Question Rear Facing Side or Front Facing Center?

akp780 · Jun 12, 2009

We have a 2009 Honda Accord and a Britax Boulevard. Until recently purchasing this car, we had our 21-month old daughter rear facing in the center. We can't seem to get this car seat to fit correctly in the new Accord, center, rear facing. I'm wondering if it is safer to have her in a side seat, near the door, rear facing, rather than in the center forward facing.

Also, if we place our daughter in the side seat, should we be concerned with the side curtain air bag deployment in the case of accident?

Any advice?

spokaneCPST · Jun 12, 2009

Rear-facing is always safest as long as you can get a proper installation. So I would put her on the side, rear-facing. The side curtain airbags are not a concern, as long as the seat is properly installed and used.

If you post back with the problems you are having installing in the middle (maybe even pictures of the problem), we can probably help you figure out that install as well.

Renee

Gypsy · Jun 13, 2009

I agree, rear facing is much safer no matter which rear seating position, than forward facing center.

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

We will give the rf/center installation a try again today. Part of the problem was the angle of the back seat in relation to the angle we needed to achieve on the car seat. I'll take photos of the process.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

mommaon112903 · Jun 13, 2009

I can understand the frustration..the Accords can be a pain to install center thanks to the "Honda Hump" as hubby calls it. We have owned practically every model of Honda and the center installs can be tricky!

Josef is outboard in my Accord as I can not get a great install with the Regent using the specific belt path I have to use. It is also easier to get him in/out outboard

Especially when he is sleeping...it is not an easy feat to get a 43", 38lber out of a carseat when he is sound asleep.

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

Ok, I think we've accomplished the impossible. The "Honda Hump" really is a pain! I'm still not sure we have the latch belt perfect (there are guides to line up with the belt, and I think we may be a little off there). I've tried to attach pics, but for some reason the site is rejecting them. I'll work on that and post them separately if I can!

Again, thanks for the support and the advice. This forum is fantastic.

natysr · Jun 13, 2009

akp780 said:
Ok, I think we've accomplished the impossible. The "Honda Hump" really is a pain! I'm still not sure we have the latch belt perfect (there are guides to line up with the belt, and I think we may be a little off there). I've tried to attach pics, but for some reason the site is rejecting them. I'll work on that and post them separately if I can!

Again, thanks for the support and the advice. This forum is fantastic.

DING DING DING! Found your problem.

Honda does not allow you to borrow lower latch anchors for a center install. You must use a seatbelt install if you are going to install it in the center.

Try it with the seatbelt, then post back with any problems/questions.

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

Here are some photos showing the problem (first photo), then the proper (we hope) install (second and third).

We had a hard time tightening the seat down because the latch belts would move out of the proper location on the bar of the seat. SO, we ended up putting the latch belts in loosely, then tethering the seat to the proper angle, then tightening the latch belts.

We got the seat nice and tight, the belts are in the proper location, and we hope the seat is correctly installed, even though we went out of order in the installation process.

What do you all think?

Patriot201 · Jun 13, 2009

As Natalie said, you can't use LATCH in the center of an Accord (though the brand-new ones might allow it). What does your owner's manual say?

I also think that your seat looks too reclined. Your daughter is 21 months old?

THe picture in my siggy is of a Boulevard in the center of a 2003 Accord.

natysr · Jun 13, 2009

Also, for future reference, the latch straps do not have to line up with those arrows. You do not want to use the rearfacing tether as an installation method. Install the seat first. Make sure it has less than one inch of movement at the beltpath, then attach the tether. The tether makes the seat perform better in an accident, it doesn't make a bad install, a good install.

Mommy0608 · Jun 13, 2009

Like someone else said, if you want to use the center, you'll need to use the seatbelt, not LATCH. Seatbelt and LATCH installations are equally safe, as long as you can get a good, tight installation.

Tightening the top tether first can give you a false sense of a good installation. It's okay if you want to hook the top tether first, but don't tighten it up before you tighten the seatbelt or LATCH strap. The top tether isn't meant to secure the car seat in the vehicle... it just prevents the top of the seat from moving much in a crash.

Also, when using LATCH (in an approved location in your vehicle), it's okay if the straps slide a little off the indicated location on the bars as far as I know. Also, older babies and toddlers can be anywhere from 30-45 degrees from verticle. The 45 degree angle indicator on the car seat is mainly for newborns or young babies who don't have adequate head control.

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

We are checking the Honda Accord (09) manual right now. You are all correct:

"Conventional child seats must be secured to a vehicle with a seat belt, whereas LATCH-compatible seats are secured by attaching the seat to hardware built into the two outer seating positions in the back seat."

Back to the drawing board!!!

Patriot201 · Jun 13, 2009

akp780 said:
We are checking the Honda Accord (09) manual right now. You are all correct:

"Conventional child seats must be secured to a vehicle with a seat belt, whereas LATCH-compatible seats are secured by attaching the seat to hardware built into the two outer seating positions in the back seat."

Back to the drawing board!!!

Try the seatbelt.

Patriot201 · Jun 13, 2009

Sorry. That should have been a

above, not a

. For some reason, I cannot edit.

mommaon112903 · Jun 13, 2009

Also take the towel out-you do not need anything, nor should you ever be using something under your carseats, it will not damage your seats, because this can give a "false" tightening. This will also help in getting a tighter install.

I can do a long-belt path (LBP) install in the center of my Accord, but can not do a short-belt path (SBP) install

The Regents have a few quirks about them that the MAs do not, so hopefully you will be able to get a good seatbelt install with some practice

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

We've got the car seat in the center, without the incline, but the car seat still looks too upright.

Also, this car seat only has one belt path (as far as we can tell) and using the shoulder belt for the center seat seems to be working.

We just need to figure out if the angle is ok. Is there any harm in having the seat reclined in this case?

mommaon112903 · Jun 13, 2009

There is a RF (rear facing) and a FF (foward facing) belt path, so just make sure you are using the RF belt path

akp780 said:
.
Also, this car seat only has one belt path (as far as we can tell) and using the shoulder belt for the center seat seems to be working.

Have you looked for a tech in your area? If not please do and they will be able to teach and help with anything you need

Chameleon · Jun 13, 2009

akp780 said:
We've got the car seat in the center, without the incline, but the car seat still looks too upright.

Also, this car seat only has one belt path (as far as we can tell) and using the shoulder belt for the center seat seems to be working.

We just need to figure out if the angle is ok. Is there any harm in having the seat reclined in this case?

Please read the manual that is attached to the front of the Boulevard. It will show you exactly how to install using the seat belt and which belt path to use. Yes there are 2 different belt paths, 1 for Forward Facing, and another for Rear Facing. The rear facing belt path will be where your child's feet are. Lift up the cover and you will see it.

akp780 · Jun 13, 2009

Hi everyone!

Thanks again for all of you insight and help. We've got the car seat rear facing, in the outboard position, using the latches.

Using the seatbelt rear facing, center position, with the belt, just could wouldn't work to our satisfaction (mostly because of that Honda Hump).

I HAVE located a tech at our local fire department, and I'll be calling this week to have our seat checked over.

Again, thanks so much for helping, this has been a very educational day!

Have a great weekend!

natysr · Jun 13, 2009

I'm glad that you were able to get a good install.

Choosing the better install of the outboard position is definately preferrable to the center, forwardfacing.

That being said, a center RFing install in your car is possible. When you see the tech, ask him/her to help you try the center again. He/she may be able to show you some tricks first hand. If you still have trouble, there is nothing wrong with having an outboard installation.

Question Rear Facing Side or Front Facing Center?

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