Audi Quattro A4 and 3 boosters in back

theluckiestmom · Jun 12, 2005

I am (hopefully) hiring a babysitter who will be driving my kids in her car. She has an Audi Quattro A4 and I just took a look at it and I think we have a problem!

It looks like the middle seat in the back is only a lap belt. She will be using some combination of any of the following boosters: Fisher Price Safe Embrace, Graco Turbo Booster backless and Graco Turbo Booster with back. Here are the stats on my kids: (1) 8 yrs, 62 lbs, 53 1/2" tall (2) 6 yrs, 50 lbs, 49 1/2" tall (3) 6 years, 70 lbs, 52" tall. Should I look into disabling the front passenger air bag and use the passenger front seat (this sounds very scary?) Could there be some Audi seat belt attachment to turn the back middle lapbelt into a lap/shoulder belt? HELP! Thanks in advance.

UlrikeDG · Jun 12, 2005

If you go here http://www.cpsafety.org/articles/lapbelts.aspx and scroll down, there's a list of options for kids who weigh more than 40 lb in seats with only a lap belt. The E-Z-On Harness is probably the least expensive of the readily available options. I don't know how well the Ride Ryte booster fits next to other seats. If the vehicle has a large back seat, it may not matter, but if the back seat is medium to small, you may need to purchase different boosters for the other two children, in order for them all to fit.

Otherwise, could you trade vehicles with the sitter when she needs to drive your kids?

bazanna · Jun 12, 2005

You can't use any booster with lap-only belts, sorry.

Too bad there aren't any Britax Laptops still around, this is a perfect example of a need for one.

If none of the other options Ulrike mentioned can work, I would put a child in front in a booster. Disabling the airbag is actually a long and involved process needing NHTSA approval, and for this application, they probably won't give it anyway. Have the front seat in question all the way back as far as it will go and teach ALL the children in the car about staying in position etc but especially the one in the front...he needs to never ever lean forward. No one should ever lean forward anyway but....you know?

There may be a possibility of a shoulder belt retrofit for the car...the dealer would know if that's possible or not.

I am not sure about which child should go up front...my first inclination was the oldest but he's not the biggest and I thought then maybe the biggest...or the lightest...? Another tech should chime in with a well-reasoned preference here.

UlrikeDG · Jun 13, 2005

I've heard that the process for getting an airbag off-switch installed has been simplified. It will still take some time and effort, but it's no longer next-to-impossible.

Victorious4 · Jun 13, 2005

Might your friend be willing to have a dealer install a tether anchor for the lap-only so one kid can use an E-Z-On 86-Y??? The Ford dealer installed the tether anchor for free in my dad's truck ... the 86-Y cost $45 with the tether kit & shipping included. It fits passengers who weight 40-168 pounds, so it may come in handy for other situations as well

My guess is the 2 boosters will fit easiest in combination with this than any other seat that would fit kids of this size?

bazanna · Jun 13, 2005

UlrikeDG said:
I've heard that the process for getting an airbag off-switch installed has been simplified. It will still take some time and effort, but it's no longer next-to-impossible.

Yay! That is good to hear. My question would be, would they grant it in this case? It was really clear at my training that the airbag safety with kids issue was overblown and overshadowed by the very clear safety problem with having rearfacing seats in front of airbags. And that having forward facing harnessed seats shouldn't be a problem, and that booster seats are also probably quite safe in front of airbags. They also taught that the main issue is the greater overall higher risk of injury simply by virtue of being in the front seat, not really from the airbag.

Anyone have any more information this? I would, in every case of course, like to see all kids riding in the backseat but there seem to be so many situations where this is impossible.

I really would like to see the babysitter install the Ez-On...I hope she will be willing to do that.

Unregistered · Jul 18, 2005

Since the kids are older, I wonder which is statistically riskier:
1. Disabling the airbag permanently and having the babysitter in an accident with one of her adult friends -- or --
2. Keeping the airbag enabled with the seat all the way back and your child sitting properly in the seat

I suspect that number 1 may actually be riskier. What are your thoughts?

Audi Quattro A4 and 3 boosters in back

theluckiestmom

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UlrikeDG

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bazanna

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UlrikeDG

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Victorious4

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bazanna

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