Scary car seat install!!!!!

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #1

My neighbor has a FF 15 month old boy who weighs 23 lbs and I am not quite sure of his height. She drives a 1999 Ford Windstar. Well I have been eyeing her seat for the last few weeks and politely asked her one day if she is using the tether. She said no but if I would like I could show her how to use it. The seat is an Evenflo something or other it looks like the Scenera. And i did take a peak at the manufacture date it was August 2006.

Well today she came up to me and said Amy can you fix my car seat. My heart skipped a beat!! I was so excited I was like I sure hold my kid!!

Now she did RF until her baby was one. I talked to her about the benefits of ERF. She said his legs looked to uncomfortable. Um okay so that was that.

I took her seat out and she still had it on the second slot!! The straps were so twisted I had to take the chest clip off and straighten everything out and put the straps through the 3rd slot. I then got the manual out and found her tether anchors. OMG the tether barely reached the anchor!! But I got it. She doesn't have locking seat belts so I used the locking clip. The car seat did not move!! She didn't even know what the locking clip was for. Now this is not her first child. She has a 11 and 9 year old.

I feel so much better knowing the baby is safe now!! I know he should still be Rear faced but at least now the seat is properly installed!!

 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #2

While it's great that you helped your neighbour... I've spotted some potential errors.

All vehicles since 1996 are required to have locking seatbelts. In a 1999 Windstar, this definitely has locking seatbelts... it just may not be the kind you are used to. I believe the Windstar has locking latchplates, which means you do *not* want to use a locking clip on the seatbelt. I think Scatterbunny had a Windstar around that model year, so I'm sure she'll chime in.

The Evenflo seat may also only have the top slots re-inforced for forward facing. Without seeing the seat, I can't tell for sure. Did the mom have her car seat owner's manual? That will tell you which slots are allowed to be used forward facing.

Are there any techs in the area that she can get her seat checked at? At the very least, both the vehicle *and* child restraint manuals need to be read again to correct the potential errors mentioned above.

Evenflo tethers are notorious for being short, but you can get a longer tether strap from Evenflo if you need one.

 

S

SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #3

A properly installed tethered seat is safer than an improperly installed RF seat. And she can call evenflo and get a tether extender. A 99 should have a locking mechanism on the belt as well.

Did you make her repeat the install?

Susan

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #4

Glad you fixed it! BTW, if she has a top tether she will have locking belts. You probably put a locking clip on a car with locking latchplates. I'd find a tech or seat check in your area and give her the info.

ETA: Sorry, I cross posted with both the above posters. Sorry for the barrage of similar posts.

 

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #5

Thank you for letting me know about the locking latch plates!! Does anyone have pictures of how they work??

Also when i put the harness through the 3rd slot. It said the 1st and 2nd were only to be used rear-facing so I am pretty certain that is okay.

I will defenitely look into a longer tether for her seat!!

And if someone can give me the info on the locking latch plate I will defenitely go down there tomorrow and take the locking clip off and lock the latch plate. I know she has to work tomorrow and the baby stays at home with grandma so i can fix it before she puts the baby in the seat.

 

S

SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #6

Locking Latchplate Test:

Sit in seat, buckle up, try to pull the lap belt away from you....it shouldn't move

When you install the seat---put belt through belt path & buckle, push down with one hand and then with the hand that's close to the latchplate, pull UP on the SHOULDER belt. Release belt and test install. I do it standing in front of the seat..and in a van that should be pretty easy.

Susan

 

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #7

Got it!! Thank you

She does still have the manual for the seat. Tomorrow I will go down and defenitely take the locking clip off and make sure the seat belt is right.

I will also get the make and model of the seat. Well I know the make is an Evenflo.

 

keri1292

Well-known member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #8

We had a 99 Windstar, it definitely has locking latchplates. The shoulderbelt will pull out freely, but the lapbelt will stay taut. So focus your energy on pulling the slack through the latchplate and ignore the retractor. That van was the BEST for car seat installs.

 

TerisBoys

Well-known member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #9

If it looks similar to a Scenera, it's likely a Tribute.

 

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 22, 2008

• #10

TerisBoys said:

If it looks similar to a Scenera, it's likely a Tribute.

Click to expand...

I am 99% sure your right!! I was thinking Tribute.

Will defenitely redo the seatbelt tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for all your help!! I will try to take pics I just don't want her to get offended.

I also did suggest that we should get our seats checked!!

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 22, 2008

• #11

If you find that the installation loosens after you secure it, you can flip the latchplate (buckle the seatbelt backwards) and that'll help keep it locked. (The loosening won't necessarily happen, but just keep that in mind--it's easier than using a locking clip.)

 

S

SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jul 23, 2008

• #12

Also after she watches you do it...take it out and make HER do it. You've done nothing for her if you just simply put the seat in. She needs to learn for when it needs to be cleaned or something.

Susan

 

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 25, 2008

• #13

I forgot to post that I did take the locking clip off. I also took the seat out and had her install it herself. Thank you everyone for all of your help.

 

Maggie

New member

• Jul 25, 2008

• #14

Did you route the tether over the headrest?

Reason I ask is we had a '99 Windstar for awhile and I installed many seats (Britax, Evenflo, Cosco & Graco's) with no problems reaching the tether. I always took the headrest off or routed the tether between the top of the seat and the headrest. If you're going up and over the headrest, that may be why you don't have enough slack.

 

aclayton74

Active member

• Jul 26, 2008

• #15

MomToEm said:

Did you route the tether over the headrest?

Reason I ask is we had a '99 Windstar for awhile and I installed many seats (Britax, Evenflo, Cosco & Graco's) with no problems reaching the tether. I always took the headrest off or routed the tether between the top of the seat and the headrest. If you're going up and over the headrest, that may be why you don't have enough slack.

Click to expand...

I went under the headrest.