Question top tether instalment in volkswagen gol

argentina volkswagen · Feb 26, 2009

we have a 2005 volkswagen gol station wagon, bought in argentina. we need to install a top tether anchor as we have a canadian car seat that requires it, but car seats here do not generally use top tethers and nobody knows what we're talking about. the manual makes no reference to a top tether.
the VW service folks suggested connecting an anchor to the area where the seat belts are connected. any suggestions about how and where to install this would be very welcome!! also, what about not using a top tether? none of the car seats here use them...
many thanks!

canmom · Feb 26, 2009

Where do you live?

argentina volkswagen · Feb 26, 2009

argentina - currently in buenos aires but soon moving to the north...

canmom · Feb 26, 2009

Canadian seats require the top tether because our testing standards only allow for 720mm of head excursion. Other countries have different standards so they may or may not need the tether depending on their specific testing standards. Techs in countries where the top tethers aren't mandatory generally recommend using it anyway as there is a significant benefit. I'm not sure what to tell you... if the seat is Canadian and has been tested with the tether I would recommend using it, maybe try contacting VW in Canada or the USA and ask them. Also, most countries require you use a seat approved in their country... I know in Canada, you can be ticketed and potentially void your insurance for using say an American seat.

argentina volkswagen · Feb 26, 2009

thanks for your reply. here lots of people don't even put their kids in seat belts or in the back seat, so i'm not worried about insurance issues but rather safety issues. do you think the tether anchor MUST come from VW or is it something we can improvise (based on good judgment and some good advice?)
thanks again!

canmom · Feb 26, 2009

I'm not 100% sure on that.... I know we have tether anchors kits in some toy stores here but to be honest I don't know anything about them and I think you need to have pre-drilled holes for them. Does your vehicle have pre-drilled holes for an anchor? Is there a national number for VW for you to call? Maybe they would be able to help.

QuassEE · Feb 26, 2009

The Gol doesn't have top tethers... Nor does the Polo.. The Golf and the Jetta do because they're North American market... Older Golfs had a bar that ran through the cargo area..

The Gol was never marketed in North America and therefore there's no top tether-ability.

You'll just be using your seat without the top tether...What this means is that if you do happen to have a seat that goes to 47 or 48lbs in the Canadian market but to only 40lbs in the US market, you'll want to obey the US weight limits. You will run the "risk" of higher head excursion numbers, but honestly when you're in another country you just do your best. {Comment added: if the station wagon has an extra row of seats, you could tether to the rear row seatbelts...}

Make sure that you properly restrain the tether hook itself so it does not become a projectile in the vehicle.

BTW--the Gol is one of the vehicles I've been researching a bit lately, since we're considering a move to Costa Rica. It would be a great second car for us, but the lack of tether anchors is a downer since we'll have American and Canadian carseats there

-Nicole.

canmom · Feb 26, 2009

Thanks for catching that Nicole... I was assuming "Gol" was actually a typo and the OP meant "Golf"

Question top tether instalment in volkswagen gol

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