Help with RF'ing install in Prius V!!!

Anifan

New member
Bought a Prius V. DS2 has outgrown Graco infant seat. Bought Britax Frontier 85 for DS1 and he is FF'ing behind driver's seat. Want to put DS2 in DS1's old CA 50, RF'ing behind passenger seat (as it's too tall to fit behind driver's seat and allow me to drive comfortably and middle seat is too narrow.

The problem I'm having is that stupid Toyota has a plastic joint-thingy at the bottom, between the middle seat and the seat behind the passenger's seat, near where the set buckle is and LATCH connector. When we try to tighten it, the foot of the CA goes up on the slippery plastic and we can't get a tight install, no matter if we place a towel on it, etc. We're out of ideas and I'm thinking I may need a narrower seat. The CA would probably do just fine FF'ing, but it gets wider at the front part of the seat, so RF'ing it causes this problem. I measured and it's about 12.5inches of seat space of width that I can have for a RF'ing seat, width-wise. Would a Radian be narrow enough to install, RF'ing? I hate to buy a new seat, but what else can you do? I'm worried that possibly nothing will work - didn't think to try this when we bought the car. Argh!!!:mad:

Anyone done installs in a Prius V know what I'm talking about? Any suggestions? Will the Radian work? TIA!!! :)

Here are some pics of the plastic part of the seat- same on other side too- we are now attempting to put back the graco infant seat base and can't even get that tight enough now- not sure how we did it before?!?

ETA: Out of all the convertible seats with "platforms" - RF'ing the only type that appear to install properly (tightly) are Britax, that I've tried. Evenflo Symphony and Triumph did not work, for some reason, even though the platform bases were narrow enough to fit between the hinges. Didn't try the Graco MyRide, as that was my last choice, if Britax did not work, due to the fact that the harness height is not easily adjustable. So now we have a Britax Marathon 70 and am so happy I can safely RF DS2!!!
 

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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
You can't use a towel like that.

Does this happen if you use the seatbelt or LATCH, or just one or the other?

Wendy
 

Anifan

New member
wendytthomas said:
You can't use a towel like that.

Does this happen if you use the seatbelt or LATCH, or just one or the other?

Wendy

Thanks- either way still has the seat coming up on that plastic part of the car when you tighten it, b/c it moves it towards the back of a seat and I don't think there's a convertible seat narrow enough RFing to get in that seat and avoid that stupid plastic but I KNOW I can't be the only owner of a Prius V experiencing this problem! I know it's a newer model and am unsure whether the regular Prius is like this too?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I've never had a problem in a Prius.

Many other seats would probably fit better because they have small footprints and sit up on a base, so the base rarely touches the backseat.

Is this plastic on one side only? What happens if you pull the seat toward the door and install it there?

Wendy
 

Anifan

New member
wendytthomas said:
I've never had a problem in a Prius.

Many other seats would probably fit better because they have small footprints and sit up on a base, so the base rarely touches the backseat.

Is this plastic on one side only? What happens if you pull the seat toward the door and install it there?

Wendy

This is the wagon version so may be more wonky. Theres also plastic on the other side of the set near the door too. We also have a TFP in the other car- I don't think that sits up higher does it? Maybe the Titan and britax is what I can think of that is sitting up higher from the base. Does the radian?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The Radian doesn't sit up higher, but the boot is smaller than the width, so it may work. The Britaxes will work, the Titan Elite might, but not as likely. The Triumph 65, maybe the Graco My Ride.

Wendy
 

Anifan

New member
wendytthomas said:
The Radian doesn't sit up higher, but the boot is smaller than the width, so it may work. The Britaxes will work, the Titan Elite might, but not as likely. The Triumph 65, maybe the Graco My Ride.

Wendy

Even if it sits up higher though- that plastic jump still may prevent us from getting a snug install as the plastic comes up pretty high and I think the seat will still end up hitting it- if you can put it up against pool noodles (only use them under the seat) then I don't know how to solve this problem- DH wants to FF him as now we can't even get the stupid graco seat base back in tightly and DS2 will not Ben be 1 until next mo. I am like, NO WAY!!!
 

katymyers

Active member
The base on a Graco MyRide is pretty narrow it might fit. I would go to a Babies r Us and try out some seats before buying.
 

aept

New member
For anyone else wondering, the regular Prius (I have a 2011) does not have that plastic part in the backseat at all.
Good luck OP!

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org
 

sirrahn

Active member
For anyone else wondering, the regular Prius (I have a 2011) does not have that plastic part in the backseat at all.
Good luck OP!

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

Yeah, I couldn't quite tell from the pic above what that plastic could be because our Prius doesn't have it at all. The gallery at Toyota.com shows some very clear pictures. Although I suppose the recline and easy folding is cool, unfortunately that looks like those hinges are going to be big issue with carseats.

I too would suggest trying a MyRide. I got one in the center of a Jeep Liberty for a friend and that's a pretty narrow spot.
 

Anifan

New member
sirrahn said:
Yeah, I couldn't quite tell from the pic above what that plastic could be because our Prius doesn't have it at all. The gallery at Toyota.com shows some very clear pictures. Although I suppose the recline and easy folding is cool, unfortunately that looks like those hinges are going to be big issue with carseats.

I too would suggest trying a MyRide. I got one in the center of a Jeep Liberty for a friend and that's a pretty narrow spot.

Thanks - will give it a try, but really, Toyota! The vehicle is meant for FAMILY, including kids in RF'ing car seats, gah! Great car otherwise tho, but what a big bummer!
 

aept

New member
So you were able to successfully install a britax seats rearfacing?
Does that plastic effect all three rear seating positions?

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org
 

Anifan

New member
So you were able to successfully install a britax seats rearfacing?
Does that plastic effect all three rear seating positions?

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

Sorry - just saw this. I was able to get the Britax Marathon 70 successfully installed RF'ing. I think the hinges would effect all 3 positions if RF'ing. However, my ODS is FF'ing in a Britax Frontier and that is fine, just the RF'ing that has been a problem for some reason. However, I have noticed that there is VERY little legroom with the Marathon, and my DS is a peanut. I can't imagine how scrunched he will be in a year or two (and I know they can be scrunched, but I just mean relative to the other seats I have had RF'ing - TFP and CA50, this is crazy!!!)

Because Britax worked, we did not buy/try a Diono, just FYI.
 

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