Help with Correct Installation using LATCH/top anchor

Hi,

OK. We finally got our new car (RAV4) and new carseat. (Temporarily the Cosco high back booster -- I know you guys don't like this seat -- if it doesn't fit well, I may exchange it! But my daughter's happy with it right now.)

I've finally got the seats of the car situated the way I think they will be used most of the time, in a way that will allow access to the third row of seat. I've put the carseat on the side behind the driver's seat.

I've never used the LATCH system before, and thought I'd give it a try. I think I figured out the bottom 2 tethers correctly. But, what about the top anchor -- when/how is it supposed to be used? Is it necessary or optional with either system (LATCH or seatbelts)? When is the top anchor supposed to be secured at the anchor at the bottom of the seatback?

Right now, I have the carseat secured at the bottom with the LATCH hooks. And the top anchor is over the seatback and secured at the bottom seatback hook. To do that, I took the headrest off the seat, and then put it back on, but the headrest is now resting over the edge of the carseat's top -- is that OK as long as the headrest is secured? (My daughter's head is nowhere near the top of the carseat).

I hope this makes sense. I know I'm not using all the proper terms and lingo!! Thanks!

You should always use the top tether anchor with a forward facing seat if one is available. It really reduces head excursion in an accident.

I personally would just remove the headrest altogether and put it somewhere safe until you need to use it. My headrests are in my trunk and if I need to move a seat for an adult to sit, I reinstall the headrest. This way, the head rest is not interfering with my carseat install, but are close by if I need them.

First-

Can you please give your daughter's age and weight? Also, is she using it with a 5-point harness or as a booster with the seatbelt?

Generally, the LATCH system is optional for use with the 5-point harness. If you can use LATCH and get a good fit, perfect. If the seatbelt results in a better installation, that is preferable. When used as a booster, most manufacturers do not allow the use of LATCH.

It sounds like you may have the top tether routed correctly, but you should double check your vehicle and child restraint owner's manual. Sometimes, they prefer you to route over or along side the head restraint, but usually underneath is fine. In fact, you may even prefer to remove the head restraint in some vehicles as it may improve your rear visibility- so long as the child's booster provides adequate head restraint of its own.

Hi,

Wow -- you guys are fast!

My daughter's small for her age -- she's 3 1/2 and about 24 pounds, about 34 inches tall, so we're definitely using the 5-point harness. If I keep it hooked up this way, I will probably just remove the headrest.

So, let me see if I'm understanding correctly:

1) The top anchor -- tethered EITHER on the ceiling of the car or the bottom of the seatback -- should be used no matter which method (LATCH or seatbelts) is used? It doesn't matter which anchor is used -- whichever gives the best fit?

Now I'm wondering about our old car/carseat. Our old car is a 1998 Corolla, so there's no top tether anchor. Is it just that the top anchor is an additional measure of safety, as opposed to the carseat being unsafe without the top anchor?

2) Don't use LATCH when using the seat as a booster -- we won't be doing this for a long, long time, but I'm just curious why. Is LATCH generally less safe?

Yes, the top tether can should be used if possible with whatever why you install, either seatbelt or LATCH.

Most cars have a place that top tethers can be installed and *most* dealerships will install 1 for free. So you could see about having a top tether installed in your Corolla. It isn't required, but does help make the seat safer.

When using the seat as a booster, you want the seat to move with the child in an accident, so that's why you wouldn't want to use latch to secure the seat while in booster mode.

Okay, I'm nursing at the computer and that first sentence made NO sense. LOL

Let me try again - Yes, the top tether should be used if possible. And it can be used with both a seat belt installation or with a LATCH installation.

Unregistered said:

Hi,

Wow -- you guys are fast!

My daughter's small for her age -- she's 3 1/2 and about 24 pounds, about 34 inches tall, so we're definitely using the 5-point harness. If I keep it hooked up this way, I will probably just remove the headrest.

So, let me see if I'm understanding correctly:

1) The top anchor -- tethered EITHER on the ceiling of the car or the bottom of the seatback -- should be used no matter which method (LATCH or seatbelts) is used? It doesn't matter which anchor is used -- whichever gives the best fit?

Click to expand...

Correct. Always use the top tether for forward facing seats with a harness, unless otherwise indicated in the vehicle or child restraint owner's manual. You should always use the anchor designated for the seating position being used for the child restraint, given in the vehicle owner's manual.

Now I'm wondering about our old car/carseat. Our old car is a 1998 Corolla, so there's no top tether anchor. Is it just that the top anchor is an additional measure of safety, as opposed to the carseat being unsafe without the top anchor?

Click to expand...

Correct. The top tether is highly recommended, but it is optional. Forward facing seats must still meet minimum requirements without a top tether.

You can probably have one or more top tether anchors installed in your Corolla, as is the case with most vehicles since 1989. The Toyota part number is 73709-12010 and costs $10-15. You can probably install it yourself if you can find the location or have a dealer do it for you. Your owner's manual may have some information on this, also.

2) Don't use LATCH when using the seat as a booster -- we won't be doing this for a long, long time, but I'm just curious why. Is LATCH generally less safe?

Click to expand...

Not necessarily. A few models allow you to do this, most do not. It could be a safety issue for some models, but it is more likely to do with the cost of added testing and an old government requirement limiting the maximum weight allowed for the restraint when it is used as a booster. Unfortunately, we don't know the reason for any particular model so it's best to follow the instructions. Cosco used to you require that you remove or store the LATCH attachments when in booster mode but this may have changed for some new models.

Thanks so much!!

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are great! It's sooo nice to have a place like this to come to with questions. Years ago, I went to one of those "carseat inspection" areas setup by the local police department in a shopping center parking lot. It was a big waste of time, other than being kind of amusing (we had a balloon in the car, and it popped when the officer first leaned inside the car -- I think he thought it was gunfire -- sorry, but at the time, it was kinda funny). I went because I was so unsure if my older daughter (then about 3, now 13), was safe in the booster seat we had at the time because of her small size, etc. Other than checking if we installed it correctly, he really had no idea how to answer my questions. So, I've avoided those "checkpoints" ever since, but from time to time I have safety concerns that I can't resolve by reading the carseat and car manuals.

I hate hearing about bad tech experiences. There really are a lot of GREAT techs out there. But there are also some techs who aren't so great. Maybe they resent having to volunteer time at the check-up events to keep their certification current, because they were forced to become certified by their job, all kinds of reasons. But don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch. There's lots of things technicians can teach you, hands-on, that are really difficult (or impossible) to explain online.