I installed my Marathon incorrectly; maybe others did, too

[kristine_elen]

I called Britax today to ask a small technical question and learned that I'd been installing my seat wrong all this time. And I even had the Marathon professionally installed at the nation's top hospital at their car-seat installation office.

I had been routing the car's shoulder/lap seat belt behind the plastic shell of the seats (where the back of the harness straps are), when in fact it is supposed to go only behind the fabric cover/styrafoam. I didn't even know there were separate slots for rear facing. No wonder I've always hated those MA straps.

I mention this only because I might not be the only one out there to have made this mistake, especially given that the pros we worked with also did it wrong. (Oh, we also had the MA crotch strap wrong, which we fixed a few months ago. Also OK'd by the pros.)

update: regent was ok; cs guy I talked to earlier was mistaken.

[o_mom]

I'm confused on the MA - were you routing it through the FF belt path while RF?

For the techs: On the Regent - isn't either way acceptable (depending on recline bar, tether, etc)? The short path (back) vs long path (over front of seat).

[kristine_elen]

Yes, I was putting it in the FF path while RF.

[kellyotn]

Wow, that's horrible that professionals installed your RF MA that way. Very scary.

What was wrong with the crotch strap?

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

on the long beltpath it goes up and over the first side, into the hole, behind the WHOLE SEAT, up out of the other hole, then around the side into the buckle.

on the short beltpath it goes behind the side... up through the hole... behind the cover (in front of the plastic and such), then down through the other hole into the buckle.

hope that clarifies.

that's horrible that techs would missinstall... are you sure they were certified technicians?

and the beltpaths are marked both in the instructions and on the outside of the seat of the Marathon... one says rearfacing and one says forward facing.

Kat

[kristine_elen]

"on the long beltpath it goes up and over the first side, into the hole, behind the WHOLE SEAT, up out of the other hole, then around the side into the buckle.

on the short beltpath it goes behind the side... up through the hole... behind the cover (in front of the plastic and such), then down through the other hole into the buckle.

hope that clarifies."

Kat, is this for the Regent?

[o_mom]

I am amazed that a tech would get the MA that wrong - It is very well marked.

The Regent is a whole 'nother ball game, but I would have hoped they were smart enough to read the manual if they weren't familiar with the seat.

Glad you have it fixed!

[clc053103]

I took my car to get detailed- the guy told me to leave the seat in because they were "so proficient" at installing seats. I arrived to find they reinstalled the RF marathon through the FF slots. Apparently, you and your tech are not the only ones to make the mistake- in fact, when our tech (police officer) first installed my MA, she did the same thing, then said "whoops" and started over!

[kristine_elen]

I know that the FF slot is marked, but I missed it somehow. When you're standing there, you can't even see the RF slot. You have to squat down to see it, and to know you're looking for it. I love the Britax company, but I think they should make their direx a little more clear. Granted, most of you probably got it right the first time.

I'm really not complaining about the seat or Britax, just giving a heads up for anyone who might have accidentally done what I did.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

yes... sorry... that's definitely for the Regent.

Kat

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

Yeah, I didn't mean to insult you... just stating it so you can find them in the future.

you're certainly not the first to have done it.

Kat

[o_mom]

I don't think anyone is faulting you - it is the fact that a tech would do that. That is not an unusual belt path or anything - very similar to tons of seats out there, so they should know that.

[mariza]

DH has done that several times with the RA, also has a habit of using latch *and* the wrong belt path together. No matter how many times I correct him, he has a total mental block for some reason. When we got his new car over the weekend I made sure I installed the seat and only allowed him to tighten under my supervision :)

[kristine_elen]

I wasn't insulted!