Toyota says carseat may go in middle

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

But another big issue with this vehicle is the fact that it has only 3 top tether anchors. There isn't one for the 8th seat, so a forward facing seat really shouldn't go there. And Jason, that seat you have in the third row, I think it is a marathon? should be in a spot with a top tether, so the middle of the third row. Use of the top tether reduces head excursion. Also, you might want to double check the chest clip on your son... It should be up by his armpits

Have you considered rear facing him, instead? It really is that much safer.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sssIsceKd6U&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Rear facing vs forward facing position in the car[/ame]

 

[luckyclov]

Yes, there is no top tether for the 8th seat. While top tethering isn't mandatory, it's heavily recommended for head excursion benefit.

I wouldn't consider a FF harnessed restraint for the 8th seat. In fact, I don't use the 8th seat (I have no need for it), I'm just playing around for curiousity's sake. The seats I attempted were either RF or a booster (the FR85 and PS were both in booster mode). As I've said before, I, personally, am not comfortable with any sort of child restraint installed there. Top tether or not, I feel like there's no adequate way for me to check the 1" or less of side-to-side movement because the 8th seat sits lower than it's neighboring captain's chairs. I think it's a fine seat for a child who has 5-stepped.

 

[JasonDallas]

Thanks for the pics. I haven't tried any baseless buckets in my 8th seat (or buckets at all, for that matter).

That's not a baseless bucket. That's a flex-loc 22lb in the bucket. There is plenty of room with that seat to check for 1" of side to side play, which is nice. I don't own a combi to check for its fit, as my kids are both big. I did try the one at Toys R Us RF and didn't find the fit acceptable for the reasons I mentioned earlier.

And Jason, that seat you have in the third row, I think it is a marathon? should be in a spot with a top tether, so the middle of the third row. Use of the top tether reduces head excursion. Also, you might want to double check the chest clip on your son... It should be up by his armpits

Have you considered rear facing him, instead? It really is that much safer.

Yeah, that's the old Marathon 65 (good eye BTW). That's the storage position, as I only have two kids. If I keep it in the middle 3rd row I can't sit back in the third row comfortably to keep the 4.5 month old in the 2nd row smiling. The only way I've used the MA 65 in the Sienna is in the center 3rd row position, then Radian XTSL in the driver's side 3rd row, and Frontier 85 on the passenger side 3rd row. That might be the only way they puzzle, but also works best for the tether situation I thought. Luckily 8 passengers is a rarity for me.

I don't have anything that can RF more weight than a Radian XTSL, so Matthew has been forward facing since he turned 45 lbs. In fact shortly after that photo he turned 48lb and I switched the Frontier 85 to seatbelt longpath mode, which is a real pain as you can't slide the seat forward/backward any longer. Theoretically the XTSL would solve that problem, but the far inferior catenary design of its tether keeps me from using it. I would buy a revised XTSL if they ever fixed the tether, perhaps it is like that for RF tethering but I don't use that and would definitely give up that feature.

Jason

P.S. I remember telling my wife the pic with my son scowling at me over waking him up adjusting his clips back even with his armpits would be better received but she doesn't understand this forum, and deleted the pic.

 

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

Wow. He didn't look that big to me

So, what about the radian rear facing in the 2011 sienna? Have you had it rear facing? Does it fit in all positions rear facing? People come here asking all the time, so the answers would be great if you have them!

I didn't think they changed the third row much, so you can puzzle quite a bit back there, except since they eliminated the passenger side tether

I was able to do a nautilus, rf or ff big britax, and a booster (turbo and old style parkway).

The baby trend is the narrowest infant seat I think, at less than 17 inches, and I think that is handle to handle. I think the base in narrower.

 

[luckyclov]

So, the Flex-Loc IS snapped into a base? Wow, that is one freakin' narrow base. I'm not at all familiar with the seat. The only buckets I have are a Keyfit and Shuttle.

The RN installs acceptably RF in the captain's chairs. I haven't tried in the 3rd row or FF'ing, however, so I have no input there. The lower anchors are buried, so it's a slight pain in the butt, but that's the case with *any* lower anchor install. It's a lot easier if you follow the manual's instructions and recline the vehicle seat all the way first.