My LATCH connectors are assembled incorrectly

keri1292

Well-known member
One is backwards. :confused: They both face the same direction. At first I thought it was just me. Beside my class, I've never installed a seat with LATCH. But, I twisted and switched and tugged and nope. They're not assembled properly. I haven't heard of this one yet. I imagine they'll have to send me a whole seat. Guess I get to spend an hour on hold this afternoon. :whistle:
I was so excited to have a van with LATCH. And now I can't even enjoy it. :p
 
ADS

singingpond

New member
What seat? If it's one of the Britax seats with two separate straps on the LATCH bar, it is possible to totally unthread the LATCH strap from the hardware, correct the orientation, and then rethread (be careful to get the webbing path exactly right, and use the other strap as an example). Getting the lumpy stitched end through is a challenge, but it can be done.

I know it's possible to get the straps off, because I started doing this one day on my Wizard. None of our cars have LATCH, and I was getting tired of the LATCH straps with all their claptrap falling out of the little storage pockets. However, after I got one strap off, I thought better of it, and rethreaded it (it's a complicated path, and I knew I was unlikely to get it back on properly on some future date, if I didn't have an example in front of me to look at).

Katrin
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Call them, I've heard of this happening ONCE before, you'd be TWICE, lol...they definitely didn't want her fiddling with the bar to flip it around herself, I think she had to send it back for repair.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
Call them, I've heard of this happening ONCE before, you'd be TWICE, lol...they definitely didn't want her fiddling with the bar to flip it around herself, I think she had to send it back for repair.

I was going to call before attempting any MacGyver repairs on my own. ;)
I have a hard time with that stuff. Ya know, loop around this bar, under that notch, around the metal thingie, etc... I just get all :dizzy:
 

singingpond

New member
Well, I wasn't suggesting doing anything to the bar; just undo the webbing from its hardware, turn it the right way around, and redo. You'll have the strap on the other side as a perfect example; it's pretty straighforward. Much easier than sitting on hold with Britax, IMO anyway.

Katrin
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I don't believe you can undo the LATCH webbing from the MA to untwist it and then reassemble it, though. It's a closed loop system around the black bar on the side of the MA, with a bulky LATCH strap length adjuster hardware on each side through which you cannot completely pull the strap through to disassemble, untwist, and re-thread back together. I concur with the suggestion to call Britax and describe the issue and see what they're willing to do.
 

singingpond

New member
I don't believe you can undo the LATCH webbing from the MA to untwist it and then reassemble it, though. It's a closed loop system around the black bar on the side of the MA, with a bulky LATCH strap length adjuster hardware on each side through which you cannot completely pull the strap through to disassemble, untwist, and re-thread back together. I concur with the suggestion to call Britax and describe the issue and see what they're willing to do.

My point, though, is that you can take the whole thing apart; I know this because I have done it on my Wizard, albeit with a bit of difficulty getting the thicker stitched ends through -- I had the entire strap off the bar and loose in my hands, and then I put it back on, with no trouble. Maybe the straps have been changed in the meantime; I don't know. I assume someone assembles them that way at the factory; the alternative would be that they do some of the final stitching AFTER putting the strap through the hardware -- possible, but unlikely.

I don't disagree with calling Britax; I'm just pointing out that it may be quickly fixable on the spot, with no hazard of damage, etc. One simply has to be careful to replicate the proper webbing path, and that really isn't rocket science.

Katrin
 

mish

New member
I personally would be uncomfortable with disassembling something and reassembling it on any car seat. I would definitely call Britax.
 

singingpond

New member
I personally would be uncomfortable with disassembling something and reassembling it on any car seat. I would definitely call Britax.

But, parents are expected to take harnesses apart, and put them back together all the time (e.g. when removing seat covers for washing), and it's important there also to get the routing correct. I'm not talking about taking screws or bolts out. I only offered my comments because A) I happened to have the experience of actually taking one of these straps off, so I knew it could be done without much trouble; and B) I saw that the OP is a tech, so I felt confident she could then look at the situation and make her own decision.

Since many other senior people have come down on the side of calling Britax rather than touching the strap, I will leave it at that.

Katrin (incurable do-it-yourselfer, goes off muttering 'but it's easy to fix'...... :))
 

southpawboston

New member
correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the end of the LATCH bar closed loop just a single bolt right there and visible? it's not like dismantling the whole seat, is it? if that's the case, then i don't see much of a problem. if, OTOH it requires dismantling multiple pieces and/or you have no hand tools, then i would have britax replace it/fix it. calling a single bolt removal a macgyver move is a little extreme ;). it's not like you're going to take a blow torch and a welder to it. :) but again, i could be wrong and it could be more complicated than i remember.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
what do you mean backward? Is one of the connectors upside down?

Looking at the seat...both red release buttons are pointing left. Or right if I switch them, KWIM?

It probably isn't hard to do, but I personally wouldn't do anything without getting the OK from Britax first. For example, people have switched their RFing lockoffs, not knowing that the screws were one time use. The screws still held the belt and are only pre-crash positioners YET Britax wants new screws to be used. So, I'd rather get their OK.

Katrin ~ I appreciate your help, I just want the OK from Britax first.

SPB~ Dude, I'm a girl. It's called a sense of humor. :p I'm sure it isn't McGyver difficult, but I honestly have issues with that kind of visual replication stuff. Just not my learning style. :shrug-shoulders:
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
I had a BV come into our fitting station with one of the lower anchors backwards. It was a seat for grandma's car which had no lower anchors anyways. I informed her so she could make the decision to return it if she choice too but didn't really matter since she had to install with the seatbelt anyways.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
I called Britax and they want a digital picture. Of course, my camera is broken (new one coming for Mother's Day! :love:) and I'll have to use my crappy cell camera. Oh, well. I was on hold for less than 1 minute! :thumbsup: But, it took me at least 5 minutes to explain the situation while she kept trying to fix what couldn't be fixed. I finaly said, I'm a CPST and the seat is assembled incorrectly. That's when she told me to take a picture. :D
 

Mama!

New member
If it makes you feel any better, the way the factory threaded and installed DD's versatether on her Regent is wonky. It can't be straightened out. No matter how hard you try, the belt is twisted.

Glad you didn't have to wait too long!
 

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