HELP with my evenflo comfortsport

[heidiann]

well I just tried to put this car seat in my car and have no idea what i'm doing wrong, I can't find the manual for the life of me (yes, I just got the car seat yesterday and already can't find it) anyhoo, I have a 2004 Toyota RAV 4 I put the carseat behind the passenger seat rear-facing (this is the correct place for it right?) I tried the shoulder-lap belt but the belt doesn't tighten so the car seat literally can wiggle every which way. I tried using the latch belt same thing, still wiggles. O.K. for a really stupid comment I tried using both the shoulder-lap belt and latch system (not sure if i was even suppose to do this but thought I would try) and it still moves everywhere. What am I doing wrong??? Is it my car since my lap-shoulder belt doesn't really tighten unless I slam on the breaks ( theres always play in the belt) Should I have the car seat in the middle of the seat?
I'm sure these questions are ridiculous but for the life of me I can't figure this dang thing out.
TIA

Heidi
Mom to Jillian 10/20/05

[murphydog77]

Hi Heidi. Sometimes it's just the technique that you have to get down to get the seat tight. Move the front seat forward all the way so you can stand behind the car seat and bend over it to install it. Since you have LATCH, I would install it with LATCH first (don't use both the seat belt and LATCH). When you pull the LATCH strap to tighten, pull it through the car seat's belt path--don't try to pull it up or out from the seat since that's essentially pulling away from the belt and it will never tighten.

I have videos of installation techniques here: http://www.carseatsite.com/videos.htm . Hopefully you'll get an idea that will help you out.

Also, check for tightness right at the belt path. The farther away from the belt path you get, the more the car seat will move. It will move a lot up by the baby's head and that's *normal* for a rear-facing seat.

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

[Joolsplus2]

To lock your seatbelts you pull the shoulderbelt ALL the way out, SLOWLY...and then it starts ratcheting back in and will stay absolutely tight :).
Definitely don't use the LATCH AND the seatbelt, though. LATCH should actually be easier (the shoulderbelt will tend to tip seats up sideways, LATCH doesn't do that).

Now let's talk about this movement. WHERE is the seat moving? The back of a rearfacing seat should/does/will move all over the place...where you want it to NOT move is where the belt is going through it...if the LATCH strap is tightened down (put as much weight on the seat as you can while you tighten it), and the seat moves less than one inch side to side or front to back at the LATCH strap, that is SAFE, no matter how much the back wiggles.

See if one of these videos helps http://www.carseatsite.com/videos.htm#rear-facing%20with%20LATCH

And, if you have a ComfortSport, the manual is at www.gracobaby.com

Good luck!
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[heidiann]

Thank you ladies for the quick replies I got. I was so frustrated with the car seat but with the help of you guys I got the seat in nice and secure. And yes I was wiggling the car seat at the head of the seat. Who knew car seats could be so frustrating LOL... (I laugh about it now)
Again, thanks a million :0)

Heidi
Mom to Jillian 10/20/05

[tjham]

Did you find the manual? Maybe it's under the cover somewhere. It would still be good to have it for future reference.