Question Car seats in Chevy Traverse

[Unregistered]

I have 3 in car seats. We are looking at getting a Chevy Traverse, since we need an 8 seater. We have an Evenflo front facing in the 3rd row middle with a top tether. We have a Britax Marathon 70 rear facing with LATCH in the 2nd row driver side. We also have a Chicco Keyfit 30 to install. The 2nd row passenger side has LATCH, but we need to leave that seat open to be able to access the 3rd row. The middle does not have LATCH, but we tried using the seatbelt. No matter how hard my dh pulled, he could not get it to lock tight. He'd get it tight, but then it would start to loosen and not stay in place.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a car seat that would work there that anyone knows of? Can we use a locking clip to keep the seat belt tight? Any help appreciated. We have the car in our driveway for a weekend test drive. So far everything is great, except the deal breaker of not getting the car seat to fit tight. We have to take it back Monday, so we need to know before then if the car seats will work. Thanks.

 

[MamaErin]

There are a few things you could try....

1. If the belt stalk is long where the buckle is, this can cause a loose install...you are allowed to twist the buckle part up to 3 times before buckling it, this might help.

2. If that doesn't work...I'm not sure if your car has the lap belt only or a locking shoulder belt or what but if it does not lock at the shoulder belt then it probably has a locking latch plate....sometimes with the angle of the belt in the belt path, these can slip....you can turn the seat belt over once (so the plate is upside down) to keep the plate from slipping.

3. If neither of those help you can try the locking clip if it is a lap and shoulder belt. I don't think locking clips are allowed on lap only belts (someone correct me if that's wrong please)

Also....you can only have a TOTAL of 3 twists in any one belt so make sure you don't do both steps 1 and 2...try for one or the other.

ETA: I just found on another thread that some of the traverse seating positions have the switchable retractors which means there may be a red dial/button somewhere on the belt, I'm not sure where those are usually located but you can read the vehicle manual to see if you need to switch this.

 

[sas003]

I had a 2010 traverse with a bench middle seat. It's my opinion that the middle seat, middle row is worthless. No headrest, so no good for adults. And nearly impossible to get a seat installed there, especially with leather seats. Believe me, I've tried many. The only decent I stall a got was with a marathon. You're exactly right about the eventual loosening. I got a decent for with an Argos, but it loosened over time to be unacceptable.

Seats I found to be too much a PITA/couldn't install there/loosened over time (all FF, DD is 4.5): Argos, frontier (which is actually incompatible on leather at all middle row positions, IMO), prosport (which actually fits decently, but the seat belt interference with the harness strap was a deal breaker for me), and radian XTSL. All fail in middle spot.

I did get a good install with a securekid 4000 when I tried at BRU, don't know if it would loosen because I didn't buy. I have a CR-V now.
I'm sorry I'm not more help. Hope you find something that works!

ETA: the belt stalks are rigid and only move slightly up and down, no twisting or side to side movement, which is part of the problem.

 

[sas003]

One more thing: I did the buckle, tighten as much as possible, unbuckle and retract a few clicks, use Herculean strength to bounce and rebuckle, and that's how I got the argos tight enough. But then it loosened over the next few days.

The marathon was a pretty easy install there though. Didn't try RFibg, but maybe it would be the same. And if your youngest could do RF marathon, you might have one in booster by the time you had to move away from marathon. Basically the best seats there sit high up on a base (and my marathon was a classic).

It's a really, really great car other than the middle seat and the gas guzzling! No other complaints.

 

[Brianna]

I have no experience with a Traverse, but what about putting 2 seats in the 3rd row until your oldest is old enough to use a booster? At that point you could have one seat installed in the second row, one in the third and an easily movable booster in the 2nd row to access the 3rd.

 

[aeormsby]

I have an 8 pass Saturn Outlook (twin to the Traverse). Personally I would probably try to get all 3 in the 2nd row. I didn't have any problems installing seats in the center position (Snugride, RF or FF Marathon, RF or FF Uptown) but finding something that will fit there with a seat on the drivers side and still allow the passenger seat to fold is tricky (I was able to fit a RF MA driver's side and the Uptown center and still have access to the back, but it was only temporary when family was visiting).

The 3rd row is also not at all RF seat friendly. Although I have had a RF Marathon back there but I think it worked best with the headrest from the 2nd row removed (and the 2nd row forward & upright).

It sounds obvious - but you are pulling the seatbelt all the way out to engage the locking retractor right? Otherwise, yes you can use a locking clip. When we had the Uptown in the center we ended up using the locking clip because the belt would eventually 'even out' and the seat would tilt and be loose.

 

[MamaErin]

ETA: the belt stalks are rigid and only move slightly up and down, no twisting or side to side movement, which is part of the problem.

Thanks for chiming in...I have no personal experience with the car so I wasn't sure, just giving some ides of what usually works in other cars!

 

[canadiangie]

I have no experience with a Traverse, but what about putting 2 seats in the 3rd row until your oldest is old enough to use a booster? At that point you could have one seat installed in the second row, one in the third and an easily movable booster in the 2nd row to access the 3rd.

There is only 1 tether anchor in the 3rd row, smack in the middle, and it's not a very wide 3rd row; not easy to get seats side by side. OP has to keep the harnessed seat in the middle, always.

I know I sound like a stuck record on this but having enough tether anchors, in positions that actually make sense, is so important when you're dealing with larger families.


OP, you are trying to install the KeyFit in the middle of the 2nd row? If so, is your Dh using the seatbelt lock-off on the base? No you cannot use a locking clip with a KeyFit base.

Also, down the road are you planning on a Radian in that seating position so that you can flip the 2nd row seat forward to access the 3rd row? Basically whatever seat you think you will move baby to after the KF you need to try before you buy this vehicle. Especially if its a Radian.

Are you set on the Traverse? Any others you are considering?