Frontier LATCH limit

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

Anyone know? The manual doesn't clearly specify, it says only this:

IMPORTANT: Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual or contact the vehicle
manufacturer for the maximum weight rating for their LATCH anchors.
Use the vehicle belt (not LATCH) for installations with children who weigh
more than the vehicle LATCH anchor limit. Unless specified otherwise by
the vehicle manufacturer, assume a 40 pound (18.1 kg.) child is the vehicle
LATCH anchor limit. Only use the vehicle’s designated tether anchor for the
chosen seating position.

That leads me to believe that the seat itself has no limit. I called Britax and they told me to go by the vehicle. I told her my vehicle allows 60, she said it was fine to go to 60 then. But i know Britax CSRs don't always know what they're talking about.

My car allows the lower anchors to be used until 60 and the tether to be used to 80. Soooo.... should I just use the anchors until 60? Because then I can keep the Frontier since I'll never have to install it with the belt (Charlie will be too tall by 60 pounds, Sam can have it then and I'll buy the new one with improved installation and taller top slots).

ETA- I did try to search because I'm sure it's been asked before. I got nowhere...

BookMama · Feb 9, 2009

If the stated LATCH limit of the vehicle is 60 lbs., I'd feel comfortable using the Frontier with LATCH until 60 lbs.

You drive a Subaru, right? I think that the new LATCH manual may reflect a change to the LATCH limit for Subaru, but of course I don't have the manual handy to check it right now. Hopefully someone with a 2009 LATCH manual will be along soon to check for you. (I'm referring to the weight limits as listed in the quick reference guide chart.)

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

Yeah, Subaru. I refuse to listen to anything stating they changed <fingers in ears>

Okay, what happened? <deflates>

LuvBug · Feb 9, 2009

The post advisory regent says this as well, or it did... I haven't read one of those manuals since the whole fiasco.

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

It... DID?!?!? You mean... I could have kept my regent and continued to use it to 60 pounds? HUH?!?!

Oh, well, I didn't use the recline bar, so that kinda screwed me. I'm happier with the FN, though, as long as I can install it well. You know, to 60 pounds.

BookMama · Feb 9, 2009

OK, Jools has looked at her LATCH manual and confirmed the change. Subaru still states the LATCH limit as 60 lb. - but it's now the combined weight of the child AND the child restraint. :thumbsdown:

Pixels · Feb 9, 2009

Which means it's the same as vehicles with 40 pound limits. When they came up with the limits, they figured in 20 pounds for the restraint itself.

BookMama · Feb 9, 2009

pixels99 said:
Which means it's the same as vehicles with 40 pound limits. When they came up with the limits, they figured in 20 pounds for the restraint itself.

Well, actually, that would make it less than 40 lbs for the child. The Frontier weighs approximately 25 lbs. So if you take into account the weight of the child restraint, that would leave 35 lbs. for the child's weight.

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

And is that retroactive (2006), or just going forward? Because I was all set to keep the FN, and now it blows up in my face again. Heck, depending on the seat, that's LESS than most manufacturers.

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

Okay, I spoke with Jodi at Subaru who states that it continues to be 60 pounds for the child, not the child plus CR. So I could use it until Charlie is 60 pounds.
I might call back tomorrow or so and see if I get the same answer. If I do, I'll keep it.

LISmama810 · Feb 9, 2009

Splash said:
Okay, I spoke with Jodi at Subaru who states that it continues to be 60 pounds for the child, not the child plus CR. So I could use it until Charlie is 60 pounds.
I might call back tomorrow or so and see if I get the same answer. If I do, I'll keep it.

Keep in mind that SafeRideNews gets its information straight from engineers--not from customer service. You're likely to get a different answer from CS each time you call.

That said, if that's the information MOST parents would get from CS, how are they supposed to know to do any different?

I'd say the choice is up to you.

(For the record, I have always suspected that all cars have a 40-lb weight limit, and somewhere in the mix, the weight of the child seat got added in with some. I.e., 40-lb kid + 8-lb seat=48 lb limit. I suspect Subaru just added more.)

Pixels · Feb 9, 2009

pixels99 said:
Which means it's the same as vehicles with 40 pound limits. When they came up with the limits, they figured in 20 pounds for the restraint itself.

BookMama said:
Well, actually, that would make it less than 40 lbs for the child. The Frontier weighs approximately 25 lbs. So if you take into account the weight of the child restraint, that would leave 35 lbs. for the child's weight.

I was speaking more in general terms for Subaru's limit regarding child restraints, not specifically about the Frontier.

It's the same as other vehicles because other vehicles with a 40 pound limit are assuming a 20 pound restraint, which means 60 pounds total on those anchors.

crunchierthanthou · Feb 9, 2009

LISmama810 said:
(For the record, I have always suspected that all cars have a 40-lb weight limit, and somewhere in the mix, the weight of the child seat got added in with some. I.e., 40-lb kid + 8-lb seat=48 lb limit. I suspect Subaru just added more.)

there aren't many 8 lb seats. I thought the 48 lb limit stemmed from UAS in Canada where some seats harnessed to 48 lbs (vs 40 in most US seats at the time LATCH was developed). Either that or the 48 lb test dummy. :shrug-shoulders:

Splash · Feb 9, 2009

Harrumph. I called back, got the same answer and he even went to check with someone else. He says that the new vehicle manual still states 60 pound child limit, that the CR weight is irrelevant, and that no one knows of any changes made. He actually told me to call SRN because he can't imagine why they have that information if Subaru itself is still towing the 60 pound line. He went and got a new manual and even stated there that it is still 60 pounds child limit.

LISmama810 · Feb 9, 2009

crunchierthanthou said:
there aren't many 8 lb seats. I thought the 48 lb limit stemmed from UAS in Canada where some seats harnessed to 48 lbs (vs 40 in most US seats at the time LATCH was developed). Either that or the 48 lb test dummy. :shrug-shoulders:

There aren't many 8-lb seats these days, but I figured they used something along the lines of a Scenera when doing the initial LATCH testing.

What this whole thing demonstrates is the desperate need to get LATCH standardized across the board. There shouldn't be this many questions.

LISmama810 · Feb 9, 2009

Splash said:
Harrumph. I called back, got the same answer and he even went to check with someone else. He says that the new vehicle manual still states 60 pound child limit, that the CR weight is irrelevant, and that no one knows of any changes made. He actually told me to call SRN because he can't imagine why they have that information if Subaru itself is still towing the 60 pound line. He went and got a new manual and even stated there that it is still 60 pounds child limit.

Sorry for the serial post.

Does your manual specifically state a 60-lb CHILD weight limit? If so, I'd be hard-pressed to tell you to ignore that. As much as I love the LATCH Manual as a reference, I don't think it can supersede information specifically provided by a vehicle manual. (For a manufacturer like Honda, for example, who states NOTHING in terms of weight in its manuals, sure. But if the information contradicts? I'm less inclined to rely on it.)

This is similar to the problem I have when someone calls Honda and is told that there is no LATCH limit, or the limit is 48 lbs (answers I've gotten myself). Who am I to say, "No, this third-party book says that's not true." (Now, just the fact that Honda provides about four different answers is proof that they have no idea what they're talking about, and I'll go with the LATCH manual since I've talked personally with the engineer who provided that info. But my point is that the vast majority of parents who even know that LATCH limits exist will get their info from the manufacturer, not from the LATCH Manual.)

bobandjess99 · Feb 9, 2009

hmmm...so...my vehicle defers to the carseat......so I could keep the frontier latched indefinitely in my car??

crunchierthanthou · Feb 9, 2009

bobandjess99 said:
hmmm...so...my vehicle defers to the carseat......so I could keep the frontier latched indefinitely in my car??

no. that's the case of assume 40 lbs if not stated.

Unless specified otherwise by the vehicle manufacturer, assume a 40 pound (18.1 kg.) child is the vehicle
LATCH anchor limit.

bobandjess99 · Feb 9, 2009

crunchierthanthou said:
no. that's the case of assume 40 lbs if not stated.

which makes no sense
The nauti says to assume a 48 lb limit, so i can keep the nauti latched to 48, but the frontier to only 40? And splash can keep hers latched to 60?

oh ya.
LATCH made everything SOOO much simpler.

rodentranger · Feb 9, 2009

So if the LATCH anchor limit is 40 but they are assuming the CR weighs 20, does that mean I can anchor my 60 lb dog with LATCH? She weighs the same as the assumed seat anf child combo....

/hijack over

Frontier LATCH limit

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