3 across backseat Jeep Cherokee

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

I have a 1999 Jeep Cherokee (not Grand, just regular Cherokee). I have a 3 1/2 year old in booster, 1 year old in convertible Britax rf but borderline ff, and need to add a third child in an infant seat without having to buy a new car. The Cherokee is not equipped with latch or locking seat belts in back (we use the locking clip) and is rather narrow across. The middle seat has a lap belt only. Does you have suggestions to get all of my kiddos to fit? Will they be safe? My husband is afraid that if we got hit from the side all of the car seats would pop out, b/c they would have to be so close.

 

[Victorious4]

3.5 years old is young for a booster -- 4 years is the minimum recommendation according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration & American Academy of Pediatrics I would put the booster aside as a spare for use in emergencies & look into the Sunshine Kids Radian because it is the narrowest seat on the market: I'd put the Britax outboard with Radian in the middle & any narrow infant seat outboard.... As always, have your seats checked >>> www.seatcheck.org

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

Radian question

Do you know if the Radian will work with just a lap belt?

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

Oops - one more question. Any recommendations for a narrow infant seat?

 

[Victorious4]

I myself don't have any experience with the Radian ... but IRRC another CPSTech here has successfully installed it in a Jeep with lap belt -- IMO, it should work since the Jeep seats are flat bench type seats like those used for the crash testing But, I'll let the others here with more actual experience with the Radian comment on the specifics

Also, I'm not really "up" on infant seats as much as the others here ... but, the Graco SungRide is pretty narrow -- just make sure to look for 5 point harness & front adjuster

 

[Unregistered]

I'm almost positive your seatbelts do indeed lock and the locking clips are not necessary. They will lock if there is an accident or the brakes are applied. And chances are you have locking latchplates. I don't know of any 1999 vehicles that don't lock at all.

 

[Victorious4]

I'm almost positive that Jeeps, like Dodge, only have Emergency Locking Retractors so a locking clip is indeed necessary for installing carseats with the lap/shoulder belts (not the lap-only belt, though & not for boosters)

How to Lock in a Child Restraint

 

[Unregistered]

Okay, then someone here gave me wrong advice

I have a 1996 Cherokee and was instructed that the latchplates on the lap/shoulder belt lock and there for I did not need a locking clip.

 

[Victorious4]

Oi!!! I misread the year -- SORRY ... 1996 is the earliest year that the locking latchplates became standard in Jeep

They should work, but sometimes they're tricky The locking latch-plates are designed PRE-CRASH POSITIONERS (as are locking clips) so that the Emergency Locking Retractor seatbelt then keeps the carseat secured during a crash.... Unless the locking latch-plate fails then you should not use a locking clip with this type of seat belt.

Top tether anchors do add safety & even if you don't need one according to the carseat manual, getting one installed is a great choice!

 

[HannahsMom]

We have a 1999 Cherokee and have a Radian, I've gotten a great install with it using the seat belt. And you don't need a locking clip. The seat belts are ELR, they aren't the kind you can pull out and ratchet back in. But, they do lock in an emergency and they have locking latch plates that when you buckle the seat belt, it puts tension on the belt and it locks

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

HannahMom or Papooses - So you don't need the locking clips? I have the Britax rf and tethered. The booster is not locked or tethered.

Papooses - Will one of the other people that you mentioned above usually reply about the infant seat?

Thank you all so much for the information so far - very helpful - I will check it all out.

 

[Victorious4]

You shouldn't need a locking clip with this vehicle & carseat -- you can use either or both the vehicle locking latch plate and/or the Britax built in locking clips, but the metal locking clip that's shaped sort of like an "H" or "I" that comes with carseats is not necessary in this situation....

Jools has 5 (I think) infants seats, but feel free to start a thread in the carseat section, too!

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

I know that you think I am crazy but what is the vehicle locking latch plate? And who is Jools?

I should have given you a little more information. I have the baby in a ff position in the Britax and now realize that he probably should still be rear-facing. The Britax won't go in rear facing in the Jeep without really crowding the front passenger seat. Is it safe for an adult to sit that close to the windshield with the airbag on?

I have another carseat that isn't as tall that I use rear-facing in the Jeep that doesn't have the cool locking mechanism that the Britax has, and that is the one that we usually put the locking clip on.

 

[Victorious4]

Jools is another CPSTech & moderator here -- if she's not around right now, she will be ... still, I'd post a new thread in the Carseat section

How old is the baby? 45-degree recline angle is only necessary for infants so you might be able to recline it to only about 30-degrees & give the front passenger more room

The locking latch plate is what you've described your vehicle has: the "male" buckle end of the seatbelt that fits into the "female" piece has a manual locking mechanism on it -- the vehicle manual should have details....

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

Thanks so much - I will post the rest of my car seat questions in a thread in the right section. You are a really great helper!

 

[skaterbabs]

I have a 96 Cherokee.

A rear facing Scenera/Touriva fits nicely behind both the driver and passenger seats. A RF Marathon can fit behind the passenger seat, as long as it is fully upright.

I believe the Baby Trend Latch Loc is one of the more narrow infant seats. A Radian should install nicely, I'm in the process of getting my hands on one to try.

Your seatbelts don't lock at the retractor, they lock at the buckle. You don't need a locking clip at all, the locking latchplate holds just fine.

 

[jennmrichards@yahoo.]

What does the locking latchplate look like? I know that it sounds dumb but we bought the car used with no manual. I know I could probably download one...

 

[skaterbabs]

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/csr2001/csrhtml/seatBelts.html

That site has a lot of very detailed techncial info.
Here's a picture:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/CSR2001/installImages/Latchpla/backlock.jpg