Quick! What are the rules for tethering in a Honda?

[bisous]

DS1 is 4 and 47 pounds. I'm trying to step up my carseat safety and have not yet utilized a tether in my CRV. Part of the problem is that my vehicle is a 2000 with no official tether point. I just talked to Honda who is going to get back to me in 15 minutes on the cost of installing the tether point and to set up an appointment. BUT I just remembered that maybe Honda doesn't recommend using the tether after a certain weight? What IS the rule? What is recommended? FWIW we've been using the tether in our 2001 Protege for some time. Our carseat is a Britax Marathon.

THANK YOU!

Jen

[Joolsplus2]

They do have an official limit, but I can't remember exactly, since a FF seat should always be top tethered, no matter the limit (as proof? there have been NO cases of failed top tether anchors... the weight limits are pretty much invented by lawyers and based on carseat weight limits that were common 8-10 years ago). Only problem with the 2000 cr-v is that there's no center anchor point, only outboard points...

[bisous]

Thank you for this information. I assume that FF outboard with a tether is safer than center without? I had planned on having DS1 center with tether and DS2 RF outboard.

TIA

Jen

[Joolsplus2]

Tough call... but I'd probably go outboard with tether (and outboard also has a shoulderbelt, that *probably* does a good job of helping to hold the seat in place better than a lap only belt). Center in a Radian without top tether would also be good....

[bisous]

Julie,

I so appreciate your replies to my pleas for help! So the Radian would be safe with just a center seat belt and no tether? May I ask why? Also, I've heard that it is difficult to install with a seatbelt, no?

Thank you,

Jen

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, the Radian can be a touch tricky. But it performs in crash tests exceptionally well with just a lapbelt. I would put the CR-V's reclining seats to work for that install... recline them maybe as far as they go, both sides if you're in the middle...install as tightly as you possibly can, then pull/push/tug/yank those seatbacks back up to get it locked into place...that's the trick I always used in my cr-v, and it works great in my Ody now :)

[bubbaray]

Well, if Honda uses the same TT parts in their Canadian spec'd vehicles, the TT is good up to 65lbs. Transport Canada recently approved at least 2 seats up to 65lbs FFg here (MA and RN, and maybe the Apex, I can't remember). And that means that TTs here MUST be able to hold that amount of weight/force because they didn't change the mandatory TTg laws, only the testing of the child restraints....

Even if a TT fails in a crash, it will at least provide some protection. I'd use it up to the limits of whatever seat you are installing.

LATCH lower anchors are a different story. The lower anchors are only "good" up to 40lbs in Honda and Acura vehicles. I have confirmed this with Honda Canada.

HTH