Does Canada have Free Retro tether installation at dodge/ford/etc?

[mommy2zander+baby]

Just curious if Canada has the same setup where the dealer gets reimbursed for the tether anchors & labor if they install the parts into a Dodge/ford/etc vehicle?

Also, if they don't have the same setup, could a canadian car owner get the tether parts from the US or are the tether anchors different in Canada? I suppose US taxes pay for the parts, but I'm just wondering if the anchors are identical or different?

 

[Jewels]

I know that Dodge covers the tether anchors under the warrenty of the vehicle (even the older ones) so they do them for free because it is law in Canada to have a top tether. I had called in regards to my IL's 1990's dodge vehicles and that is what they told me.

As for getting reimbursed how it works, I really am not sure.

 

[mommy2zander+baby]

OK, so you live in Canada & it's for sure free there, both the part & the installation? I'm tring to help a mama on another board & her dealship is telling her that they'll install it for free, but charge her $42 for the part... she drives a 98 voyager & has no tethers as of now...

I thought dodge had to supply the part & labor, but just wanted to make sure it wasn't only in the US that this was the case... So it's also the case in Canada? Thanks in advance...

 

[Jewels]

I'm in Southern Manitoba and when I called and asked Dodge that is what they told me. They installed the tether in a '99 RAM and a Lebaron, not sure the year maybe a 1993?.

If she needs the tether part and they want to charge that for it, why doesn't she just go to Walmart and get the part for $5, is that the part they want to charge for, and i'm not sure if you can actually do that

 

[tawnylee]

excellent! I found a new addictive website...lol.
It was me she was talking about.... stupid dodge dealership. I bought a tether anchor from Canadian Tire for $7, but dodge won't install it. They said it HAS to be their own.... poop.

 

[mommy2zander+baby]

Yeah, she bought the part from Canadian tire for $7, but Dodge refuses to install it... I thought I had heard it was better to have the dodge tether anchors anyway (when I had asked about some tether anchors that came with graco highbacked harnessed boosters around 2000) but I'm not 100% sure about why they weren't recommended to be used...

The dealship is also telling her that they only have to install the part free on a vehicle 10 years old or less... they must just not know what they're talking about!

 

[Jewels]

I thought I had heard it was better to have the dodge tether anchors anyway (when I had asked about some tether anchors that came with graco highbacked harnessed boosters around 2000) but I'm not 100% sure about why they weren't recommended to be used...

Really My MA came with the tether anchor!

The dealship is also telling her that they only have to install the part free on a vehicle 10 years old or less... they must just not know what they're talking about!

What kind of vehicle? Have you tried calling a different location? What province, maybe each province is different, I wouldn't think so but maybe?

 

[mommy2zander+baby]

I mean the metal piece that gets bolted to the car... Did your MA come with that part also in Canada?

It's a 98 Voyager or Caravan...

I'm not sure the province, but since it seems as though Dodge in Canada still supplies the part/installation, I told her to call back & just keep asking to be transfered to higher people until someone can help her! This isn't the first time I've heard of dealerships not knowing what they're talking about, but I just wanted to make sure the FREE deal was a go in Canada also before I suggested she argue with them... KWIM??

Thanks again!!

 

[Jewels]

I mean the metal piece that gets bolted to the car... Did your MA come with that part also in Canada?

Yes, the part that gets bolted into the vehicle came with my Canadian MA.

This isn't the first time I've heard of dealerships not knowing what they're talking about, but I just wanted to make sure the FREE deal was a go in Canada also before I suggested she argue with them... KWIM??

Thanks again!!

Yes I would keep calling, if I think of it I will call our dealership tomorrow and ask them again.

 

[mommycat]

Some posts from this thread:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=142287

Some manufacturers make a generic tether anchor/bolt available with their seats. They're intended for people who don't already have anchors installed to either a) install/have installed in a location where it is secured directly to the frame and is approved by the manufacturer or b) use in their pre-drill locations (many cars, especially SUVs, just have a bolt on the ground where it's already drilled out, and you can just unbolt and put the anchor in).. The kit is similar (only similar--see next paragraph for warning) to what the manufacturers retrofit. If you don't have an approved location to bolt to a section of the frame that is strong enough for crash forces, then the bolt Cosco provided you with your seat is of no use to you.

Since we're in Canada, getting anchors installed is free at 99% of dealerships as it has been required by law for quite some time now. We tend not to use the bolt provided with carseats as a result...there may also be a slight issue with Cosco providing an Imperial sized bolt when installing their anchor in a car with a metric pre-drill...although a minor size difference, there is still a difference. It's not an issue for your van, but I just wanted to point out this potential problem.

You definitely should call the dealership if they're open tomorrow and confirm one way or another if you can get two additional anchors installed. It would certainly be more convenient to have your own children in the centre row, because they're the ones with you the majority of the time.

-N.

I have a 2003 Grand Caravan. I have a Radian for my 5 year old that I love. It is installed with LATCH on the driver's side captains chair. I find it super easy to install with LATCH either FF or RF and with the seatbelt RF. I can not install it with the seatbelt FF in the captains chairs because they are way too contoured. This would not be an issue in your 2004 as the captains chairs are no where near contoured like mine I get an acceptable FF install in the 3rd row 50/50 split bench but it is definitely more difficult.

I have been told that Dodge is not allowed to add top tether anchors to their vans after 2002 model years. However, I had two outboard anchors added to my 3rd row when I bought the van... I don't really think they know what they are talking about or what the rules are.

Dodge originally stated that the reason they could not add tether anchors to my 3rd row was because it was a crumple zone and carseats could not go back there. Then when I questioned whether it was safe for an adult to sit back there, they changed their mind and stated that I was not allowed to put three seats across the back row because I could not hook two carseats up to the same LATCH anchor... I pointed out that there were no LATCH anchors in my 3rd row and the seatbelts that were installed back there already would work just fine for installing carseats. They ended up calling their corporate headquarters and I had the tether anchors installed the next day.

I would get Radians for your son and daughter in the captains chairs. When installed with LATCH you can flip the captains chair forward to access the third row with the Radian (or any FF LATCH carseat) still installed. They will definitely last the longest. My 5 year old has a 16 inch torso and still has 1 - 1.5 inches left to go in his Radian. He has outgrown all other harnessed seats on the market... he is right even with the MA's top slots in some vehicles but is over them when the MA is installed in my van.

Can't find any official stance from Dodge but I only did a very quick google check.

 

[cdncasper]

I got both of my top tethers installed in my 99 Caravan for free. Technically they should do 1 free and you pay for any others you want but sometimes they will put a second for free. Come to think of it I got 4 installed in my old 96 Caravan a few years back and I only paid for 1 of them.

 

[Lea_Ontario]

GM installed the first top anchor in our 1999 Cavalier for free (no charge for labour OR parts).

The second top anchor cost us about $70 - not sure what the breakdown was for parts/labour on that though.

 

[Mommy090804]

Yes, our experience was similar to Kashi's post. We just sold our 1996 Chev Monte Carlo, but had a tether anchor installed in it about four months ago. As long as there had never been an anchor installed in that particular vehicle (the dealership did a search on the VIN), then the first anchor is installed for free. I do believe that the dealership is reimbursed for the cost. There would have been a charge (parts and labour) for the installation of additional tether anchors.

One of our carseats came with the bolt hardware for the tether anchor. I am not sure if it was our Regal Ride (DOM June2005) or our Graco Ultra Cargo (DOM Jan2007). I can't remember which one it was, but I should my head because we had just had one installed. Thank goodness we didn't pay for it. On the other hand, I remember looking in the trunk, and couldn't find the spot where the anchor would be installed if we wanted to do it ourselves. Sorry for rambling, but I was glad I called the dealership to have it installed since it didn't cost us anything!

 

[CDNTech]

The first anchor is free.

I have been told that they can not install tether anchors on vehicles newer than 2002, but this is not true. Through further questioning, I have learned that they CAN install tether anchors in newer vehicles, they are just not reimbursed for it... so they tell people it can't be done.