another question...LOL

[Misty-Bug]

if I were to have my niece in my car would she be safer outbound behind the driver or outbound behind the passenger? She is FF in a 5 point harness. She will be three next month and she is a big girl. I am hoping that she makes it to the 48lb limit of her seat. I don't think those seats are being restickered. sigh...
but anyway...
I am NOT taking Cooper out of the center. So should she be on the passenger or driver side? I have a 1996 Ford Taurus Station wagon

 

[LuvBug]

what seat does she have?

if you live or are going to a place where you will be parking on a curb then the passenger side would be best, and unload both of them onto the curb. Otherwise its whichever side you get the best install on.

 

[Misty-Bug]

don't remember the name of the seat. I will have to look online at Sears.

 

[Misty-Bug]

don't remember the name of the seat. I will have to look online at Sears.

ok...she has this one

Evenflo® 'Traditions Plus' Harness Booster Car Seat

 

[LuvBug]

and this is in canada? it only goes to 47lbs in the harness(and only if top tethered) and wouldnt be one that could get restickered.

so like I said whichever side you can get the best install on and if you can get an equal install on either side, then the passenger if you will be parking on curbs.

For some reason in my and my sister's car, when we install in the middle, one side always has a little more room than the other. With the marathon it was always the driver side had a little more room, with the regent/husky the passenger side. very weird! but that might make sense when you go to install it, if your car does the same thing.

 

[Misty-Bug]

it is not top tethered. Stupid I know. But in the manual it says that it can be used as a 5 point without it being tethered on the top and they got it checked and they were told the install was good. Great tight fit (I installed it) I got mad at my friends husband cause I was trying desperately to find a spot to tether the top to and there was no where. He kept arguing saying the manual said it was fine. So I gave up cause I was tired of arguing him. Don't get me started on that one!! I just worry about her that's all. They dont have the money to buy ANOTHER seat either. Sigh....

 

[joolsplus3]

I'm so confused, what country is this kid in this seat? In the US, the EVvenflo only goes to 40 pounds and doesn't need to be tethered (should be, and any tech who's wasted tax dollars being trained darn well should top tether or tell a parent how to get a tether anchor installed), in canada it goes to 47 pounds and absolutely by law must be top tethered....

 

[LuvBug]

someone correct me if Im wrong, but Im pretty certain you can only use it past 40lbs if you use the top tether??

in canada it goes to 47 pounds and absolutely by law must be top tethered....

yes I think she is in canada. Shes posted in the canadian section about the traditions...

 

[Misty-Bug]

someone correct me if Im wrong, but Im pretty certain you can only use it past 40lbs if you use the top tether??

not sure. We are in canada. The tech checked and said it was fine. Wonder if the manual is written for US? The seat DOES NOT move at all.

 

[joolsplus3]

Neeever mind me... I'll let the CRST's handle this since It's now in the appropriate forum

 

[CDNTech]

Okay... By LAW all forward facing, harnessed seats in Canada MUST be top tethered. Check out the thread on Canadian Child Restraint Laws... it will give you the basic laws for Canada.

Your friend did NOT see a trained tech if the tech told her she did not have to have it top tethered. This is a basic law and there is NO room for misunderstanding this law.

Her manual will tell her that it must be tethered unless she has imported a US seat... in which case it is illegal and definitely can NOT be used after 40lbs.

If she has a Canadian approved seat, her manual will tell her that her seat must be top tethered and it is only good to 47lbs and then must be used as a booster.

As for which position... the previous posters are right, if you are parking alongside curbs, put her in the passenger side... otherwise whichever side you prefer.

Just want to give you a heads up though, depending what seat your son is in, they may not fit side by side so you may have no choice but to have both seats outboard.

 

[Misty-Bug]

Okay... By LAW all forward facing, harnessed seats in Canada MUST be top tethered. Check out the thread on Canadian Child Restraint Laws... it will give you the basic laws for Canada.

Your friend did NOT see a trained tech if the tech told her she did not have to have it top tethered. This is a basic law and there is NO room for misunderstanding this law.

Her manual will tell her that it must be tethered unless she has imported a US seat... in which case it is illegal and definitely can NOT be used after 40lbs.

If she has a Canadian approved seat, her manual will tell her that her seat must be top tethered and it is only good to 47lbs and then must be used as a booster.

As for which position... the previous posters are right, if you are parking alongside curbs, put her in the passenger side... otherwise whichever side you prefer.

Just want to give you a heads up though, depending what seat your son is in, they may not fit side by side so you may have no choice but to have both seats outboard.

I know about the tethering. It seriously has me pissed off and honestly there is nothing I can do. I have tried numerous times. I seriously have. Trust me. But it does say something about it in the manual. I don't have a manual in front of me. It was sold at sears in canada
and if her seat will not fit beside Cooper's I won't be taking her. Her mom can then drive her. Thought it would be good company for Cooper.
I have tried about the seat thing. It stresses her out so there is nothing more I can do. She is mad at me already but thankful. All I can do is try for the second kid

 

[cdncasper]

It is really easy to get a top tether anchor installed. I just go to my dealership and they put mine in for free. Since it is the law to have them top tethered in canada for the most part the first and sometimes additional tether anchor(s) are free and at most it they around $30 each.

 

[Misty-Bug]

It is really easy to get a top tether anchor installed. I just go to my dealership and they put mine in for free. Since it is the law to have them top tethered in canada for the most part the first and sometimes additional tether anchor(s) are free and at most it they around $30 each.

yeah sure we could get one installed but get this......the TETHER itself is TOO SHORT!! I tried and tried to get it to reach further down to no avail. She has an older dodge caravan. You know how they sell those hooks at canadian tire and stuff.... do you think I can install it for her? and how far back from the seat should it be? does that have to be angled or can I put it anywhere where it might reach as long as it is to the body of the vehicle? Can it go on the floor? Can it go on the post by the window? I don't know. trying to think of SOMETHING

 

[snowbird25ca]

yeah sure we could get one installed but get this......the TETHER itself is TOO SHORT!! I tried and tried to get it to reach further down to no avail. She has an older dodge caravan. You know how they sell those hooks at canadian tire and stuff.... do you think I can install it for her? and how far back from the seat should it be? does that have to be angled or can I put it anywhere where it might reach as long as it is to the body of the vehicle? Can it go on the floor? Can it go on the post by the window? I don't know. trying to think of SOMETHING

Tether anchors can only be installed in factory approved locations. If there are already tether anchors installed, then they can't usually add anymore unless the initial one was also a retrofit. What does her vehicle manual say? It should label tether anchor locations - otherwise they'll need to get a tether strap extender or replace the current tether strap.

Tether straps usually adjust pretty long, so the anchors would have to be way way back for it to not reach. Are you sure there isn't some of the tether adjuster strap caught behind the car seat?

Regardless, it is national law that a ff'ing seat be tethered. Here's TC's main child safety site: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/childsafety/menu.htm

I don't have time to search it myself, but you should find on there the mandatory tether requirement. In fact, if you look through the recalls, older seats were recalled because they didn't have top tethers.

Does her instruction manual list the 47lb weight max? Maybe she has a US instruction manual? What about the seat - does it have Canadian stickers on it? They have a maple leaf and it should have CMVSS 213 213.1 and 213.2 on it. I'd just want to make sure that there wasn't a US seat that somehow got sold in a CDN store.

And ditto to everything Jen said - I couldn't have said it better myself.:thumbsup:

 

[Misty-Bug]

Tether anchors can only be installed in factory approved locations. If there are already tether anchors installed, then they can't usually add anymore unless the initial one was also a retrofit. What does her vehicle manual say? It should label tether anchor locations - otherwise they'll need to get a tether strap extender or replace the current tether strap.

Tether straps usually adjust pretty long, so the anchors would have to be way way back for it to not reach. Are you sure there isn't some of the tether adjuster strap caught behind the car seat?

Regardless, it is national law that a ff'ing seat be tethered. Here's TC's main child safety site: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/childsafety/menu.htm

I don't have time to search it myself, but you should find on there the mandatory tether requirement. In fact, if you look through the recalls, older seats were recalled because they didn't have top tethers.

Does her instruction manual list the 47lb weight max? Maybe she has a US instruction manual? What about the seat - does it have Canadian stickers on it? They have a maple leaf and it should have CMVSS 213 213.1 and 213.2 on it. I'd just want to make sure that there wasn't a US seat that somehow got sold in a CDN store.

And ditto to everything Jen said - I couldn't have said it better myself.:thumbsup:

I looked and looked for another tether spot. Couldn't find any. There is one outboard on the passenger side but the baby is on that side cause it is too hard to reach the baby if she needs to. I seriously looked and looked but could not find a way to extend the tether. where can I find extenders? maybe she will let me take pictures some time of the spot I *thought* might work but the tether didn't reach

 

[snowbird25ca]

I looked and looked for another tether spot. Couldn't find any. There is one outboard on the passenger side but the baby is on that side cause it is too hard to reach the baby if she needs to. I seriously looked and looked but could not find a way to extend the tether. where can I find extenders? maybe she will let me take pictures some time of the spot I *thought* might work but the tether didn't reach

Check her vehicle manual to see if that is a tether point - I'm wondering if it is or not... what's the year/make/model of her van, someone with the LATCH manual should be able to look up tether anchor info if her van manual doesn't specify it. But check her manual first. If the only tether anchor is located behind the babies seat anyways, then it wouldn't be able to be used with the ff'ing seat because it would be too much of an angle. 30 degrees max is what we were taught in class. So a seat in the center can't be tethered to an outboard anchor. That could be why the strap isn't reaching. So unless they have another anchor retrofitted (assuming they only have 1,) they are going to HAVE to move baby and put the ff'ing seat where the anchor is.

Jen, I'm not sure where to get tether extenders or a longer tether strap - do you remember from class what she said? I remember her talking about them, but don't remember being told where to get them from.

 

[scatterbunny]

Evenflo.com has info on ordering a van-length tether strap.

 

[CDNTech]

Yes, Evenflo is where I'd start... but you can generally find them at Canadian Tire or Walmart.

They are not extender straps though... it is a much longer tether strap you would be buying so that it would reach the tether anchor. You replace your current tether strap with the longer one that you purchase.

As for the van... if it is an older model, then it is quite possible it only has the one tether anchor location. In which case, Trudy is absolutely right, you MUST put the FF seat in that location and move the baby to a different spot.

You can NOT buy a longer strap to use a tether anchor from a different vehicle postion. You may only use the tether anchor that is specified for that particular seating position.

Consult your owner's manual on where you are allowed to put a FF carseat and where it's corresponding tether anchor is located.

 

[joolsplus3]

Evenflo.com has info on ordering a van-length tether strap.

Yeah, it's true, they know their standard tethers are too short, and are happy to send a longer one if it's needed