Position of Carseat

I know this has been addressed numerous times, but I need some advice on my specific situation.

I just bought a 2006 Lincoln Mark LT, which is essentially an F-150. The rear seat has the LATCH, but only on the outside positions (not in the center).

Believing that the safety the LATCH gives outweighed the threat of a side impact, I originally placed my child's carset behind the front passenger seat. I also figured that the manufacturer must have had a reason for omitting the LATCH from the center Now, though, I am second guessing this.

Intuitively, we know that the rear center provides the most safety. Also, I am confident that I could get the seat installed correctly, LATCH or belt. However, in a vehicle this size, there is considerable space between the front seats. In other words, if my child was in the rear center, and an object came through the front windshield, it would have a clear shot at her. However remote, could this be a reason that Lincoln left the LATCH out of the center? Why else would these manufacturers leave the LATCH out of the rear center?

In the end, the outside position provides more convenience for me and my wife, and it allows our child to look out the window. In addition, since the seat was already installed there, the damage is done to the leather under the seat. However, if my child was hurt in a side impact, I don't know if I could live with myself for putting her there out of "convenience."

Anyone have thoughts on this?

I do have a few thoughts for you:

John said:

Believing that the safety the LATCH gives outweighed the threat of a side impact.....

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LATCH is simply a convienence, it is not safer than a seatbelt installation. If you have both options in a seating position, use the one you get the best installation with.
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John said:

Intuitively, we know that the rear center provides the most safety. Also, I am confident that I could get the seat installed correctly, LATCH or belt.........
However, ....... if my child was in the rear center, and an object came through the front windshield, it would have a clear shot at her......could this be a reason that Lincoln left the LATCH out of the center?

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The center is the safest, and if you can get a good installation there with the seatbelt then do so. Many manufacterers do not have center LATCH positions and it has more to do with the distance apart they are required to be than a concern that an object could come through the windshield.

Not to mention that should you get that (extremely) rare circumstance in which your windshield shatters (remember that windshields are made from safety glass that is specifically designed not to do that) frankly you have other (bigger) problems. In that case you want you child as safe as possible, and that's rear-facing in the center of the back seat.

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John said:

since the seat was already installed there, the damage is done to the leather under the seat.

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What seat are you installing that it has damaged your (vehicle) seat, and what kind of damage are you talking about?

If you mean the indentations in the leather they will pop out once the seat is removed. Just remember to properly care for the leather (however you choose to do that) so it remains supple.

HTH!

Well, it looks like the center is the spot. So there is no latch in the middle because of distance between the latch hooks? Its a big vehicle, and I wouldn't think this an issue . . .

As for the "damage" to the leather, I had originally installed the carseat about a month ago on the side. When I removed it (under the expectation of moving it to the center), there was some obvious dents in the leather.

Its been 4 days and you can still see the marks. The seat may return to an "acceptable" condition, but I have a hard time believing the marks will totally disappear. Am I wrong? By the way, I did use a seat protector . . .

Again, I don't want to increase the chances that my child will be hurt, just because I want to cover up the marks in the seat (and avoid making new ones in the center). But all things equal, this was a factor in the decision making process . . .

That's the biggest reason why. And frankly, they are only required to have two LATCH anchors per vehicle. Since most families who would be using two sets of anchors prefer to have their children separated a little (especially if you have one child a little older than the other), outboard is then a logical place for the 2 sets of anchors.

The dents will pop out. You may want to oil the leather (call your local auto supply store for a recommendation of a good one) to encourage the natural suppleness. FWIW, I had a Cadillac with super soft leather seats. Despite having my daughter's seat installed tightly enough that in any other car it would rock the frame, within a week of her seat being removed the dents were most of the way gone. Within a month you couldn't tell a seat had been installed there if it weren't for the cheerios in the seat crack.

HOWEVER those seat protectors are a HUGE no-no!! Never use anything with your seat that didn't come with it. They DO affect how the seat installs, and can cause it to fail completely in a crash. By choosing to use it in some states (any state that requires using seats according to the manufacterer's instructions) you will be breaking the law and in some localities you will be cited. (I can tell you at least 3 police officers in my home county who *would* cite a parent who refused to remove aftermarket items that compromise the safety of the seat.) You also turn your precious, precious baby girl into a crash test dummy. Not a good thing, kwim?

Thank you very much. I couldn't have asked for more informative answers to my questions.

Glad to help, that's what we're here for. Have a great weekend!