Installing car seat in Volvo S60? No LATCH??

Help!

We are getting a Combi Connection this week for our baby (due in 6 weeks), and were planning to get two bases, one for each of our cars. I have a Toyota Highlander (2004), and DH has a Volvo S60 (2003). I was under the impression that cars this new all have LATCH, but is this not the case for the Volvo? I checked in the owner's manual and saw nothing about LATCH, and it seems from everything I found that you have to install it using seatbelts. Is this the case? We will probably be travelling in the Highlander most of the time, but how can I make sure that I install the carseat in DH's car correctly?

Thanks in advance!

I can't comment on the LATCH issue in the Volvo S60, but for a 2003, it should have LATCH anchors. Is there any chance it's called ISOFIX or UAS in the manual?

As for installing the carseat in your dh's car correctly... You can still do it with the traditional method of installation by using seatbelt instead of LATCH. LATCH is supposed to be easier to install, but not always the case. And the middle back seat usually don't have LATCH anchors, so if carseats installed in this position usually has to use the seatbelt anyway.

>I can't comment on the LATCH issue in the Volvo S60, but for
>a 2003, it should have LATCH anchors. Is there any chance
>it's called ISOFIX or UAS in the manual?
>

Is ISOFIX the same thing? It actually is called ISOFIX in the manual, but then all the descriptions talk about using belt restraints... I am confused enough about carseats, and this just made it worse!

Yes, ISOFIX is the same thing. But, I'll take a guess that you probably don't have it available in the center position of the back seat, so you'd have to use the seat belt there.

Do you have a lap/shoulder belt in the center position of your back seat? Here's a quick tip for installing the base of the Connection: buckle the seat belt *first*. Then pull a little bit of slack and put the base of the seat on top of the lap portion of the seat belt (this is important since the belt path for the Connection is underneath the base instead of over the top like on most infant seats). Route the lap belt up through the guides on the sides. Pull the shoulder belt tight and lock the seat belt (see your vehicle manual--it could be by pulling the belt out all the way slowly and letting it retract or by moving a switch on the latchplate).

Installing this base the first time is awkward, but every time after is quite easy and you get a very tight install every time!

Heather, CPS Tech
http://www.CarSeatSite.com

Heather and Tam, thank you so much! This is really helping me understand how all of this will work. I am gathering, from this and other threads I have read here, that the center seat is the best position for rear-facing car seats? Even if you can't use the LATCH system? Now, does not using the LATCH (or ISOFIX) mean that you install the car seat without a base? Or are you simply strapping in the base using the seatbelts, and then using the base as you would normally?

Does anyone know if the Highlander has LATCH in the center? (I think it does, I just can't remember for sure from when we bought the car last year)

We have a 2000 Volvo S80 and it does not have the LATCH system in it. We installed a 2004 Primo Viaggio base into the car using the instructions for center shoulderbelt installation. It was difficult (the Primo Viaggio installation is definitely not the easiest), but it worked and was very secure. Your carseat manual should have instructions for seatbelt installation.

HTH

Heather

Yes, the middle rear position is the 'safest' because it is the one furthest away from potential impacts.

For most vehicles, this middle rear position is not equipped with LATCH/ISOFIX/UAS anchors, so the traditional seatbelt installation is called for.
As for safety, LATCH and seatbelt are both safe if use properly. Even in vehicles with LATCH in the middle rear position or in other positions with LATCH (ie. outboard positions), you can't use both LATCH and seatbelt to install the same carseat at the same time. It's one method: LATCH or seatbelt, not both.

So to answer your question about LATCH to install the carseat w/o the base... I'm not sure I understand correctly, but for infant carseats when used with the base, you can use either LATCH or seatbelt as the LATCH straps are typically attached to the base. When use w/o the base (ie. installing the carseat by itself), it can only be installed by seatbelt method since the LATCH straps are not attached to the seat itself.

I hope I answer your questions.

The 2003 S60 does have LATCH (aka Isofix) but we've never used it. We had the base of the infant car seat secured in the center seat with the belt and now his Roundabout rearfacing in the center with the belt. We've been able to get good, tight fits with both seats in the center rear. LATCH doesn't make the seat any safer, it is just supposed to be more convenient and easier to install. In fact, in a recent Consumer Reports, several seats did terribly when installed with LATCH and were fine with belt installation.

Good luck with the install.

Kimberly
DS 3/18/04

Thank you all so much! This is really making sense now. I will plan, then, to install my Combi Connection base in the center seat of both of our cars, using the seatbelt. We will also be taking it to either our local police station (who has CPS certified techs on staff) or the hospital where I am having my baby next month to check on our install, and make sure it was done correctly.

Thanks again!

FYI, I haven't done all the research yet, but I know that we have a 2002 Volvo S40 for which we received a follow-up part in the mail that is related to carseat/Latch installation. You might want to doublecheck with your service/dealer just to be sure.

Ooh, thanks for mentioning that. I will call our dealership today.