RA rfing in Ford Escape

[3girlssofar]

I cannot find my Roundabout manual and they took it off the Britax website so I turn to you guys for help.

We have the RA rfing in middle seat of '06 Escape using seatbelt. Can we use latch in that position? It looks like the latch bars are for the outboard positions. I cannot get a tight install using seatbelt. Also have it tethered to front passenger seat and it tilts to that side - that's okay right? I was hoping the tether would tighten the install but it has reclined the seat so much - I think too much - my dd is 19 mos and doesn't need the recline (should I be able to see her whole head from the front seat? Can I put the RA in the upward position as opposed to the reclined position when rfing? FYI, my two other dds are in the outboard seats in boosters. TIA

Michele

[daniele_ut]

Check you Escape manual to be certain, but in general Ford allows using the inner of the outboard LATCH anchors for a center installation as long as the seat is approved for it, and your Britax is.

[DaddyKev]

Michelle,
please let me know what you find out as we have an Escape, just bought a Marathon and plan to install soon....dunno the answer but will love to hear it.....Kevin

[kate4478]

I actually have a 06 Ford Escape also, and it says in the manual you can not use latch in the center, there is a little diagram that shows it can be used only on the two outboard positions. But there is a plus side to it, the manual also says that the latch is rated for 48lbs instead of 40lbs like most other vehicles! And I have installed a RA and MA ff and rf in the outboard positions and got a really good rock solid install everytime! Hope this helps! Kate :)

[DaddyKev]

excellent....thank you...we're hoping to go to a CPS tech today to make sure it'll fit into both cars -- now we'll have to decide between a Marathon and Decathalon...
kevin

[3girlssofar]

you can "install a child seat onto the lower anchors at the center rear seat ONLY IF the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the child seat can be installed to anchors that are spaced up to 20 in (500 mm) apart." ?

Does Britax allow this?

I am also wondering if the reason I am not getting a tight install is because the seatbelt comes out of the seat and not ceiling or because it's not a lapbelt. I'm fishin' here - just trying to figure out why the install is so lousy.

I am hoping to use the LATCH anchors because I'm not feeling too good about the seatbelt install. TIA for any info

Michele

[daniele_ut]

Yes, Britax does allow you to use anchors spaced 11-20" apart as long as the car's manual also allows it, as it seems yours does.

I had an awful time getting a good seatbelt install in the center of an Escape with the lap-shoulder belt that is integral to the seat!

[3girlssofar]

Thank you for helping me figure this out, Danielle. That seatbelt install was driving me nuts! Since my last post my dh installed it with LATCH and it's rock-solid. Whew!! One less thing to worry about. Thanks again.

[tg_canada]

I may be out to lunch here and someone can correct me if I am wrong, but couldn't you install the seat in one of the outboard spots and have the booster seats in centre and outboard? I was pretty sure I had read that the "most protected" seat should be outboard and the least protected should be in the centre. A booster seat is less protected than a convertible seat. Just a thought (and perhaps your boosters don't work well in the centre, I know I'm still torn as to which is a better location for our booster in our Escape).

[DaddyKev]

we went to the local CPS tech at a fire station and he said the middle spot is the "best" but the outboard behind the passenger seat is "second best" due to the statistics of "T" or "side impact" crashes being higher on the driver side. He also noted that a car's manuel should state if you can use the inner latch fromthe outboards to install the seat....he said he'd consider it but would base his final decision on the stability. Also consider if your seats are 'fold-down' b/c you may have a need to do that at times and the less 'in and out' with the car seat the better.
k

[3girlssofar]

Good point!! I hadn't thought of that. AND I actually made a mistake - there aren't 2 boosters in that car...my 8 year old fits the 5 point test in the Escape (she's in a Parkway in my minivan) and my 5 year old is in a backless booster in Escape (also in Parkway in my minivan). We just got the Escape and only use it once or twice a week. It does have the side-curtain airbags. With all that said, who should be in the middle?

Maybe the 8 year old in the center, transfer 5 year old's parkway outboard and WZ outboard. WDYT?

TIA, Michele

[MamaParis]

I'd put the 8 year old with no seat in the middle - since she's the least protected.
Then put the 5 year old outboard in the Parkway and the infant in the RF infant seat on the other outboard position.


I have 3 in seats right now.
My 3 y/o DD is now forward facing in my Dhs vehicle - so she is in the middle because she is the least protected being FF and not RF anymore.
My almost 2 y/o is RF in one outboard position and my newborn is RF in the other spot.

In my vehicle - all 3 are rear facing - but due to the fact that I can't lift the infant seat over the other seats - I have my 3 y/o and newborn outboard and the 2 y/o in the middle.


I've always heard that its best to put your least protected child in the middle.
And of course RF is safer than FF in harness is safer than FF in boostee etc etc.


Thats what I would do! :)

[3girlssofar]

I'm getting all confused between our two cars and the seats in them!! My 19 month old is in a RA in the Escape - WZ in my car. There is no SIP in RA but we do have side curtain airbags in Escape, is baby still least protected than 8 year old? And with the side curtain airbags, is it okay to have backless booster for 5 year old or do you think I should transfer her Parkway when we use dh's car? Thanks for all the feedback!

[tg_canada]

>I'd put the 8 year old with no seat in the middle - since
>she's the least protected.
>Then put the 5 year old outboard in the Parkway and the infant
>in the RF infant seat on the other outboard position.

I agree. If the 8 year old is not in any seat, then definitely put her in the middle.

[tg_canada]

>I'm getting all confused between our two cars and the seats
>in them!! My 19 month old is in a RA in the Escape - WZ in my
>car. There is no SIP in RA but we do have side curtain
>airbags in Escape, is baby still least protected than 8 year
>old? And with the side curtain airbags, is it okay to have
>backless booster for 5 year old or do you think I should
>transfer her Parkway when we use dh's car? Thanks for all the
>feedback!

A child in NO car seat is least protected. So if your 8 year old fits the Escape without a car seat, she should be in the middle.

My DD recently outgrew her highback booster. She doesn't fit in the Escape without a booster seat but she is 9 and likely will fit soon so I was hesitant to spend a ton on a highback booster that she will likely outgrow in less than a year. Of course, it was significantly safer, I was going to do it. I posted on this forum and did some research and I feel confident that she is safe in the backless booster in our Escape (we also have the side curtain air bags). The Escapes have rear head rests so backless boosters work well in them. Just make sure that you check how the shoulder belt is sitting on her and use the shoulder strap adjuster that they supply with backless boosters if necessary. I read that the main danger of backless boosters is that parents tend not to use that adjuster and the shoulder belt then sits on the child improperly in a crash.

[3girlssofar]

OK, my dd is tall for her age and she definately passes the 5 step test in Escape. So, I will put her in the middle and the 5 year old in the backless booster for short trips and Parkway for long trips (but it's mostly short trips in that car). I have the Graco bb and use the shoulder strap it came with. Thanks again everyone for your help on this.