Help w/ installing a MA

[Leslie08]

I am installing my Marathon in a Mercury Monterey minivan 04. I can't figure out how to tether the seat. Do I attach the tether strap directly under the seat or right under the passenger seat? The seat is sitting in 2nd row in a captain's chair. I thought all cars after 02 were up to date on this.
Thanks Leslie

[bubbaray]

Are you installing it RFg or FFg? Does your vehicle have LATCH or no? Does your vehicle have a TT? Not all 2002 Fords have LATCH. My daycare provider has a 2002 Explorer (Canadian specs) and it d/n have LATCH (though it does have TTs as they have been mandatory here for a long time).

[Leslie08]

The seat I am installing is rear facing he's 9 months old. We are using LATCH but my manual says behind the drivers seat there is no anchor for a tether strap. I will contact dealer today.

[August Mom]

If you are installing RFing, there probably isn't a designated anchor point. The tethers are typically behind the rear seats and used for FFing installation. You should look for a fixed point that you can attach the tether strap to and then hook the tether into the strap. You should have a relatively short black strap with a metal piece on 1 end. Wrap this around a fixed point (where the front driver's or passenger's seat attaches to the floor is a good spot - just look under the seat in front on the side where you are installing) and put the metal end through the loop in the strap and pull tight. Then, when you have the seat otherwise installed, take the tether and clip it onto the metal piece and pull tight (and to the desired recline).

HTH

[Leslie08]

Is this safe as if I were actually tethering the seat or is this just to keep the tether strap tied down so its not hanging dangerously?
Thank you Leslie

[August Mom]

Is this safe as if I were actually tethering the seat or is this just to keep the tether strap tied down so its not hanging dangerously?
Thank you Leslie

This is how you tether the seat RFing. Only a few manufacturers allow RFing tethering, so there are not designated anchors in a car for RFing tethering. The only scenario I can think of where you might have an actual car-installed tether point for RFing is if you were installing the seat in the third row and had floor anchor points intended for the second row seats.

The main thing is that you want a fixed point on which to attach the tether strap.

[August Mom]

You may find this explanation and these pics helpful. http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/swedish-tethering.html

And, check out page 27 of the MA manual where it discusses the use of the tether connector strap. http://www.britaxusa.com/support/documents/Marathon_P314500_R1.pdf

HTH