Adding third row bench seats to Honda CR-V?

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
Wow. I don't know what to think... I was talking with a friend today who was telling me that she and her son rode with her friend and the friend's three kids somewhere the other day. I said, "Wait a minute - that makes six of you in a Honda CR-V...?" She replied, "Oh, they have a third row bench." Me: "So do they have a Honda Pilot or a Honda CR-V?" Her: "They have a CR-V and were so thrilled to find someone that makes bench seats for small SUVs like that. They got it off eBay." :eek:

Anyone? Southpaw? Anyone?
 
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southpawboston

New member
there is a company that makes 3rd row benches for some vehicles. someone posted about it many months ago. they're DOT approved, but i don't think they're crash tested.
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Search this site for "www.littlepassengerseats.com". It will pull up more than half a dozen threads on the product. :(
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
I would use these for my dogs (in appropriate harness system) rather than a pressure mounted barrier as a means to prevent doggies from becoming projectiles upon my family ... but I'd never let a child sit in the CRUSH ZONE :twocents:
 

southpawboston

New member
I would use these for my dogs (in appropriate harness system) rather than a pressure mounted barrier as a means to prevent doggies from becoming projectiles upon my family ... but I'd never let a child sit in the CRUSH ZONE :twocents:

how is that different from the third-row seats already available as OEM on many vans and SUVs? they are right in the crumple zones as well! the crumple zone is a pretty large area that usually extends all the way to the back of the rear wheel.

statistically speaking, crumple zone or not, a read-end collision is not going to be as common nor as severe as other types of collisions.

i think the real issue with aftermarket versus OEM is that the seats themselves just weren't crash tested in the vehicle.
 

southpawboston

New member
Are ANY third-row seats crashed-tested?

sure they are, just without dummies. :ROTFLMAO:

i guess by "crash test" i meant that they must undergo extensive testing in terms of structural strength and how well they hold up in the vehicle (even if empty) in a crash.

but on second thought, now that you mention it, if the aftermarket seats are DOT approved, then why wouldn't they be considered as safe as an OEM third row seat, since an OEM thrid row isn't tested with a dummy? maybe it's because with an aftermarket seat, there are no pre-existing seatbelts for that row?
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
:ROTFLMAO: "Crash-tested and Safety-Approved! Now With Real Humans!"

Seriously though, what a f-ed up world we live in.
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
I think Darren might remember more about this than I do (out there, Darren?), but I seem to recall that at least certain manufacturers do crash test the rear of the seating compartment. Volvo comes to mind, with their rear facing 3rd row in some of their older wagons. The "trunk" was considered part of the passenger compartment and reinforced accordingly. In some vehicles, that area could be considered "crumple zone" and adding seats back there would be a Bad Idea.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I personally wouldn't want my kids riding in an aftermarket seat on a daily basis. Perhaps for a single trip if absolutely necessary, provided the seatbelt fit alright. Probably can't be any worse that letting a kid ride in a classic car or other less than ideal arrangement. On the other hand, with no standards, who knows if it is anywhere near as safe as a factory third seat.

I have to wonder what "DOT Approved" means. I'd guess there is no federal safety standard that applies to aftermarket seating systems. I find it very hard to believe there is any money for standards or government mandateds and monitored testing to be designed and implemented for such a small market.

Auto companies do a huge amount of internal design, simulations and crash testing on each model they sell, even for crash types not covered by standard crash testing requirements (like rear enders). There's a lot of liability involved if they ever have another Ford Pinto fiasco... I'd also guess that a small aftermarket seat company doesn't have remotely enough engineering or testing capability to do this for their product in a single model of automobile, let alone in each and every one for which they sell their product. The costs would be staggering to do this for a product with a relatively small price and small unit sales.

I may be wrong, but I wouldn't bet my kids' life on it.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
read-end collision is not going to be as common nor as severe
True, but in most other vehicles the children wouldn't be facing the point of impact during rear-end collisions either ... or:

at least certain manufacturers do crash test the rear of the seating compartment. Volvo comes to mind, with their rear facing 3rd row in some of their older wagons. The "trunk" was considered part of the passenger compartment and reinforced accordingly. In some vehicles, that area could be considered "crumple zone" and adding seats back there would be a Bad Idea.
Exactly. In vehicles where the manual actually says it's a safe seating compartment I'd be OK with letting my child ride there (even the Volvo RF "3rd row" station wagon seats if financially necessary + child fits properly)

I personally wouldn't want my kids riding in an aftermarket seat on a daily basis.
:yeahthat:
 
J

Jammi

Guest
Wow. I don't know what to think... I was talking with a friend today who was telling me that she and her son rode with her friend and the friend's three kids somewhere the other day. I said, "Wait a minute - that makes six of you in a Honda CR-V...?" She replied, "Oh, they have a third row bench." Me: "So do they have a Honda Pilot or a Honda CR-V?" Her: "They have a CR-V and were so thrilled to find someone that makes bench seats for small SUVs like that. They got it off eBay." :eek:

Anyone? Southpaw? Anyone?
I need one of its legit. Daycare provider looking to down size. I would love a 3rd sest for Crv 2004.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Even if a retrofit could be found, I would not trust it to protect children or any occupant in a crash because the vehicle was not designed for this.
 

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