Toyota Camry Center Seatbelt install w/ Chicco NF

[lilti9er]

My husband traded in his G37 for a 2011 Toyota Camry a few weeks ago. I didn't know that the Camry doesn't have center latch and forgot to pay attention to it when we were looking at another car. The first thing I did was install it RF in the center with a seatbelt. I initially had a pretty good install with minimal movement side to side; I had my husband put his weight on it while I guided the seatbelt back into the retracting slot. However, after the first day of use the car seat started to move drastically side to side and more than an inch. So I then installed it RF on the driver side with LATCH and it was rock-solid. But then it became too hard to strap DD in securely as the angle was bad to pull the straps while tightening and it did not allow for a snug fit. So then I resorted to installing it back in the center but FF and I think b/c of the back of the car seat against the vehicle seat, it is now rock solid again. However, I don't want her FF yet. She doesn't turn 3 until February and is under 30 lbs. She is still RF in my honda pilot so I want to keep her RF until at least 4 yrs old. Are there any tricks/advice anyone can give me to keep the NF from becoming loose in a RF install with the seatbelts? To clarify, I am locking the seatbelt and feeding the excess to the vehicle and using the car seat's seatbelt lock-offs. TIA, Nancy.

 

[wendytthomas]

Can you take a picture of the install, please? You don't need to lock the belt, just use the lockoff on the shoulder belt side.

Wendy

 

[lilti9er]

Thank you for your response Wendy. I just turned it back to RF. It wiggles just a little bit but I'm afraid it will begin to move after a few uses like last time. I'm thinking I may need to attempt to get behind it and push it in more while tightening the seatbelt like how the car seat lady does with infant car seat installs without a base.

 

[lilti9er]

My husband and I just reinstalled the car seat again using the method I mentioned above and it is now rock solid. My husband mentioned he liked seeing her FF and I asked him did he want to see her get hurt? I've showed him videos regarding car seats & crashes before so it's not like he's not aware of the dangers of FF too soon. He'll just have to deal with it b/c I'm the car seat installer and I'm not going to switch her back until after 4 yrs old and/or 40 lbs.

 

[seb3244]

My husband and I just reinstalled the car seat again using the method I mentioned above and it is now rock solid. My husband mentioned he liked seeing her FF and I asked him did he want to see her get hurt? I've showed him videos regarding car seats & crashes before so it's not like he's not aware of the dangers of FF too soon. He'll just have to deal with it b/c I'm the car seat installer and I'm not going to switch her back until after 4 yrs old and/or 40 lbs.

Glad you got it in there rock solid. That is what I said too I'm the car seat installer. I grew her in my womb for 41 weeks 2 days and have a bunch of stretch marks from growing her and I'm gonna keep her as safe as possible!

#rearfaceallthetoddlers

 

[lilti9er]

I agree...whatever us moms decide will be how it goes or should be how it goes lol. I even thought about trading the NextFit for a new Britax clicktight just to get a rock solid install with the seatbelt but I'm glad I don't need to now.

 

[seb3244]

I agree...whatever us moms decide will be how it goes or should be how it goes lol. I even thought about trading the NextFit for a new Britax clicktight just to get a rock solid install with the seatbelt but I'm glad I don't need to now.

Lol
I have the same Chico you have and a 1.5 yr old britax advocate but somehow I still want the new britax advocate click tight haha

 

[lilti9er]

Lol
I have the same Chico you have and a 1.5 yr old britax advocate but somehow I still want the new britax advocate click tight haha

I went to check out the Advocate CT & Pinnacle yesterday at the store and my oh my are they soooo easy to install! I've been talking about it to the hubby and he's all like is the one you want that easy to install? Yes sir!!! lol But then he brings up a good question: is the cover easy to take off to wash like the NF zip? He was like maybe that'll be the trade-off. But he basically gave me the ok to get it LOL! I may just hold off though and get a Britax Pinnacle next b/c DD turns 3 in Feb so she won't have much longer to RF...dilemmas.

 

[lilti9er]

Oh yea, I was wondering about the Britax seats sold at Babies R Us....does anyone know if the "ultimate comfort series" are more padded than seats sold elsewhere? I don't see this version listed on the Britax website at all so I was thinking could it be a marketing gimmick?