Question Seat belt positioners?

adamsmommy

New member
Does anyone know where to get one? I seen them in One Step Ahead, but they are for kids. I need one for me. With my boobs and belly, my belt never sits right. OSA says theirs is crash tested. Any ideas?
 
ADS

Evolily

New member
Not safe- they pull up the lap belt and likely introduce slack into the belt during a crash. Any testing done is independent and unregulated.
 

Maedze

New member
:yeahthat:

THey will pull the belt up on your belly and make the belt fit dangerous in a crash.

When you buckle in, physically place the belt on your thighs/hips, under your belly, and tighten it at the latchplate. Then adjust the shoulder belt across your chest. If you have a height positioner on your shoulder belt, mess around with that.

Even if, after all that, your belt doesn't fit, if you are quite petite you could consider one of the broader backless boosters like the Harmony backless. Even a pillow in your seat would be better than a belt positioner.
 

munchkin

Active member
Is it the lap part or the shoulder part that is off?

Whenever I ride in the back of my mom's Sport Trac the shoulder belt is cutting across my neck, so I got a random belt clip (you know the red ones :confused:) that attaches to nbb and looped it around the LATCh anchor to pull the shoulder belt down where it belongs. It works wonders! Maybe something like that could work for you (and be a lot safer).
 

Ali

New member
I got a random belt clip (you know the red ones :confused:) that attaches to nbb and looped it around the LATCh anchor to pull the shoulder belt down where it belongs. It works wonders! Maybe something like that could work for you (and be a lot safer).

I did the same thing in FILs Rendezvous. It made it so much more comfortable!
 

adamsmommy

New member
Is it the lap part or the shoulder part that is off?

Whenever I ride in the back of my mom's Sport Trac the shoulder belt is cutting across my neck, so I got a random belt clip (you know the red ones :confused:) that attaches to nbb and looped it around the LATCh anchor to pull the shoulder belt down where it belongs. It works wonders! Maybe something like that could work for you (and be a lot safer).

Yeah, it slices into my neck. I am getting a new BMW X5 and it does not adjust at all due to the headrests. The red thing, are you talking about the thing like that came with the Turbo Booster? I didn't get one with the Monterey. Even if I could adjust the shoulder part, my belly pushes the belt up.:( I need to just lose that and I would be much better off.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I tuck the seatbelt under my belly right now. I just keep doing it as it rides up. And when I'm not pregnant I push it down because I have a short torso and it likes to come up. So I just push it down.

My headrest luckily acts like a guide in my driver's seat. Otherwise this car would drive me bonkers.

Wendy
 

kathysr98

Active member
My car has an adjustment for the angle of the seat bottom that I use to help position the belt. The adjustment raises or lowers the back edge of the seat's bottom, where it meets the seat back. I put it all the way up, which improves the fit of both portions of the belt.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Carissa, I would imagine in a BMW X5 there is multi adjustable seat buttons. Have you had a chance to fiddle with all of that yet? On top of that there should be a way to lower the seatbelt down off your neck using an adjustment. That would be up where the seatbelt comes out of the pillar near where you side curtain air bags would be.

When all else fails, just slightly tipping, or moving your body to the side can help position the seatbelt better on your upper body. Even though I am 5'10" I often have to do this is some cars.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Ya, I'm with lovinwaves, the seat should be adjustable in every direction possible. If you raise the base of the seat up (so you're sitting higher up), the shoulder belt will sit lower and that should also help the lap belt fit lower as well. Is it you buying the vehicle? If so, hopefully you can try out the seat adjustment before you buy it. Personally, I wouldn't buy a new X5 if I couldn't adjust the seat and belt to fit me properly. I know not everyone has the ability to be able to choose a different vehicle, but I happen to know that there are other vehicles in the same price range and lower that are competitive to the X5 that do have both adjustable height seats AND adjustable seat belt heights (I know this because last year I was looking at that class of vehicle when we bought our new one).

My guess is though that if you play with the seat adjustment, you'll be able to make it work.
 

adamsmommy

New member
I have not got it yet. It should be here at the end of September. Dh works for BMW and we get great lease prices, so that is why we went with it. I never thought about messing with the seat. I will try that with one on the lot next time I go over. I am sure that will help some, but it seems that no matter what, my big ole belly still pushes it up. My car now, Chrysler Aspen, I can adjust the seat belt just above my shoulder and it still pushes up sometimes. I will play with that seat tomorrow and see if that helps. I was quite surprised that you could not adjust the belt on the X5, but dh says it is because the headrest moves up in an accident to help prevent whiplash.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
I was quite surprised that you could not adjust the belt on the X5, but dh says it is because the headrest moves up in an accident to help prevent whiplash.
Those are called active head restraints, and yes the X5 has them, but I'm not sure why that would prevent BMW from putting in a height adjustable shoulder belt. Our MDX has active head restraints and we have height adjustable shoulder belts.
 

Jonah Baby

New member
Even if, after all that, your belt doesn't fit, if you are quite petite you could consider one of the broader backless boosters like the Harmony backless. Even a pillow in your seat would be better than a belt positioner.

Could one really?

I have a horrible time with most belts, no matter what I do. I did own one of those positions once, the ones made of cloth, then I "learned" that they weren't as safe as I thought, haha.

How much is a harmony? Heck, I may even fit in a LBB...I'll go test this in the middle of Target...
 

Jonah Baby

New member
Good price range, haha!

I bet BRU sells them, eh? We could 20% coupon that with one of our expired carseats.:whistle:

Or should I just keep this NIB Graco Turbobooster for myself?
LOL.
 

kphil

Member
If you try the Harmony, let me know how it is. I hate riding in my dh's Audi, because the lap portion of the seatbelt fits me so badly--I'm small, and the buckle stalk is rigid and long enough that the lap belt is held away from my body. There is no way to tighten it up enough to lie right against me. I don't feel very safe in it. I thought I could use the base of my dd's Monterey, but it's a little snug across the hips on me.
 

Jonah Baby

New member
I'm going to go check them out this evening - and get rid of one of our junk seats in the process!

I shouldn't have to worry about weight limit too much, right? But try to get one with a higher limit? It is still better to use one than have the seatbelt cut my neck off in an accident.
I was reasonably small before this pregnancy - nearly fitting into some of Jo's carseats (butt placement wise) myself!
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
It's my understanding that shoulderbelt adjustments on front seats are the law. Though maybe it's like my mom's old Volvo where it 'adjusts' in a slit up and down the side of the car. Still, it fit short and tall people well depending on where it was in the slit, it was just automatic instead of a button and slide like most other cars have. I'm sure the PP's are right, though, there will be an endless array of seat adjustments that should do the trick (and it probably has a memory button to move automatically between two drivers' settings)
 

adamsmommy

New member
Started to do some googling and it says something about automatically adjusting, depending where you position your seat. Dh is gonna play with one today. If we can get it to adjust, it will be better, but my belly will still push it up some, like it does now also. Just not as bad.
 
Last edited:

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,897
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top