'08 VW Passat - Do rear airbags need to be turned off?

[beltwaylion]

I have an '08 VW Passat and a Britax Boulevard. I've never felt that the carseat was secure enough in the center seat with using the seat belt. So I installed on passenger side with LATCH and got it very secure.

But now I'm wondering if the Passat's rear airbags need to be turned off? Are they a danger to a child in a car seat on the sides?

Also, is there REALLY a bigger safety issue by using the side seat rather than the center seat?

Thanks.

 

[oxeye]

The side airbags are not a problem with car seats. Regardless, they cannot be deactivated as far as I know.

With one child, I prefer the center position provided I get a good installation there. Personally, I would put my child in the center with an acceptable install (less than 1" of movement front to back and side to side) before I would put them on either of the sides with a rock-solid installation. Obviously this isn't a huge, huge issue because once you have more than one child someone (if not both) has to go on the side.

Are you installing the seat rear-facing or forward-facing? How old is your child and how much does he/she weigh?

 

[Pixels]

The difference in safety between center and outboard is about 30%. So yes, I prefer my (only) child to be in the center, and will take an acceptable install in the center over a rock-solid outboard install whenever possible. But, whenever there is anyone else riding in my back seat (adult or, in a month or two, my second child), carseats have to go outboard, and that doesn't bother me.

In addition to the questions Oxeye asked, how are you locking the belt when you try to install center?

 

[Minnesota]

No, the side airbags are very different from the high-speed deployment of frontal airbags and no cause for concern with a harnessed seat next to one.

I also want to inquire about what you didn't like about the center install. Is the seat RF or FF? Is it a lap/shoulder belt in the center? If the center is available, and a seat with less than an inch of movement at the belt path can be installed there, that's the safest place in the car because it protects the seat from a direct impact.

 

[TechnoGranola]

In Canada at least, the current model of Passat seems to come standard with both side curtain air bags (no worry for a car seat) and side torso air bags in the rear seats, which I believe some vehicle manufacturers recommend disabling if car seats will be next to them.

So, does your Passat have rear torso air bags? Check your manual if you aren't sure. If it does, you should look further in your vehicle manual. Check the securing children section, the air bag section, and maybe the seat belt section as well. See if it says they need to be disabled by the dealer before installation of a car seat. The manual should address the issue.

 

[beltwaylion]

No, the side airbags are very different from the high-speed deployment of frontal airbags and no cause for concern with a harnessed seat next to one.

I also want to inquire about what you didn't like about the center install. Is the seat RF or FF? Is it a lap/shoulder belt in the center? If the center is available, and a seat with less than an inch of movement at the belt path can be installed there, that's the safest place in the car because it protects the seat from a direct impact.

We do rear-facing - our son is about 27 lbs. It's a lap/shoulder belt. I just find no matter how tightly I believe I am tightening the straps, the seat can move - way more than 1". It could be the way I'm doing it, it could be that it's just the way the Passat is designed. Could be both.

I'd like to use the center, but it just doens't feel very secure and even after we took it to an installation center when we first got it, it loosened up significantly not long after.

It's really unfortunate that you can't use LATCH in the center seats in most sedans.

 

[lovinwaves]

See if there is a technician from this board near you to help you out with that center install. Sometimes center with lap.shoulder belt can be a booger. And yes, no concerns with those back side air bags. Your vehicle owner's manual and car seat manual will not make mention of it either, because they are totally safe to install a car seat beside or a booster beside. No worries.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59135

 

[Minnesota]

We do rear-facing - our son is about 27 lbs. It's a lap/shoulder belt. I just find no matter how tightly I believe I am tightening the straps, the seat can move - way more than 1". It could be the way I'm doing it, it could be that it's just the way the Passat is designed. Could be both.

I'd like to use the center, but it just doens't feel very secure and even after we took it to an installation center when we first got it, it loosened up significantly not long after.

It's really unfortunate that you can't use LATCH in the center seats in most sedans.

It is possible that the seat is simply incompatible with a lap/shoulder belt install in the center. That happens sometimes. But often having a CPST take a look at it, and use some installation "tricks" can resolve what appears to be an incompatibility.

That said, if you are comfortable with it outboard and are getting a good install there with LATCH, that's also just fine. You're driving a safe car with side-impact protection, and have selected a RF car seat with good SIP that fits your child, and installed it correctly. That's excellent protection.

If you want try it in the center, take a look at the link LW posted above and see if you can find a CPST in your area to check it.

 

[beltwaylion]

See if there is a technician from this board near you to help you out with that center install. Sometimes center with lap.shoulder belt can be a booger. And yes, no concerns with those back side air bags. Your vehicle owner's manual and car seat manual will not make mention of it either, because they are totally safe to install a car seat beside or a booster beside. No worries.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59135

I'm in Rockville, MD, if any technician happens to be close by!

 

[Minnesota]

I'm in Rockville, MD, if any technician happens to be close by!

What county are you in? These are all the MD techs that have signed up for the public listing on this board:

Located in Howard County (Laurel) but will travel to Prince George's, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Frederick
Tiffany
(faithfulorangekids)
Technician since 2010

Washington county, Hagertown, MD
Susan
(susanx4)
Technician since 2010

St. Mary's , Charles, and Southern Calvert
Susan Milgrim
(emtb79)
Technician since 2007

Kent, Queen Anne, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, & Wicomico Counties, Maryland...will consider parts of Delaware.
Susan
(SusanMae)
Technician since 2007

Baltimore
Caroline
(ShunNum)
Technician since 2006
Trained in Special Needs

Baltimore County
Kathy
(NannyMom)
Technician since 2008
Special Needs Trained

Are any of those close to you?

 

[Minnesota]

And if none of those are close, there are several more CPST's right in Rockville listed on the "Find a Technician" link in the thread LW linked to. Just put in your city and state to see them all and get contact info.

 

[Pixels]

We do rear-facing - our son is about 27 lbs. It's a lap/shoulder belt. I just find no matter how tightly I believe I am tightening the straps, the seat can move - way more than 1". It could be the way I'm doing it, it could be that it's just the way the Passat is designed.

How are you locking the seatbelt?