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View Full Version : Recaro Prosport (harness mode) Install Problem


kimbe
05-01-2011, 04:40 PM
This has got to be a joke. We figured out how to fit three across in our car. We got the Recaro Prosport , DH installed it and this is what we found.

The shoulder belt, actually crosses over the harness slot. Now the shoulder part isn't tight, but still in a crash, if it does become tight we aren't comfortable with the harness rubbing the seatbelt. How on earth did this seat pass the design phase. I don't think that the seatbelts in our car are that out of the ordinary.

This picture installed with the harness in slot 3 of 4.
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/penguins1_photos/Sarah05-01-2011005.jpg

This picture installed with harness in slot 4 of 4.
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/penguins1_photos/Sarah05-01-2011011.jpg

Our solution, but not sure if it is allowed. (shoulder belt routed through bottom)
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/penguins1_photos/Sarah05-01-2011010.jpg
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/penguins1_photos/Sarah05-01-2011009.jpg

What on earth do we do to fix this?

DH is beyond frustrated with carseats and wants to go back to school, become a mechanical engineer and get a job desiging carseats. This is why people love Britax carseats (and up until now that is all we have owned.) We have never had issues like this with a Britax. Three just don't fit in the car. You try to harness your kid as long as possible and this is what you get rewarded with! Grrrr!

Thanks in advance for any advice. Let me know if you need more pics or info!
AshleyAnn
05-01-2011, 07:21 PM
The manual specifically states that a 3 pnt harness must be routed across the back of seat so I would NOT under any circumstances use the seat with the shoulder belt looped thru the bottom portions on both sides. This could create slack in the shoulder belt that could affect its performance in a crash.

Its difficult to look at the photos and determine how much of the slot is covered. It doesn't really look that bad to me in the photos. It doesn't look like it would cause the harness to have much, if any, slack but without seeing it in person I can't say for sure. Unfortunately cars are all built differently and sometimes there are vehicle/seat combinations that are not prefect. Its difficult for seat manufacturers to make seats that fit perfectly in every car. Even britax seats have issues with incompatibilities.
Joolsplus2
05-01-2011, 07:55 PM
Does Darren's review help any? http://carseatblog.com/9824/recaro-prosport-review/

(I didn't read your post or look at your pictures, I've never seen one of these and I just wanted to link to this fast for ya, before I run to bathe the baby, lol).
kimbe
05-01-2011, 08:57 PM
Darren's review doesn't mention anything about the belt interfering with the harness. In fact, when we looked at his seat belt install picture it looks like he has the same issue as we do, just doesn't mention it or maybe it just isn't that big of a deal?

Since the shoulder belt isn't tight it really doesn't affect the use of harness at all. The harness still lays flat on dd's shoulder, but the shoulder belt is still touching the harness belt and I wonder if there is the possibility for some sort of failure in a crash because the two are touching.

There are two posts about this on carseat.org but one was not really resolved and the other we haven't tried because it involves rethreading the harness and we were hoping to find a better solution.

We tried to install it in the center with lap belt only, but it doesn't fit.

Let me know if you need more pics or info.
Joolsplus2
05-02-2011, 07:43 AM
Are you 'penguins' over there on cso? If so, I'm pretty sure someone will know something. Maybe PM Darren or ask on the blog about it, I think he still has the seat and can play with it for you to figure it out.
kimbe
05-02-2011, 08:10 AM
Are you 'penguins' over there on cso? If so, I'm pretty sure someone will know something. Maybe PM Darren or ask on the blog about it, I think he still has the seat and can play with it for you to figure it out.

;) That is DH! (I just prefere hearing things from my girls! :) )
Joolsplus2
05-02-2011, 08:47 AM
:wink2: Cute, well, I hope we get it all figured out.
kimbe
05-02-2011, 09:55 AM
I hope so too. I really love the seat. DH said installing it was super easy (seat belt issues aside of course.) Love that it is narrow too. I told him to take it to work and install it in his coworkers cars to see which cars have a problem and which don't LOL! To be honest with seatbelt issues aside of course....I like it better than our Frontiers. DD is 6 (44") and even though the harness strap is short, she will easily get another year of harnessing. Then we are hoping to find a new vehicle that we like with room to booster. (She has to go to a booster at some point :( )

Thanks for all of your help!