Radian install in 2000 Toyota Echo

[Mom2AbbyMatty]

Hello all. I am having a terrible time installing my Radian in DH's 2000 Toyota Echo. Rear or FF it is next to impossible to get a tight install. Normally, my 15 months old son is RF in our Pathfinder in the Radian, but he meets the requirements to go FF and that is the only way it will fit in the small Echo. So, currently it is installed FF with the seat belt as tight as it will pull (two adults working on one seat here!) and the top tether will not pull any tighter but there is still play in the top tether. The whole things moves way more than an inch in every possible direction. It is hideous. Our kids rarely ride in the Echo, but it is tire change day tomorrow, so the Pathfinder and kids are going into two different directions. Anyway. I need some tips. Anyone had a good install with an Echo? What if I messed with the recline? Could they just be totally incompatible not matter what I do? So annoyed with the Radian. Such a pain to install.

 

[jacqui276]

I know that everyone here will probably comment on how your 15 month old should be rear facing in all vehicles but I have no advice for being able to make that possible since I have no experience with the echo. Have you tried kneeling in the seat when tightening it? To get it RFing, you may be able to get it installed more upright by pushing into the seat near the seat back of the car while tightening it. Not sure how much back seat space an echo has for whether that would make a difference. I have managed to install mine in some fairly crammed cars though.

When checking for movement you only need to check at the belt path and have it move less than an inch there. The top tether doesn't need to be insanely tight. As long as it is clipped in place with the slack removed, it is fine.

 

[AshleyCPST]

i just looked up the car and its a pretty flat back seat. im gonna talk about RF because iv never tried to install ours FF. so, have you tried in the center and are you using an angle adjuster? what other seat(s) are going back there? the buckle stalks look like they can be twisted down to make them shorter (up to 3 full turns) and sometimes that makes it easier to get tight because of where the buckle hits the side of seat. we have a '11 4runner and i had to do that in the center for ours. also, i would tighten the seat a bit before i put the angle adjuster under it and then pretty much put all my weight into the seat and pull as hard as i could on the belt. hope something in this ramble helps!

 

[cm_nghs1]

Before I was a tech I bought a radian (it was one of the only 48 lb FFing seats in Canada at that time). I had an echo and could not get it to FF for me.. BUT i wasn't a tech and didnt' know all the tricks.

have you tried getting behind the seat (between RFing radian and front seat) and using your hips to push it down into the seat more? Generally with the radian I prefer seatbelt install.. thats just me though Good luck!!

 

[Mom2AbbyMatty]

Thanks! Yes it would definitely be optimal to have him RF (as he usually is in our daily drive), but for one day of a three min trip to the sitter he can (legally) go FF. It wasn't perfect, but we got it as tight as possible. I was not happy with it, and everything has now been put back in the Pathfinder (son is RF and daughter is FF in a Marathon) solid as usual.

Now, I tried twisting the belt stalk with no luck. It just untwisted. The whole seat definitely moves more than an inch. In fact it pulls almost fully to the side so the base is off the vehicle seat by inches. The tether doesn't go super tight, but even then the seat pulls around so much.

I didn't try it RF with the angle adjuster, but if we need to go in the Echo again I might attempt that. I did check how it would go RF and it really didn't seem to fit, so I just went FF.

I guess I am just infinitely annoyed that a $300+ seat is just plain ol' incompatible with a vehicle. It goes in the Pathfinder beautifully (belt or LATCH). But, the Echo is a 2000 and doesn't have LATCH.

Any more thoughts??

 

[tiggercat]

I've never put my Radian in an echo, but I have in a Corolla and a Camry with seatbelt installs, successfully. My suggestion would be to try RF with the angle adjuster, 3 twists of the buckle stalk (have one person hold it twisted until the best is buckled so it can't untwist), and a locking clip. The locking clip will be just inside the belt path (but still within an inch of the latchplate) and it might be a pain in the arse to buckle. For forward facing, I have put it in the Camry with seatbelt, again center position with 3 twists and a locking clip. For some reason, the small amount of play in a switched retractor allows the Radian to shift out of place quite easily.

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