My 04 Chevy Venture is making me mad...advice please!

[Raegansmom4]

My Venture is the 8 passenger with 3 captains seats in the 2nd and bench in the 3rd. Seats install beautifully passenger side 2nd row b/c the lever for flipping the back of the vehicle seat does not interfer with the buckle at all b/c it's on the opposite side. The middle and driver's side captain seats are another story . The stupid lever for flipping those seat backs are on the same side as the buckle . So...the buckle is at a weird angle foward of the seat crease and is impossible for installing a forward-facing seat. I was able to install my rfing MyRide on the drivers side with no problems. A foward-facing seat is nearly impossible - both the Regent and the Nautilus absolutely will not be able to be installed there as the angle of the buckle and the foward-of-the-bight position of the buckle will not work AT ALL. It almost creates a 45 degree angle between the female end and the male end, if that makes sense - you cannot tighten it at all - the belt just scrunches up really, really badly. I was starting to look ahead at how I could arrange when dd2 hits 40 lbs (she's 38.6 now). I would like to keep both kids in the 2nd row for convenience, if possible. I was able to get a somewhat passable forward-facing install with the MR on the driver's side, but the seat belt still scrunches up a tiny bit, but I still can get it tight enough with less than 1 inch of movement. But, when I looked at the MR manual, it recommended not installing it there with a forward-of-the-bight buckle unless then vehicle manual indicates it can be installed there (the manual shows it as a location to install). What to do, what to do??? Advice? Thanks!!

 

[Defrost]

Have you tried getting the seat belt tightened with the buckle undone, and then pinching the belt and buckling? I've used that technique with buckles like this - it's kind of like when you install with a locking clip, yk?

Also, sometimes you can prevent the bunching by NOT locking the seat belt first, using a clip or having a partner hold out all the slack for you, so you can tighten the belt while keeping it at an angle that doesn't bunch.

 

[Raegansmom4]

Thanks - good idea! Just so I'm sure I got this right, I could use a locking clip instead of the ALR to prevent the bunching?

 

[Defrost]

Thanks - good idea! Just so I'm sure I got this right, I could use a locking clip instead of the ALR to prevent the bunching?

No, no - sorry. I just mean you should do it like this:
buckle
tighten a little bit
stop pulling just before it starts bunching
unbuckle
shorten the lap-portion of the belt a bit more
pinch the belt to prevent it from slipping
re-buckle.

(Same way you adjust a seat belt and put on a locking clip, only without the locking clip, see?) (Re-buckling might take two people, btw. One to climb completely into the seat, while the other gets the latchplate & buckle lined up.)

 

[amyd]

I had a belt like at a check this morning, different vehicle and seat, though, same thing was happening. We got a passable installation and advised mom to install with the LATCH instead when she got home (LATCH strap had been removed from the seat & mom had it at home so we couldn't do it right there).

 

[Defrost]

I had a belt like at a check this morning, different vehicle and seat, though, same thing was happening. We got a passable installation and advised mom to install with the LATCH instead when she got home (LATCH strap had been removed from the seat & mom had it at home so we couldn't do it right there).

They're possible, usually, but tend to be very difficult installs. I prefer to have an extra set of hands.

Oh, and I just remembered - if you can recline the vehicle seat, that really helps with fixed-buckle-stalks like this. Just remember you can easily over-tighten if you've got the vehicle seat really reclined so don't go for a tight install - just recline the seat, use the extra wiggle-room to tighten the belt without bunching, then *carefully* push the vehicle seat back upright.

 

[jourdysmom]

Dumb question... Don't you have LATCH on the outboard middle row? I had an '03 and used LATCH in those 2 positions and the ALR seat belt in the center. Was WAY easier :twocents:

 

[TerisBoys]

Oh, and I just remembered - if you can recline the vehicle seat, that really helps with fixed-buckle-stalks like this. Just remember you can easily over-tighten if you've got the vehicle seat really reclined so don't go for a tight install - just recline the seat, use the extra wiggle-room to tighten the belt without bunching, then *carefully* push the vehicle seat back upright.

This.

Also, if you're trying the Nauti - using it in full recline helps match the angle of the beltpath a little better.


I thought a bit of bunching was ok?

 

[amyd]

I thought a bit of bunching was ok?

I think it is. My issue this morning was that the belt was bunching so badly I was having a hard time actually get the belt tight enough. It was a 09 Caravan and a Scenera I was dealing with.

 

[Raegansmom4]

Dumb question... Don't you have LATCH on the outboard middle row? I had an '03 and used LATCH in those 2 positions and the ALR seat belt in the center. Was WAY easier :twocents:

No, I don't have the lower anchors anywhere, and I have no idea why not unless my van was some sort of special order as an 8-pass? From what we could tell from the title, we think it was first owned by a hotel (probably for airport pickups) before it was sold to the guy who had it right before us. We just bought it in April, and up to this point, I hadn't had to mess with a forward-facing install in that position. I am able to get my dd1's Regent installed rock solid in 3rd row pass side where the top tether is located, but she doesn't like it back there too well - too hard to hear to carry on conversation.

 

[Raegansmom4]

No, no - sorry. I just mean you should do it like this:
buckle
tighten a little bit
stop pulling just before it starts bunching
unbuckle
shorten the lap-portion of the belt a bit more
pinch the belt to prevent it from slipping
re-buckle.

(Same way you adjust a seat belt and put on a locking clip, only without the locking clip, see?) (Re-buckling might take two people, btw. One to climb completely into the seat, while the other gets the latchplate & buckle lined up.)

Got it! Thanks!!

 

[jourdysmom]

No, I don't have the lower anchors anywhere, and I have no idea why not unless my van was some sort of special order as an 8-pass? From what we could tell from the title, we think it was first owned by a hotel (probably for airport pickups) before it was sold to the guy who had it right before us. We just bought it in April, and up to this point, I hadn't had to mess with a forward-facing install in that position. I am able to get my dd1's Regent installed rock solid in 3rd row pass side where the top tether is located, but she doesn't like it back there too well - too hard to hear to carry on conversation.

Weird! Mine had them in the center row, but not the back row if I remember right, but had top tethers in all 6 locations! They were deep in the seat bight, and had just a circle not the universal symbol to indicate their locations.

I agree that I had to recline the seats, the pull them back up for good installs...

 

[Raegansmom4]

Weird! Mine had them in the center row, but not the back row if I remember right, but had top tethers in all 6 locations! They were deep in the seat bight, and had just a circle not the universal symbol to indicate their locations.

I agree that I had to recline the seats, the pull them back up for good installs...

Yeah, I was pretty shocked there were no lower anchors anywhere - I dug and dug for them, used a flashlight, etc and nothing. The manual indicated that I should have them outboard 2nd row. The outboard pass and middle w/ lap only ALR seat have a standard top tether and the outboard driver's side has a different-looking top tether than the other 2 seats. I'm taking it in to the Chevy dealer to make sure that is also a tether anchor. There is only 1 spot in the rear that has top tether.

 

[TerisBoys]

They sound/look like factory seats though.

I wonder if they're out of an older vehicle that didn't have LATCH.

If that's the case, might be worth checking into replacing at least that seat.

 

[Raegansmom4]

Did a little searching about the lower anchors and found this thread: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=92685 - but my van is an even rarer case - I have the integrated child seat on both outboard 2nd row seats. Apparently if there is an integrated child seat, lower anchors may/should not be present. So that's why there are no lower anchors in my van!

 

[melniemi]

I have the same van as you. I haven't had problems installing seats, but it does take a little more work. The regent should install beautifully long belt path. The Frontier does too. I would use Judi's trick as I stand in the seat, pushing down with my feet, back braced on the ceiling. Probably looks crazy, but it has worked for me

 

[northernmommy]

I have the same van as you, and (at least here in Canada) Chevy will replace the ridgid stalk on the seat with a flexible one :thumbsup: Made all the difference in the world!

I agree with others, it sounds like you've got seats from an older model in yours though

 

[Judi]

That looks like the seat out of my friend's '02.

 

[northernmommy]

That looks like the seat out of my friend's '02.

My '04 has the exact same seats (same fabric and everything) but it has UAS/LATCH. I've got one integrated seat (which also has UAS...weird, as it shouldn't) and one lap only, then a normal seat. TAs on the back of all three, and one TA in the back row.

OP, if you want, I can go out in a bit and find my manual for the page etc wit the info about getting the buckles switched out (might be different for you down there, but it's probably worth a try)

 

[Michi]

We got our buckles switched out recently - BEST DECISION EVER!!!

I cannot say how much I loathed those fixed buckle stalks.
Our new GN would not install in the center, so we had the stalk switched out

here are before and after photos.

Before - rigid stalk in fixed position - always pointed too far forward :thumbsdown:

It would cause the belt to bunch up and I couldn't use the lockoffs

After :thumbsup: ( it can rotate further back, plus it sits higher and has a flexible stalk. Our GN installs like a dream now!)

If you look in the manual it says that they will do it free of charge.