Question Scenera in a Truck?

Francesm

New member
Would you put a Cosco Scenera in the back seat of a truck? I wanted to get a second seat for our baby to go in dh's truck, but he just wants to move her Marathon from my Van to his truck if he's going to be taking her anywhere. I know in reality this is going to be irritating. I bought a scenera for $39 recently and I was going to take it back as I was nervous about it rebounding against the glass. Is this a reality?
We can't afford another $200 right now, so it's either the Scenera, or we'll have to move the Marathon each time.
Baby is 13 months, 21 lbs and 31 inches. Tall and slim

Another concern is I bought a Scenera for a neighbor last year as she had her less that one year old in a seat that didn't fasten!!!:eek: She said he outgrew it by the time he turned 2! So it might not last me very long either.
 
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BookMama

Senior Community Member
What type of cab does your truck have - crew, etc? Does it have a full-size back seat?

Another concern is I bought a Scenera for a neighbor last year as she had her less that one year old in a seat that didn't fasten!!! She said he outgrew it by the time he turned 2! So it might not last me very long either.

The Scenera lasts most kids until around age 3-4. I suspect your friend might have been doing something wrong with the seat - maybe she didn't know how to loosen the harness all the way, maybe the straps were still in the bottom slot, etc. My DD is 3.5 and still has plenty of room. :thumbsup:
 

Francesm

New member
It's a crew cab and the rear doors open forwards. It's a 1500 Chevy Silverado '08.
It has a full sized back seat with 3 full seatbelts.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
There are no reports or statistics about RF babies/toddlers rebounding into the glass - it's a hypothetical risk at this point.

I would much rather see a baby still RF in a truck, in a seat with no tether, than FF too early or using an improperly installed carseat because moving it back and forth resulted in a mistake. :twocents:
 

lynsgirl

New member
Your truck is new enough that it should have headrests in the backseat (possibly full-sized ones, since it is a crew cab), so even if the glass is a concern (and it IS one for me with trucks and RF seats), the headrest can help alleviate that. This is only anecdotal, but it's made me feel a bit better when I've had to have a RF seat in the back of a truck. We had a full-size crew cab for a while as our only vehicle and I had a RF toddler (not in a tethered seat) in there. :twocents:
 

Northriver

New member
When my dd was RF, we always used a tetherd Britax RF in the center rear of the trucks. Once she was FF, we have used a Scenera. The Scenera fits like a charm in my dad's '09 F150, easy rock solid install with the seatbelt. My daughter is tall for her age, turning 4 this week and is still able to use the Scenera, but will outgrow it soon by height. However, I'm not crazy about the Scenera. Mentally, it is hard to go from a $200+ seats to a $40 seat. The Scenera *may* be just as safe as the other seats, but it *seems* so flimsy, and there is no EPS foam. I only use my Scenera when I have to, in fact I've only used it half a dozen times at most.

Personally, I'd transfer the Marathon back and forth until I could afford a better seat.
 

lynsgirl

New member
Unfortunately there isn't one in the middle where she will need to be because of other kids.

Is it possible to switch her from the middle to one of the outboard seats? What other ages/sizes of kids in what seats (if any) do you have? Just trying to think of other options for you :).
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Some people prefer to put the more-safe car seat in the less-safe vehicle. So, you'd use the Scenera in your primary vehicle, and put the Marathon, tethered, in the truck. Is that something you'd consider?

If not, I agree that a RF Scenera is better than nothing, or an improperly used seat.
 

Francesm

New member
Thanks for the ideas.

Does anyone have any more info on rebounding? If there hasn't been a recorded case, where did the idea come from?
Would rebounding not be an issue if there is a headrest?

We could install the scenera in one of the outboard seats, we could put our son in a hbb in the middle and the 10 year old on the other outbound seat and the 11 year old in the front (She's 5' ft 5")
I think I'll save for a new seat in the meantime. Either a Roundabout 50, my ride or the new true fit. Which would last a tall slim toddler longer rfing?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
13 is the recommended age before which you should not put your child in the front seat, just to take that into your consideration. Even if she's tall, at 11 her bones are not really as mature as a child who has undergone puberty already.

I'd personally probably put the Scenera in the middle so she could sit in the back, or put the Scenera in the other car and the Marathon in the middle.
 

lynsgirl

New member
Thanks for the ideas.

Does anyone have any more info on rebounding? If there hasn't been a recorded case, where did the idea come from?
Would rebounding not be an issue if there is a headrest?

We could install the scenera in one of the outboard seats, we could put our son in a hbb in the middle and the 10 year old on the other outbound seat and the 11 year old in the front (She's 5' ft 5")
I think I'll save for a new seat in the meantime. Either a Roundabout 50, my ride or the new true fit. Which would last a tall slim toddler longer rfing?

We do actually know that seats that do not have an anti-rebound feature (bar, RF tether, etc), DO rebound. I don't know that we have anything that shows (video, still pics or written documentation) rebounding into rear window glass in trucks. It just stands to reason that it's a strong possibility, given what we *have* seen in videos, still pics and written documentation. Since we've seen rebounding into vehicle seatbacks, and it's not a pretty thing to watch, I personally don't want to risk my child rebounding into glass (as opposed to a cushioned seatback), whether it breaks or not, kwim?

the trufit has the tallest shell, plus has anti rebound, so that would be my pick. :)

This is a great idea of a seat to save for :). :thumbsup:

13 is the recommended age before which you should not put your child in the front seat, just to take that into your consideration. Even if she's tall, at 11 her bones are not really as mature as a child who has undergone puberty already.

I'd personally probably put the Scenera in the middle so she could sit in the back, or put the Scenera in the other car and the Marathon in the middle.

I do agree with you about the age of a child in the front seat, but it doesn't change anything for the OP. The baby wasn't/isn't in the front at this point and if I had to choose where the Scenera would go, I'd say outboard in the truck and leave the MA in the car. The MA is where she is most of the time (car), from what I'm understanding here, and the Scenera would be fine outboard, if it works out for the OP to have a different child in the middle of the back seat. :twocents: :)
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Does anyone have any more info on rebounding? If there hasn't been a recorded case, where did the idea come from?
Would rebounding not be an issue if there is a headrest?

There's plenty of info about rebounding out there, and the concern could very well be valid, depending on a lot of factors. The amount of force involved in the rebound would be one of them (not all crashes/car seats result in complete rebound, where the entire carseat "cocoons" against the vehicle seat back) and the height of the vehicle seat would be another (if the "cocooned" carseat is shorter than the vehicle seat back, there's no risk of the child's head impacting the rear window.) The size & weight of the child could also factor in - for a newborn, it's unlikely their head would come in contact with the rear window at all regardless of the type of vehicle seat or carseat, but what about an older toddler? Or would an older child be less likely to rebound because of his higher weight?

No one really can say for sure, without more post-crash statistics and/or crash tests.

If the seating position has a headrest, the car seat would cocoon onto that instead of the rear window.

As for re-arranging and putting the HBB booster in the center - does it have a lap/shoulder seat belt?

Ketchupqueen, she seems to have four kids, so one of them has to go up front. I'm not sure which one, though - depends on what kind of seat belts are available all around.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I do agree with you about the age of a child in the front seat, but it doesn't change anything for the OP. The baby wasn't/isn't in the front at this point and if I had to choose where the Scenera would go, I'd say outboard in the truck and leave the MA in the car. The MA is where she is most of the time (car), from what I'm understanding here, and the Scenera would be fine outboard, if it works out for the OP to have a different child in the middle of the back seat. :twocents: :)

Huh?

That wasn't the scenario. From what I'm understanding, there is a lap-only belt in the middle, and 3 children. So, if the Scenera goes outboard, no other child can sit in the center-- she has a boostered child and a child who uses the seatbelt only. Those children both need lap/shoulder belts and neither can go in the center.

So, it DOES change something, if her choice is between having a rear-facing seat in the center, and being able to have all 3 in back, or having a rear-facing child outboard in order to have a headrest to rebound into, and having an 11 year old sit in front.

Assuming the other car is a sedan, I'd personally choose to put the Scenera in that car because then the seat that RF tethers can go in the truck. I have and would again use a Scenera as a daily-use seat for a rear-facing child. Outboard, at that. I would personally weigh that as the safest way for everyone in each car-- especially if the Scenera could go in the middle in the other car, too.

But I can understand if she chooses to put the MA in the daily-use car, for ease of use. In that case, I would STILL choose to have the Scenera in the center, even with the risk of not having a headrest there and the rebound and all that, if it meant that the 11 year old could go in the back.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
We could install the scenera in one of the outboard seats, we could put our son in a hbb in the middle and the 10 year old on the other outbound seat and the 11 year old in the front (She's 5' ft 5")
I think I'll save for a new seat in the meantime. Either a Roundabout 50, my ride or the new true fit. Which would last a tall slim toddler longer rfing?

Psst, this quote from post #10 in the thread indicates 4 kids and thus there would need to be a front passenger seat occupant. :)
 

Francesm

New member
Sorry if I wasn't clear. Yes there are 4 children. Ages 1, 6, 10 and 11.

In my van they sit in a Marathon, Regent, no back booster and the 11 year old has been sitting in the front or back with no booster.

There are 3 full seatbelts in the back of the truck. So for dh to take all 4 kids, one would need to be in the front.

I thought I knew a lot about car safety, but I never knew there was a danger for my 11 year old to be in the front. I always thought it just went by height! I am so glad to learn something new. So are you saying she needs to stay in the back until she has gone through puberty? To be safest.
She's going back in the back of my van. Thank you.
 

disbugsmomma

New member
Would it be possible for your son to be in a harness in the truck? If so, he would be the safest in the front seat. Otherwise I would leave the 11 yo up front, just make sure the seat is as far back as it will go. It may be more comfortable to the other kids to have the Scenera outboard, then only one will be sitting next to it. But that only works with a shoulder belt in the middle (which I'm pretty sure an '08 has).
 

Francesm

New member
Yes! that is what we are going to do. Thanks for the idea. It also keeps him away from the baby and girls which is a huge plus (for my sanity). We were going to to that anyway for when we all need to go in the truck, but I thought the 11 year old (5'5" 120 lbs) would be safer there if it was just DH and the kids. That's before I learned about bone maturity. There isn't a shoulder belt in the middle, but I could put the 10 year old in DS's HBB.

I meant to say there isn't a headrest in the middle so I could put the 10 year old back in a hbb (there is a shoulder belt in the middle at the back).
 
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