Check your LATCH and vehicle weight limits here!

[OKKiddo]

I remember checking that list in the original link when this whole hooplah first began. Our Honda was originally listed as 40 lbs for the child and now it has changed to a total of 65 lbs max (restraint + child). Our Foonf is a heavy beast at 36lbs which only gives us a latch install for my daughter until she hits 29 lbs (she's currently 23lbs)!! I am a little skittish of trying the seatbelt install because you have to take the seat off and route the seatbelt through the lockoffs in the Foonf but they can't pull or slip, and from what I remember seeing in the manual, it looks tricky. Really, really unhappy about the car manufacturers right now--they need to do THEIR JOB and do the right testing and reinforcement, otherwise what is the point of latch?!

ETA: My sons are in a seatbelt install with their Frontier 85's and have been for a year but only because my 2010 Odyssey only has a center latch in the 3rd row and they right outboard in the 3rd row. DS1 is 45 3/4" and 43.5 lbs at 6 years old and DS2 is 42 1/2" and 41 lbs at 5 years old. So according to the old and new guidelines they would have to be on seatbelt installs regardless. However, with the LBP installation being a pain, I really wish LATCH was still an option sometimes.

[Clarity]

I've been confused by latch weights. I bought a Parkway HBB with latch for my 7yo dd. But, my car is a 2009 Ford and she weighs 55lbs. So I should NOT use the latch on the booster? Or can I because it is paired with the car's seatbelt?

Also...and this is a dumb question...when I buckle dd, should I pull the seatbelt so it locks or do I buckle it and leave it flexible like we do our own seat belts?

[OKKiddo]

I've been confused by latch weights. I bought a Parkway HBB with latch for my 7yo dd. But, my car is a 2009 Ford and she weighs 55lbs. So I should NOT use the latch on the booster? Or can I because it is paired with the car's seatbelt?

Also...and this is a dumb question...when I buckle dd, should I pull the seatbelt so it locks or do I buckle it and leave it flexible like we do our own seat belts?

Clarity, I'm sorry I didn't reply right away, I've been down with a migraine. On the Parkway HBB, the latch limits don't matter because the seatbelt is what will be holding the weight, not the latch. The latch only holds the weight of the booster itself which doesn't come close to it's limits. I think I've explained that correctly. As far as the seat belt pulling to lock, I don't *think* you're supposed to but I'll defer that question to a tech because I'm unsure as I don't have boostered children yet.

[Clarity]

Thank you! That makes me feel much better to know for sure.

[Joolsplus2]

Unstickying this one, new seats all have weight limits printed on them, so no adding of child+seat is really necessary.

[twowhat?]

Unstickying this one, new seats all have weight limits printed on them, so no adding of child+seat is really necessary.

Hmmm - so our old Radian65s manufactured in 2009 say on a big sticker on the side of the seat to switch to belt install when child is 48 pounds. But this was before the whole vehicle LATCH limits thing came out...so which should I go by??? I just switched to seatbelt install because I thought we had hit the LATCH limit, but I would love to go back to LATCH!!!! The belt prevents us from sliding/tilting that captain's chair forward when we want to access the 3rd row in our van and 48 pounds would be plenty to get our skinny kids close to the height limit of the seat!!

The radians are heavy seats though so if I go by the vehicle LATCH limit, then we've already hit it with my 41ish pound kids and a 20ish pound seat.

[legaleagle]

Which car, twowhat?

Similarly, can I still latch my performance sport to 52lbs in my 2009 mazda5? I currently have the frontier 85 in there with the seatbelt for my 42ishlb 4 year old but it's a total PITA because I often but not always want to put a ff'ing kid behind him. Given Mazda's confusing language about seat position in the second row, I'm ok with having a latched seat a couple clicks forward (and do with DD's rf'ing latched radian) but not installing a seatbelt one.

[twowhat?]

Which car, twowhat?

Similarly, can I still latch my performance sport to 52lbs in my 2009 mazda5? I currently have the frontier 85 in there with the seatbelt for my 42ishlb 4 year old but it's a total PITA because I often but not always want to put a ff'ing kid behind him. Given Mazda's confusing language about seat position in the second row, I'm ok with having a latched seat a couple clicks forward (and do with DD's rf'ing latched radian) but not installing a seatbelt one.

It's a 2008 Odyssey. I asked over on car-seat.org and they say to go by the vehicle LATCH limit, so that means the seat belt install.

I *think* in newer cars the LATCH limits are higher, or something?? But in our older cars, we have to go by what the vehicle manufacturer says, because I think the LATCH anchors were tested only up to a certain point in terms of the weight/force applied to them during a crash, whereas a seatbelt is supposed to restrain the heaviest adults. Bummer, right?

[legaleagle]

I think Honda just has a 40lb policy, full stop for whatever reason. Mazda defers to the seat though so I get very confused with some of these!