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Ceiling mounted top tethers
- Thread starter BW1426
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crunchierthanthou
New member
they're not awful, but can interfere with a pet barrier. You have to get used to seeing them in the rearview mirror, but it's not a whole lot different than say a headrest or having a passenger where you aren't used to one.
What kind of vehicle are you looking for? they're in all Subaru wagons, but not the Tribeca. They're also in some smaller SUVs -Ford escape and Honda CRV come to mind. You won't find them in sedans (obviously) or most (any?) vehicles with three rows.
My favorite TA position is on the vehicle seatback, except for the ones in the Chevy Venture and clones.
becca011906
Senior Community Member
Our land rover discovery has one in the roof the middle of the 2nd row, the outside seats in the second row have them on the back of the second row seats but the middle is roof mounted, i used it often when i drove it last year b/c i had the radian installed there, b/c the 3rd row has not tether ancores at all.
Oooo yuck, I hate them too. We quickly crossed the Subaru Outback off our list after finding out it had it's TA on the ceiling. The car I have now (2 door Hyundai Accent hatchback that my dad bought me in college) has it's TA in an even more horrible area-- right below the opening of the trunk! So when I turned my son FF at 2 1/2 years old I had a tether crossing through my entire trunk space literally cutting it in half since my son was in the center! Bye bye stroller! I HATE it!
southpawboston
New member
the honda CRV has them on the ceiling too. i agree that this arrangement eliminates interference with trunk luggage and strollers, etc... but it also creates a visibility annoyance IMHO. i hate driving MIL's CRV with two tether straps that i have to constantly see in the rear-view mirror.
our hyundai elantra had the anchors at the back of the trunk, on the hatch sill. that was *very* annoying since it prevented us from putting the stroller back there. essnce629, FYI hyundai later changed the location of the TAs (like around 2004) to right behind the rear seats. in the early TA years, most hatch and wagon body style cars had them at the rear sill because that was probably the easiest, from a structural point of view. then they realized how much of a hassle it was and designed more convenient places for them
our hyundai elantra had the anchors at the back of the trunk, on the hatch sill. that was *very* annoying since it prevented us from putting the stroller back there. essnce629, FYI hyundai later changed the location of the TAs (like around 2004) to right behind the rear seats. in the early TA years, most hatch and wagon body style cars had them at the rear sill because that was probably the easiest, from a structural point of view. then they realized how much of a hassle it was and designed more convenient places for them
singingpond
New member
I just installed all three TA's in my '96 Corolla wagon, and they are all back at the rear sill. We're currently only using one of the outboard ones, and that isn't too bad in terms of interfering with cargo. I installed the center TA also, since we had already purchased the part and it wasn't much work to put that one in... but I hope we don't have to use it any time soon, as the tether strap would run diagonally down through the whole cargo area. I would much prefer to have the anchor points on the roof, compared to where they are in my vehicle now.
Katrin
Dizzymomma
New member
My ford escape has them on the ceiling.
I agree with the ceiling being better than taking up cargo space in the rear.
I agree with the ceiling being better than taking up cargo space in the rear.
southpawboston
New member
it may have to do with whether the seats are tested strong enough to support two or three anchors. as it is, some cars only have two outboard anchors on the seat backs, with the center anchor on the rear sill. this may be due to vehicle seat design and/or the ability to support all those anchors.
We have a 2000 Subaru Impreza wagon. No ceiling tether anchors. They're in the back of the cargo area and like others have said, we lose a lot of cargo space!
The pet barrier that Subaru sells can't be used with the anchors in the back of the cargo area either, despite the fact that the cargo area cover appears to interfere with the tether straps more than the pet barrier IMO.
Tina
BW1426
Well-known member
I know a lot of you say you don't mind them, but I just don't like them and that'll be a make or break deal for me, as are the ones with cargo tethers.
So, what wagons and small SUVs have tethers on the back of the seats?
The Volvo wagons, VW wagons are good right? What about the Saturn Vue?
So, what wagons and small SUVs have tethers on the back of the seats?
The Volvo wagons, VW wagons are good right? What about the Saturn Vue?
twokidstwodogs
New member
Are they on the floor of the cargo area? Where? Don't they interfere with the cargo mat? And did you have to get them retrofitted? Both my 99 Forester and my 06 Legacy have them on the ceiling (the Forester's had to be retrofitted). I've never seen a Subaru wagon with them anywhere else.
I wonder if Subaru puts its tether anchors on the ceiling to accommodate its 60 lb LATCH limit? That wouldn't explain the Tribeca, though. I find it annoying, but not annoying enough to outweigh the other things I like about my Subie.
twokidstwodogs
New member
Both the V50 and the Passat have them on the back of the seat.
skipspin
New member
Yes, they are still on the back.
I'm sure it's not what you're looking for, but my 4 door Wrangler has them on the seat backs too. I guess they figured they couldn't attach anchors to a soft top.
Funny thing, I've *never* installed a Ffing seat where I had to use a ceiling mounted TA. I have done a seat in the 3rd row center of a Honda Ody where the TA blocks the cargo area.:thumbsdown:
TechnoGranola
Forum Ambassador
Sorry, I'm not sure what location you are referring to when you say "rear"?
My '91 Escort wagon had them on the roof of the cargo area. I took the Escort and DD's seat to a seat check in '99 and they told me I should get anchors installed on the floor and stop using the ones on the ceiling because if I got rear ended the ceiling would move in and create slack in the tether strap. I chose to ignore their advice as I thought it made more sense to use the anchors designed and test by the Ford engineers rather than makeshift places on the floor installed by some a non-Ford non-engineer...:dizzy:
Our new vehicle has them on the back of the seats for all 3 positions in the 2nd row and I think it's very clever! Will be glad to have them in that location when we switch to FF.
No, they are not on the floor and do not interfere with the cargo mat. They were factory installed. I've checked and rechecked to be sure that's wha they are. The manual indicates that location and we had to pry open little plastic doors that had the child seat with the tether icon on it. The are located just under the rear door. We do run into troubles with the straps taking up precious cargo space.
Tina
KelliBella
New member
Just have to chime in in agreement. We had top tethers in our Mazada Tribute and we LOVED them. It kept the cargo area free of space hogging tethers and left tons of room for strollers.
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