Question Installing Graco Snugride 30 with ELR-only belts

[Unregistered]

I was re-reading the manual for the Graco Snugride 30 today, and came across an instruction that I was hoping could be clarified.

The seatbelts in my car do not automatically retract, nor are they switchable (as far as I can tell). The Snugride 30 manual has this to say about this type of belt: "You must use a locking clip when using the infant restraint without the base". It does not say whether to use the locking clip if you're installing the infant restraint with the base. It seems to me like the belt would need to be locked somehow, and there are no lockoffs on the base. Should I use the locking clip in this scenario? Or does this mean that I should only install the carseat in my car without the base?

 

[wendytthomas]

Hi there.

You'll use the locking clip with the base. But may I ask, what car do you drive? If it's a 1997 model year or newer it has belts that lock before a crash.

I agree that the manual is pretty bad here.

Wendy

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the response! My car is a post-1997 model, and the belts do lock when they are pulled sharply (i.e., in response to a crash). But there's no way to put them in locking mode at the time I install the seat. I thought they needed to be locked at the time of installation. Is that not correct?

 

[Unregistered]

Sorry, I just realized I may have misunderstood your meaning when I wrote my last post. Do you mean all vehicles should now have a way to lock at the time of installation (i.e., belts are either automatic-locking, switchable, or have some sort of locking latchplate)? If so I guess I'll have to look at the manual. My belts are certainly not automatic nor do they have a locking latchplate. I tried pulling the belt all the way out and letting it retract a little, but that didn't cause it to lock.

 

[wendytthomas]

Sorry, I just realized I may have misunderstood your meaning when I wrote my last post. Do you mean all vehicles should now have a way to lock at the time of installation (i.e., belts are either automatic-locking, switchable, or have some sort of locking latchplate)? If so I guess I'll have to look at the manual. My belts are certainly not automatic nor do they have a locking latchplate. I tried pulling the belt all the way out and letting it retract a little, but that didn't cause it to lock.

What car is it? They lock somehow.

Wendy

 

[Unregistered]

It's a 2001 Daewoo Nubira. I did figure out that the belts in the backseat are switchable after all.