Top tether strap isn't long enough?

[covigirl]

I just got a new car, a GMC Acadia, and got great installs with the LATCH system on both of my seats (2nd row bucket seats), except that the top tether strap on my Evenflo Tribute isn't long enough to reach the top tether anchor over the headrest. The headrest doesn't move up, so I can't go under it. My vehicle manual says that a single strap should go over the headrest while a double strap can go around the headrest, one strap on each side. I'm assuming that means I can't bring my single top tether around one side of the headrest so it will reach the anchor?

I do have one top tether seat in the 3rd row that I haven't tried yet, but I really want both kids in the 2nd row until #3 comes along. There is the option of buying another seat, since my 4 1/2 year old is getting tall for it. The straps are still above her shoulders, so she has a bit of room.

 

[Pixels]

Evenflo makes top tether straps that are too short. It's a common problem with their seats in certain vehicles.

You are correct, you need to route your single tether strap over, not around the headrest.

Contact Evenflo. They should send you an extension for the top tether.

 

[Mommy0608]

:yeahthat:

Evenflo does have tether extenders, I saw them on their website. I'm not sure if they'll send you one free, or if you'll have to pay, but it wasn't very expensive if I remember correctly. It's not just Evenflo, I know Dorel has this problem too and also will send out extender straps.

You're right that you can't bring the single strap around the head rest, unfortunately. You mentioned getting a new seat... your child fits as long as she is under the weight limit, the tops of her ears are below the top of the seat shell and the harness is at or above her shoulders. You could always pass the Evenflo seat down to a younger child and buy a new seat for the 4 year old, such as the Graco Nautilus or Britax Frontier. These have higher weight limits and taller harness slots so they will last much longer.

Let us know if you have any questions about new seat options.

 

[covigirl]

Thank you! Oddly enough, my Dorel seat (Safety 1st Enspira) has a long enough tether. It never even occurred to me that a company wouldn't make the tethers long enough. I will contact Evenflo, because she does still fit the seat, even if it won't be for long.

 

[Maggie]

Yep, Evenflo makes short tethers.

I had an Evenflo Triumph Advance installed FF in the captain chair of my Pontiac Montana. I had to take it out and I could not get the dumb thing off! There was no extra slack, my tether anchors are designed so you need to let out extra slack and push the clip in towards the seat to unlatch the tether.
There was just enough strap to get it clipped on, but it was impossible to take it off.

Well, it was impossible to do with the Evenflo. After cussing and sweating for 45 minutes, I called my husband out. We had to take the entire captain chair out of the van to get it at an angle where we could get the dumb thing off.

 

[henrietta]

Well, it was impossible to do with the Evenflo. After cussing and sweating for 45 minutes, I called my husband out. We had to take the entire captain chair out of the van to get it at an angle where we could get the dumb thing off.

This has happened to me before...after the first time I did it, I realized that if I unhook the seatbelt first and have a second set of hands lift the car-seat up, I can get enough slack to unhook the tether. It requires two people, but only takes a minute or two.



henrietta

 

[Maggie]

This has happened to me before...after the first time I did it, I realized that if I unhook the seatbelt first and have a second set of hands lift the car-seat up, I can get enough slack to unhook the tether. It requires two people, but only takes a minute or two.



henrietta

See, I have these stupid headrests in my van. They don't come off without a special tool from the dealer. They move up a bit, but don't come off. So I have to route the tether strap under the headrest. Even unbuckling the seat didn't do anything because we couldn't lift it up at all. Well, we could but it didn't help with the tether at all because it's stuck under the headrest.

So it was a double whammy, dumb car and dumb top tether.

 

[covigirl]

I will probably still contact Evenflo because we have a trip coming up in a few months were we'd like to have the whole 3rd row down for packing purposes, but for now, I installed the seat in the center of the 3rd row, where there is no headrest to get in the way of the tether. It was fairly difficult to get it solid there with the seatbelt (no LATCH, only rear tether) because the car seat barely fits between the belts. I thought it was solid, then realized it was just wedged in the space. I did get it solid, though, with unbuckling the belt and retracting a couple of clicks and rebuckling while kneeling in the seat.

 

[covigirl]

Finally called Evenflo, and they sent me a tether strap extender. I did have to pay for it, but it was less than $10 total; would have been even with the S&H, which they waived. Now the seat installs beautifully right were I want it at the moment.