2011 Honda Odyssey Carseat Q&A

[SafeDad]

I forgot the blind spot indicator. I wish it was standard on all models. Funny thing, it is currently broken on my review model lol, the one real issue we've had in 3 months.

I like the built-in GPS, too, but for the money, my cell phone has voice turn-by-turn GPS and it works nicely over bluetooth streaming as well.

I'm not so concerned with portables. Most mount on headrests and won't be flying in a crash. Held in the hand, it's little different than a hard cover book. Plus, many adults and kids have video on their iTouch or equivalent cellphone-sized personal player these days.

 

[Caroline162]

We bought the touring elite for a few reasons. One, I love to listen to music on a quality sound system. I don't do aftermarket changes to my cars so the TE had the best stereo. I LOVE the blind spot indicator too. Plus, I don't want to worry about portable DVD players being projectiles in a crash. I prefer the HID headlights as well and having a built in GPS. The slight improvement in gas mileage is pretty negligible but if the other items are important then I'd consider a higher trim level. If not, save your money!

Thanks, I think that answers it for me I don't care about sound systems since I mostly listen to NPR and I do plan on getting the DVD player version of the EX. I have always driven either SUVs or a Saab convertible with a black soft top, in other words, I am used to blind spots! And I've never had a GPS, nor ever felt like I was missing one... so I think unless we get a great deal on a Touring, will just get the EL w/RES.

 

[DADEAE]

We have 11 month old twins who are outgrowing their infant seats... and we have a 2011 Odyssey LX.

We need to buy rear-facing convertibles, to be installed in the 2nd row outboard captains chairs.

We also plan to buy a Prius. I've hear that the Britax Marathon 70 works well in the Prius. Will they also work well, rear-facing, in the Odyssey captain's chairs? Or is there a better recommendation?

We are tall... and so we don't want to move the front seats too far forward.

Thanks!

 

[jama]

Thanks for the very helpful thread!

I am bummed to hear road noise isn't much improved in new Odyssey. Also is there a reason why the 2011 Sienna isn't a good competition in your list CPSDarren?

We still haven't bought new car yet and are looking at 2011 Odyssey EX-L (b/c I want the reverse camera- haven't looked into aftermarket options yet though) but anyway we have a Britax Boulevard and a Radian XTSL (I think that's what it's called), both RFing. I want one of the seats, probably the Boulevard for now, in the middle row middle seat RFing. Just wanted to see if anyone thinks that would be an issue?

Thanks for any info!

 

[SafeDad]

I think the Sienna is very nice, unless you have a large number of small kids. The larger 8th seat and the numerous seating positions with LATCH make the Odyssey much more flexible in that regard. The Odyssey also did a bit better in the new 2011 NHTSA crash testing.

My last car was a 2006 Odyssey. It was more like the new Sienna in regard to the seating setup. It worked great for us and I much preferred the stowable 8th mini seat for our family. It really depends on what works best for you, of course. Definitely take an extended test drive for both of them to make sure!

The Boulevard will work fine. The Radian can be tricky rear-facing in the 8th seat in the new Odyssey. Kecia covered that in her review. I'm not sure if it will work at all in the mini 8th seat in the Sienna, but you never know!

 

[SafeDad]

We have 11 month old twins who are outgrowing their infant seats... and we have a 2011 Odyssey LX.

We need to buy rear-facing convertibles, to be installed in the 2nd row outboard captains chairs.

We also plan to buy a Prius. I've hear that the Britax Marathon 70 works well in the Prius. Will they also work well, rear-facing, in the Odyssey captain's chairs? Or is there a better recommendation?

We are tall... and so we don't want to move the front seats too far forward.

Thanks!

The Marathon 70 installs well in all three second row seats in the 2011-2012 Odyssey, front and rear-facing. It also installs well in the our 2010 Prius (same as the 2011-2012 model).

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Marathon-Convertible-Seat-Onyx/dp/B003OUWIJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315404593&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx: Baby[/ame] ;-)

 

[jillrb]

We just bought a 2011 Honday Odyssey and am trying to install a Britax Frontier in the middle row captain's chair for a 4 y.o. who is 43 inches and 42 pounds and a Britax Regent for an 8 y.o who is 48 inches and 52 pounds in the third row on the end. Neither seat fits well at all. Neither is flush with the back seat and the bottom of the Frontier can be moved at least 6 inches to either side on the bottom. Where both seats are tethered, they are secure. But the bottoms are not secure at all and are making me very uncomfortable. Further we are using the short seat belt method for both seats because we understand the latch limit to be 40 pounds. Can anyone help me with?

1. Even if the latch limit is 40, does it make sense to use both latch and seat belt method if the bottom will be more secure and won't move side to side as much?

2. Would the seats be better reversed--the Frontier in the 3rd row and the Regent in the middle row captain's chair?

3. Should I get different 5 point harness seats because these two Britax models just don't fit the 2011 Odyssey well?

Thanks.

Jill

 

[Jeanum]

Congrats on your new van, the '11 Odyssey is awesome.

Although I can understand the temptation to do so, definitely don't use lower LATCH anchors and the vehicle seatbelt to install at the same time. Neither the carseat manufacturer nor the vehicle manufacturer allow this, either because it hasn't been tested and approved to do so, or it has been tested and found to adversely affect crash performance in some way.
Definitely use the vehicle seatbelt for installing in the Ody at 40 lbs. and up as Hondas have a 40 lb. child weight limit for using the lower LATCH anchors. It's also always allowable to use the seatbelt to install for kids under 40 lbs. in a Honda if that achieves a successful installation with less than 1 inch of movement at the carseat's belt path, but don't use both the seatbelt and lower LATCH anchor installation methods simultaneously.

While I haven't done installations in the '11 Odyssey, I have installed Regents and Frontiers in other vehicles and have never failed to successfully do so. Sometimes it takes some practice, trial and error, and sometimes it takes a second set of hands to get it done. The Frontier allows you to use the short or the long belt path seatbelt installation method at any child weight so you're not limited to only using the short belt path method for the Frontier with kids over 40 lbs. In my experience, the long belt path seatbelt installation has usually helped to get a more solid install of the Frontier and the Regent. That said, though, if your Regent is a pre-advisory Regent made before approx June 18, 2007, then it allows you to choose between the short belt path and long belt path installation seatbelt methods regardless of the child's weight. But if your Regent was made on or after June 18, 2007, then it's a post-advisory Regent with installation method requirements that vary depending on the child's weight, and you need to use the short belt path seatbelt installation method at 40 lbs. and up for a post-advisory Regent.

I would try the long belt path seatbelt installation method with your Frontier, and also with your Regent if your Regent is a pre-advisory model, and also experiment with different seating positions in the van to see if you can do successful seatbelt installs with less than 1 inch of movement at the carseat's belt path for both carseats. A second set of hands can be very helpful when doing a long belt path installation if you can enlist a helper to hold the vehicle seatbelt almost fully extended from the shoulder belt retractor but just shy of engaging the retractor's locking mechanism while you're threading the seatbelt through the carseat's long belt path, buckling the seatbelt, then locking the retractor and tightening up the installation. Sometimes reclining the vehicle seatback slightly and then raising it back up while tightening the installation can also help achieve a more solid installation. Hopefully these tips will help you out, and congrats again on your new wheels.

 

[tl01]

We have a 2011 odyssey with a frontier 85 in a captain's chair with a almost rock solid install. It took a long time to get it that way. Ours is with the seat belt using the long belt path. Have you tried that belt path? We also did it with the frontier 80. Do you know which you have?

 

[jillrb]

We have the Frontier 85 and our Regent is 2008. My husband had successfully installed both carseat in my old Highlander but can't get a good fit in the Odyssey. He wasn't able to get enough seatbelt to do the long route on the frontier, so maybe a second pair of hands will help. As for the regent, he complains that the bar at the bottom is not allowing it to get a close fit to the back.

 

[tl01]

We have the Frontier 85 and our Regent is 2008. My husband had successfully installed both carseat in my old Highlander but can't get a good fit in the Odyssey. He wasn't able to get enough seatbelt to do the long route on the frontier, so maybe a second pair of hands will help. As for the regent, he complains that the bar at the bottom is not allowing it to get a close fit to the back.

I haven't tried a Regent in the Odyssey so I can't be of any help there.

For the Frontier, there is plenty of belt for the long belt path. Make sure you aren't locking the belt too early. It might help if you slowly feed him the belt slack as he routes the seat belt. You are installing in the 2nd row captain's chair correct? I can post a photo of our install later today if that helps. To get the Frontier tight, I really have to work a pulling the belt tight at each point where it curves around and through the seat. I sort of start at the beginning where the belt starts from over by the floor/door and work my way to the retractor. I do this with my weight in the seat. I don't use my weight as much for other seats nowadays but the Frontier needs it in the Ody.

 

[jillrb]

Thanks for the suggestions. The frontier is fitting much better and the Regent is pretty good--the bottom bar still is not flush with the seat as it should be, but still overall pretty tight.

 

[MomToMyMonkeys]

I know this is an older thread, but I have read through it all and still have a question.

What can I fit 3 across in the 3rd row? I will (eventually) need to be able to fit 3 in the 2nd row and 3 in the 3rd row. We currently have 5 children, ages 13, almost 8, almost 7, 2.5 and 5 months. By the time we would have our 6th, the ages will likely be 15, 10, 9, 4.5, and 2.5.

So, the 15 and 10 year olds will most likely be in seat belts, the 9 year old may (or may not) still be boostered, the 4.5 year old will be in a FF harnessed seat (moving into a booster around 6ish), and the 2.5 year old will more than likely still be RF (and moving into FF around 3). The new baby would obviously be RF, probably in a convertible seat of some kind.

Do you think those will fit? I'm not overly concerned about the 2nd row, since I know I can fit a RF and a FF seat side by side there (did it with a Frontier 85 in the center and a Baby Trend Flex Loc outboard when we test drove), and the 15 year old can sit in the other outboard seat. What I'm mostly concerned with is fitting a seat belted child, a booster (or another seat belted child), and a FF harnessed seat in the 3rd row.

Will it work? Thanks in advance!

 

[SafeDad]

With 3 older kids in seatbelts, you have a lot of flexibility. Two would go in the third row along with one carseat, probably for the oldest in a harness. They should be self sufficient back there for buckling and such.

Then, one of the older kids sits in the second row outboard seat, probably behind the driver to give the driver the most legroom. That gives easy access to the third row since no carseat is installed there and it can be folded forward. The other two seats will be for the youngest two and almost any combination of seats should fit fine.

Really, that's just one of the options. Since you only have 3 carseats (or maybe 3 plus one backless booster), you shouldn't have much trouble at all. For example, you could have the three youngest in the 2nd row. The 4.5 year old could be behind the driver in a Safety 1st Go Hybrid, allowing that seat to fold forward. Then the three oldest climb in back in seatbelts or possibly 2 plus a booster.

I know this is an older thread, but I have read through it all and still have a question.

What can I fit 3 across in the 3rd row? I will (eventually) need to be able to fit 3 in the 2nd row and 3 in the 3rd row. We currently have 5 children, ages 13, almost 8, almost 7, 2.5 and 5 months. By the time we would have our 6th, the ages will likely be 15, 10, 9, 4.5, and 2.5.

So, the 15 and 10 year olds will most likely be in seat belts, the 9 year old may (or may not) still be boostered, the 4.5 year old will be in a FF harnessed seat (moving into a booster around 6ish), and the 2.5 year old will more than likely still be RF (and moving into FF around 3). The new baby would obviously be RF, probably in a convertible seat of some kind.

Do you think those will fit? I'm not overly concerned about the 2nd row, since I know I can fit a RF and a FF seat side by side there (did it with a Frontier 85 in the center and a Baby Trend Flex Loc outboard when we test drove), and the 15 year old can sit in the other outboard seat. What I'm mostly concerned with is fitting a seat belted child, a booster (or another seat belted child), and a FF harnessed seat in the 3rd row.

Will it work? Thanks in advance!

 

[MomToMyMonkeys]

That is very helpful, thank you! We don't have issues with needing space for a tall driver, LOL...my husband is 5'6" and I'm 5'3". But I do have to have the outboard 2nd row seat on the passenger side free so I can let kids out for school on the correct side of the car (so they don't have to cross in between vehicles).

My kids are all peanuts, so there's a good chance the 2 older middles (now almost 7 and almost 8) will still be boostered in a couple of years, but it sounds like I can probably do LBBs and be fine in the 3rd row. My almost 7 year old is currently 42" and 39 pounds; my almost 8 year old is now 44" and 49 pounds; and my 2.5 year old is 31" and 23 pounds.

I also had someone else mention (on another board) that I could probably use our classic Marathon in the 3rd row middle and put a LBB or seat belted kid on either side. Do you think there's enough room for that?

I'm not at all concerned about the 2nd row...it's the 3rd row that's giving me headaches.

 

[mcrmama]

Just thought I would add to this thread since we just got our 2011 Odyssey last week and 2 of my seats arrived today. The seats I got are a Marathon 65 (in Canada so no 70 here) for my 18 month old (32 inches, 23lbs), and a Frontier XT for my almost 6 year old (45 inches, 38 lbs). I installed the Marathon in the middle of the 2nd row and the Frontier behind the passenger seat. I found them quite easy to install and work well giving access to the 3rd row. I had the middle slid forward a bit so that my youngest could have a better view of his brothers and it fits great. It is so nice not having to move forward the front seats like we do in our cr-v where my youngest is rf in a radian on the passenger side. We are expecting a Monterey this week for my 10 year old. We will see if that fits behind the drivers seat. If need be, I can put our Parkway in that spot so we will see how it goes. I took my 18 month old for a ride tonight after I finished installing the seats and he fell asleep so I guess he liked it.

 

[Calleiah]

Just want to add here after having spent some time at the honda dealership this past week that the '12 is identical spec wise to the '11 in terms of seating. I'll probably have one by his time next month and can take pics if needed.

 

[mcrmama]

Got the Monterey today and it fits. So we have a Monterey behind the driver, a Marathon 65 (new generation) in the middle and a Frontier behind the passenger seat. I practiced with the latch so I could give access to the 3rd row. If I loosen the latch, the straps are long enough that I can pull it out enough to flip the seat to allow access to the 3rd row and then put the seat back and tighten. It is actually pretty quick and works fine.

Oh, and like Calleiah said, our dealership did not yet have any 2012 Odysseys but also confirmed that there were no changes for 2012 that they were aware of. They still had about 6 2011 Odysseys on the lot but most of them were the higher end models which were beyond our price range so we got the last EX w/res on the lot.

 

[LittlePeanut]

Got the Monterey today and it fits. So we have a Monterey behind the driver, a Marathon 65 (new generation) in the middle and a Frontier behind the passenger seat. I practiced with the latch so I could give access to the 3rd row. If I loosen the latch, the straps are long enough that I can pull it out enough to flip the seat to allow access to the 3rd row and then put the seat back and tighten. It is actually pretty quick and works fine.

Just remember that the Frontier will need to be installed with the seatbelt once the child reaches 40 lbs (Honda's LATCH weight limits :thumbsdown.

That said, it installs beautifully using the LBP in my 2010 Ody. The only thing that's disappointing is that I can no longer slide the seat forward for access to the rear row, like I could when it was installed with the LATCH.

 

[mcrmama]

Thanks, I installed with the LBP. My only issue I realized yesterday is that I had the bottom flipped the wrong way. I had it done correctly and then needed to change where the setting on the bottom belt as it was set too small for my son, when I did that, I flipped it the wrong way when I put it back. It is too bad since I had a much better install with it the wrong way, lol. I had my son help me install by holding the seatbelt for me and he did a great job doing that. He held it so tightly, I had to tell him when it was okay to let go. I weighed him last night too and he has now crossed 40lbs. He has been 38lb for the last year and a half, lol. When I told him his weight he was excited and told me he is now big and strong. I like that if necessary, he can go in a booster seat legally from time to time with grandma and have the possiblity of her being able to transport my youngest with her convertible seat. He actaully sits really well in the car and has matured a lot this year. I am glad though he is happy to harnessed for a while longer. My oldest was harnessed until around age 7 or so and never complained.

Anyways, we will try to get a better install today. I might get my dh to help although he is not great at installing carseats. I usually can get them tighter than he can but sometimes working together, if I do the technique I can get him to tug a bit more than I can. I am amazed how nicely it installs though in general. I have not had seats that have installed as easily as all these seats have ever before. Such a nice treat.