Diono in a Dodge 2002

[Unregistered]

I read the manual for our Dodge 2002 caravan and it states that you cannot rear face car seats at all in this vehicle!! I am not at all happy about this.. We got a diono radian rxt to do extended rear facing. The anchor system is only for forward facing.. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

 

[wendytthomas]

The top tether anchors are for forward facing only. You can rear face using the lower anchors or the seatbelt without an issue.

Are you having installation issues we can help you with?

Wendy

 

[Unregistered]

Yes, Please! The only lower anchors that I could find were on the floor. Also the seat belt is not locking like it should.

 

[wendytthomas]

The seatbelt locks at the buckle, not at the shoulder. You don't have lower anchors, but as you found you do have forward facing top tethers.

So you'll thread the seatbelt through the rear facing belt path, add weight to the seat, and pull the seatbelt tight. It helps if you pull by the buckle on the shoulder belt portion. That way you know you're getting the lap belt tight. Give it a firm handshake under the belt path with your non dominant hand and check for less than 1" of movement.

Wendy

 

[tiggercat]

My understanding is that latch was standard in caravans starting in 2001 (my 2002 has lower anchors and top tethers in both captain chairs). Have you visually inspected the seat for anchors at the bight? Do you have capt chairs or bench seating in the second row?

Fwiw, radian rearfacing was not compatible in my van in the captain chairs using a seatbelt install due to forward leaning buckle stalks further forward than the belt path. Latch install was fine.

One more edit: latchplate in older caravans tend to slip, I have to flip mine a half twist to force them to lock, or use a locking clip. OP's mileage may vary, of course.

 

[mom of six]

I used to have a 2003 Dodge caravan. Maybe I can help.

Do you have captains chairs or a middle bench? There should be latch anchors and a tether anchor on each of the captains chairs or two sets on the bench if you have the center bench.

There should be one tether anchor in the center if you have a full bench or slightly off center if you have the split rear bench.

I was able to install a rear facing radian on my captains chair with the seat belt.

Shoot me any questions you have. I don't have the van anymore so I can't take pictures but we had it for 6 years and installed A LOT of car seats in it. I had radians and a frontier and comfort sports and SnugRIde 22s and a snugride 32 and several boosters at various times in that van.