Issue with lock offs on True Fit

[blessedwifenmama]

This is more of a seat belt issue than an issue with the actual lockoffs. I really like this seat, and have spent hours trying to get a good install with either my 2001 Chevy Lumina or DH's 2000 Subaru Legacy wagon. Neither car has LATCH anchors, so it's seat belts all the way for us.

In the Subaru, I can get a good outboard install, but DH really wants it in the center for safety purposes. The issue with the center seat is that the part of the belt that gets locked into the lockoff is stitched 2 layers thick, and with the shoulder belt on top, that makes it 3 layers of belt, which I absolutely cannot get the lockoff to fit over. This is on the side opposite the buckle (I already have to twist that as well for a good install). Would it be ok for me to simply lock in the lap portion of the belt, and let the shoulder portion rest on top of the lockoff? Or is that a big no no?

In the Lumina, the issue is that the center seat belt is about 2-3 inches forward from the seat crease, as are the female ends of the outboard seat belts. This makes it very difficult to get a good install in the outboard positions because the belt covers the turning lockoff knob, and I have to pull it over into the lockoff belt path in order to secure it. Center seat is out of the question, as I don't trust the manual lap belt to stay tight in a crash.

I hope my description sounds somewhat intelligible. If not I'll try to post pics when I have the time.

PS. I got it through Walmart.com and it was already over 2 years old, AND one shoulder strap is longer than the other, :thumbsdown: so it's definitely not sticking around for long. Just long enough for me to decide whether I want a new True Fit, or something else (and honestly, I'm not terribly impressed by what I'm reading about other seats, so I REALLY want this one to work out). I'm still deciding if I want to return it directly to the store, or call the First Years and return it to them.

 

[EmmaCPST]

First, you cannot bypass the lockoffs, they have to be used for this seat. I've seen exactly what you're talking about in the Subaru, and you just have to try to get to a portion of the seat belt that you can close the lockoff and have a secure install. Usually you can achieve that by messing with the recline or twisting or untwisting a buckle stalk... or just choosing another seating position.

Second, I'm having trouble picturing the problem you're having with the Lumina so I don't really have any advice there - but the center lap belt has a locking latchplate, so there is a mechanism in the latchplate itself. It meets the same standards as a locking retractor does in your lap/shoulder belt, so it's completely fine to install a car seat with it and I would, especially if you're having issues with the other seating position. You still need to run the lap belt through the lockoffs though.

Third, the True Fit has a continuous harness. That means it's one big long loop, and you can pull the slack out of one shoulder or hip at a time. So one side isn't longer than another, you just have more slack out of it. Pull the shoulders at the same time and they'll even out.

Finally, I would be mad if I bought a new seat and the manufacture date was two years old. I would either want to exchange it for a new one or have the store credit me 30% of the price since 30% of the seat's life span is already gone.

 

[blessedwifenmama]

First, you cannot bypass the lockoffs, they have to be used for this seat. I've seen exactly what you're talking about in the Subaru, and you just have to try to get to a portion of the seat belt that you can close the lockoff and have a secure install. Usually you can achieve that by messing with the recline or twisting or untwisting a buckle stalk... or just choosing another seating position.

Second, I'm having trouble picturing the problem you're having with the Lumina so I don't really have any advice there - but the center lap belt has a locking latchplate, so there is a mechanism in the latchplate itself. It meets the same standards as a locking retractor does in your lap/shoulder belt, so it's completely fine to install a car seat with it and I would, especially if you're having issues with the other seating position. You still need to run the lap belt through the lockoffs though.

Third, the True Fit has a continuous harness. That means it's one big long loop, and you can pull the slack out of one shoulder or hip at a time. So one side isn't longer than another, you just have more slack out of it. Pull the shoulders at the same time and they'll even out.

Finally, I would be mad if I bought a new seat and the manufacture date was two years old. I would either want to exchange it for a new one or have the store credit me 30% of the price since 30% of the seat's life span is already gone.

Thanks for your input. I'm glad you know what I'm talking about with the seat belts being too thick. When I called CS this morning the guy said he'd never heard of it before, and in hours of searching online, I didn't see anyone else complaining about it. Unfortunately, if I move the belt enough to close the lockoff, the seat is too loose. :thumbsdown:

My concern with my middle seat in the Lumina is that I once had my infant base installed there by a CPST, and a few weeks down the road I noticed it had loosened up significantly. It was extremely tight at first, but over time belt slipped through the locking latchplate and made it very unsafe. I'm worried that the belt could loosen significantly in a crash, even if the seat is tightly installed. If it would be secure, though, I would definitely prefer to have him in the center seat.

After calling CS, I figured out how to even out the seat belts. :doh: So at least now I can use it if I need it, while I'm trying to figure out whether I want another True Fit or something else. I have a My Ride on the way, so we'll see if I like that one better. Won't be here for at least a week tho. I really, really liked the specs on the Triumph, but the neck rubbing thing was a dealbreaker for me. I may revisit the possibility, though, esp since they're on sale at albeebaby. Does everyone have problems with the rubbing, or mainly the chunkier kiddos?

 

[amyd]

As Emma said, you must use the lockoffs on the True Fit so since that's not possible, I'd consider the seat incompatible in the center of the Subaru.

 

[soygurl]

My concern with my middle seat in the Lumina is that I once had my infant base installed there by a CPST, and a few weeks down the road I noticed it had loosened up significantly. It was extremely tight at first, but over time belt slipped through the locking latchplate and made it very unsafe. I'm worried that the belt could loosen significantly in a crash, even if the seat is tightly installed. If it would be secure, though, I would definitely prefer to have him in the center seat.

So yes, this can happen under certain circumstances. The reason is that locking latch plates (what that type of buckle is called), only stay locked when the belt and latch plate are parallel to each other. It's hard to explain without a visual, but the first part of this video shows it well. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wt91-j_DDI"]Types of Locking Seat Belts[/ame]

Chances are, the reason you had a problem with the infant seat is that the belt wasn't quite at the right angle for the locking latch plate to work. What the guy in the video failed to mention, is that there is a fix for this problem! If you find that the belt isn't lined up correctly (or if it is gradually loosening up over time), simply tighten the belt as usual, unbuckle it, and flip the male end over 180 degrees. Then rebuckle the belt, and you'll be good to go! Flipping the latch plate upside-down will ensure that the webbing of the belt stays parallel to the latch plate. Again, this is much easier to explain by showing, but I couldn't find an appropriate video. Let me know if you'd like further clarification. :thumbsup:

 

[blessedwifenmama]

Thanks so much Soygurl! That info, combined with the video, is extremely helpful! I'll see how I can apply those tips tomorrow.

 

[christineka]

I would contact the first years about your lockoff problem. I've heard their cpst give permission to do differently than the manual states. If you must use the lockoffs, then it's incompatible and you'll need to find something else.

 

[jess71903]

I would contact the first years about your lockoff problem. I've heard their cpst give permission to do differently than the manual states. If you must use the lockoffs, then it's incompatible and you'll need to find something else.

This is what I was thinking. I seem to have a long lost memory of someone being told they could close the closest lockoff over both lap and shoulder, and then the furthest one over just the lap belt. If I'm understanding correctly, it's the non-buckle side that is double stitched, right? So that would solve your problem.