Clek Foonf RF Lockoff Issues

[3BoyMom]

We recently bought a new car (2023 Volvo XC90) and installed all of our carseats in it. We have our sons three across in the second row (6 yo in a Clek Oobr, 4 yo FF in a Clek Foonf, and 20 month old RF in a Clek Foonf). The RF Foonf is installed using the seatbelt outboard on the passenger side (my son is 28 pounds already, so no option for a latch install). We are veteran Clek users, have installed these seats RF many times in a variety of cars, and have never had install issues. However, in the new Volvo, the RF Foonf seems to be gradually slipping the lockoffs. I will have a very solid install with much less than 1" of movement at the belt path. Then, after a few car rides, the seat will gradually loosen up until it is moving more than 1" and I have to tighten it back up. This has happened repeatedly over the past few weeks. Thinking it might be a seat specific issue, I swapped that Foonf with our spare Foonf from my husband's car, and am continuing to have the exact same issue. I contacted Clek, who suggested that maybe the lockoffs are worn and should be replaced (they are sending a replacement set) but this seems unlikely given that the same issue is coming up with two separate seats, and this is not an issue in our other car. Any thoughts or suggestions? I love our Cleks and really don't want to buy a new seat, but I'm feeling incredibly frustrated and cannot keep continuing to check and re-install the seat every few days.

 

[ketchupqueen]

It is true that sometimes the lockoffs slip over time.

However, if replacing them doesn't fix it, here are a few things you can try:
-change the angle. There's a wide allowable angle on these seats, and sometimes in a certain vehicle a different recline and/or changing where you push on the seat while tightening (toward where the feet go vs toward where the bottom goes) will resolve this type of issue.
-use the lockoffs to "hold" the slack as you install, and get it tighter than you think you need it. It may be that the seats are squishier than your other car and are compressing over time. Using the trick where you open the lockoff away from the buckle, put a lot of weight in the seat and pull more slack up, close the lockoff and then remove the slack can help you get an extremely tight install with the seat "pre-compressed" so this is less likely to happen.
-Add the Q-Tether. If you aren't already using it, some people who are having the issue where the seat compresses and loosens over time but can't get the seat any tighter have found that adding the Q-tether to stabilize the head of the seat helps minimize the effects of the compression by preventing it from "rocking" as the child climbs in and settles back. (When doing this you don't want to loosen and tighten the Q-Tether each time- simply lift the child over it or have them climb over. That's what we do with my son- just because it's easier not to loosen and tighten.) Bonus, this adds a significant safety benefit.

Good luck, I hope something you try helps!