Seatbelt and locking clip ?

So, I was just reading the manual for the Graco SafeSeat1 and installing without base. I am going to install it with the base using the seat belt and have figured that out, but was reading the rest. Anyway, I have a 2007 Toyota Sienna with Captain Chairs, they have Combination lap/shoulder belts with a sliding latch plate, the seat belts lock if you pull them all the way out. In the SafeSeat1 manual, it states that I must use a locking clip with this type of seat belt, if I install the seat without the base. I plan on using the base, but that got me thinking about other car seats.

So, my question is, if I install another carseat that does not have built in locking clips, do I need to use a locking clip? I got a Scenera for my mom's car and was playing with in my car, and installed it with the seat belt. But, that manual did not specifically say I needed to use a locking clip. It didn't talk about my kind of seat belts. I didn't use a locking clip for it.

I also have a Decathlon, which is now installed with LATCH rear-facing and tethered, but I know that it will eventually be needed to install with the seatbelts. It has built in locking chips, so will I need to use those?

This seat belt thing confuses me.

Thanks,
Katie

Hi Katie. Good for you for reading your instruction manuals! That's a big hurdle to get past and is usually confusing.

I use a locking clip in certain circumstances with your type of seat belts. Usually only with rear-facing seats because if you lock the seat belts by pulling them out all the way, the shoulder belt will cause the seat to tip to one side. Initially the car seat may look even, but over time and with use, the seat will tip. It ends up being easier to just leave the seat belt unlocked and to use a locking clip. For seats with built-in lockoffs, I use those instead of the locking clips. For infant seats without bases, I leave the shoulder belt out of the belt path unless the instructions specify that the shoulder belt needs to stay in the belt path (which doesn't apply to your SafeSeat). So, for your SafeSeat, just lock the seat belt because the shoulder belt is out of the belt path and won't cause tipping.

Once a seat is forward-facing, using a locking clip is unnecessary with your seat belts because they won't cause the tipping problem. Just buckle, tighten the belt, then lock the belt and tighten it some more. Since your Decathlon has the lockoff right in the belt path and you can't really avoid it, just use it instead of locking the seat belt.

Thanks so much. That makes perfect sense.

Katie