsup:
 
Nedra

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
rachelandtyke said:
Fixed it! I was trying to fold it and then slide, but the opening was too narrow, but it was easier with that triangle trick. I also discovered that the opening is a little wider if you slide it with the buckle tongue flush with the seat belt strap and not perpendicular. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Yay!
 
featherhead

featherhead

Well-known member
Both my MIL's and my BIL's Ford Focus cars have the buckles on backwards for the rear seats. It's quite annoying. I tried to flip one of them once, but it just wouldn't work.
 
Carrie_R

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Backwards buckles is a thing we run into a lot working day-to-day as a tech. In fact, one of my bad tech habits is to stand car side talking to a parent and reach in to absentmindedly flip them. They'll stop our conversation and say, "wait, how did you do that?!"

Some of the latchplates have angled spots for the belt to go through, so sometimes I have to flip them around again to get the folded belt to slide nicely through the slot. My other trick is to extend the belt all the way out before folding the triangle so that I have something to pull against!

I haven't met one that I haven't been able to fix, though I've had a couple of locking latchplates that have given me a run for my money! :)
 
B

bnsnyde

New member
Neat! I did the triangle trick on our new Fllo without knowing it.
I tried everything. I thought the seat was always going to be twisted. But, no.
 
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