Question Seating of 4 children in car seats/boosters in Dodge grand caravan

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi
I am trying to find the best seating arrangement for 5 children in a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan. We are in Canada. I would like to fit 3 seats in the 3rd row if safe to do so. My children are 13 no car seat required, 5.5 yrs (tall and approx. 53 lbs), 3 turning 4 in March(tall and approx 40-45 lbs), 2yrs (tall and approx 35 lbs) and 4 months (tall and approximately 16-17lbs). We have 2 evenflo maestros purchased at different times not sure if they are the same, an older safety 1st alpha omega and the baby is in a Graco snugride click connect 35. With the 2 maestros in the back there is basically no room for a 3rd person. We are considering purchasing the Diono brand seats to try get 3 in the 3rd row but unsure cause there is only 1 latch back there. Can you suggest seats and seating arrangement please?
 
ADS

lgenne

New member
Hi and welcome!

You’re legally required to tether harnessed forward facing seats, so you can’t put 2 Maestros back there.

To make it work, I think you’ll need the 13 year old in the center 3rd row. Then you need some combination of the 5.5 year old, the 2 year old, and the infant in the outboard seats. The only car seat you have listed that might work is the Snugride. You could try it both with the base and baseless. Watch for side overhang, which is not allowed.

If that doesn’t work, you’ll need 2 new car seats; if it does, you can get away with just one new one.

For the 5 year old, I would get an Evenflo Amp. It’s a belt positioning high back booster, so no tether required. That particular booster works well with the outboard seat belts in the 3rd row, while most others don’t.

For the 2 year old (and in the future, the baby, if this is a long term thing) I’d get a Cosco Scenera NEXT to use rear facing—again, no tether anchor needed. It has to be installed very upright to fit behind the captain’s chair in front of it, which is allowed for children who can sit independently, so presumably not the baby yet.

Then the 3 year old and whichever other kid isn’t in the back go in captain’s chairs in whatever car seats you prefer for them. (The captain’s chairs are pretty easy to install car seats in.)
 

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