Frontier 90 vehicle incompatibilities?

[teekadog]

I'm thinking of purchasing this seat but am curious what vehicle incompatibilities people have run into.

 

[mommytosavy]

I am getting a FR90 tonight so I can tell you how it installs in a 05 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I have found that my car is not car seat friendly at all. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. :dance:

 

[Kac]

I don't think I've read of any incompatibilities. I am unable to adjust the headrest when the seat is installed, but I know I'm not the only person and I think it is due to the shape of the vehicle's seats.

The Frontier 90 is so easy to install that I can't imagine their being many incompatibilities.

 

[Keeks64]

Fits great in my 09' dodge journey

My harness adjustment is sticky when installed too but works just fine when it's uninstalled.

 

[tiggercat]

It fits nicely in my 02 Caravan. I am unable to adjust harness height while installed, unless I loosen the tether and pull the top of the shell forward a bit. It hasn't been a problem since I rarely use the seat for anyone other than my son.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

[mommytosavy]

I got the FR90 installed...my car is NOT car seat friendly at all. So here is the issue. I have fixed headrests (although I have figured out how to remove them without damaging anything). They stick out horribly. The bottom sits top of the seat so there is not much room to install any high harness height car seat. I have a TFP and it even hits about the middle of the headrest. With the TFP I "removed" the headrest and turned it around so it was more flat so the car seat could be installed with the back of the car seat hitting the back of the seat.

Back to how the install went on the FR90...I put it the recline mode in since DD is a car sleeper. I tried to install it with the headrest turned the correct way and the car seat didn't even come close to touching the back of the seat, just the top of the car seat was touching the headrest. I tried it without the recline and the headrest pushed it forward too much. The back of the car seat touched the seat better though. I also tried it with the headrest flipped around but with the teather it doesn't go over the headrest to hold it down so that was a no go. I took the headrest completely off...I so do not like this set up but the car seat fits perfect.

So until someone has a better idea I am all for suggestions. Plus my DD HATES it.....so just not sure what to do from here.

 

[Patriot201]

So until someone has a better idea I am all for suggestions. Plus my DD HATES it.....so just not sure what to do from here.

How old is your DD? How much does she weigh?

 

[mommytosavy]

My DD is just over 3.5yo and is about 33lbs or so and is about 39in or so (sorry our last check up was in Dec.) I think she is mostly legs. She can wear between 3t (getting a bit short now) to 5Tish.

 

[mommytosavy]

bump!

 

[KALP4983]

I've installed it in a Camry and Lexus RX and a Lexus sedan without any issues. DS is a peanut at 4.5, 31 lbs and 40" or so. He never complains about it.

 

[spokaneCPST]

The Frontier 90 is incompatible in the ouboard positions of the new Ford vehicles with inflatable seatbelts.

 

[cookie123]

I think I read in the manual to adjust harness height before installing. So that could mean don't do it while installed!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Fixed forward-leaning headrests would definitely be a problem with this seat.

 

[Belle's Mamma]

The Frontier 90 is the only FF seat that I was actually able to successfully install in my 2013 Buick Enclave (not a FF friendly vehicle). It has fixed headrests that are slightly angled forward and impossibly short, rigid belt stalks so I was actually quite surprised that it installed so well. I installed it with the seat belt per the FR90 manual so I couldn't tell you how it works w/ LATCH . Britax specifies that the lower anchors can NOT be used to instal the seat for children weighing 40lbs or more. HTH.

Totally OT, but just as I was writing this post I realized that we are officially extended harnessing. It felt so odd FF DS when he was around 4.25yo that it never occurred to me that we started EH just a month or so after we were ERF. Weird.

ETA:
DS absolutely loves it the FR90. He prefers it over his Nauti, Radian XT (FF) & Radian GXT (FF)
He's is 4.5 a 3T/4T in shirts & 4T/5T in pants.

 

[mommytosavy]

I
So until someone has a better idea I am all for suggestions. Plus my DD HATES it.....so just not sure what to do from here.

After riding in the car seat once with DH taking DD to daycare and the magic of dh's persuasion she now loves her seat... :dance:

 

[tiggercat]

I think I found an incompatibility. I need to play with it more, but I tried installing the FRct in the 3rd row centre of my 02 caravan. Lap belt only, had to tighten a fair bit before the click tight go a secure install. After some trial and error (if it is too tight, the ct won't close), I got a good install, pretty much no movement. Attached the tether, and removed slack. Went back around to put a booster in the capt chair and noticed the FR looked really reclined, and it was very loose to the touch. The tether had pulled the seat towards the rear, and because the vehicle seatback is short enough to slide under the top lip of the shell, it rotated around the lap belt, and popped the front edge of the base off of the vehicle seat undoing my snug install.
Replicated a second time, this time making sure I only just pulled the slack out of the tether. Same result.
I wanted to try the recline feature, but by then I was out of time and I am nervous about the recline because of the plastic issues I've read about.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

[Patriot201]

After riding in the car seat once with DH taking DD to daycare and the magic of dh's persuasion she now loves her seat... :dance:

I'm so sorry; I didn't see your response (or bump! ) earlier!

I'm glad to see your daughter likes the seat. Are you still having the issue with the headrest pushing the seat out?

 

[Athena]

It seat belt installs in our Forester easily (with vehicle head rest removed) and works great as a harnessed seat for my tall 5yo. She loves her new seat. However, we won't be able to use it in booster mode in that car because the belt pops out of the shoulder guide. They said I could use it without the guide, but it's doubtful it would position correctly without it.

I think I read in the manual to adjust harness height before installing. So that could mean don't do it while installed!

I don't think that's what that means, as long as you're not forcing anything. You might have to loosen the tether.

Fixed forward-leaning headrests would definitely be a problem with this seat.

I have to remove mine with everything anyway.

Totally OT, but just as I was writing this post I realized that we are officially extended harnessing. It felt so odd FF DS when he was around 4.25yo that it never occurred to me that we started EH just a month or so after we were ERF. Weird.

What counts as EH? Just curious.

 

[Patriot201]

What counts as EH? Just curious.

I think most people consider EH to be anything past age 4 and/or 40 pounds, but there are probably lots of "definitions."