Did I install my Frontier correctly?

[mikeys_mom]

I switched around carseats the other day because one of my MA's expired. This is the first time that I am installing the FR (the original one) in one of the captain's chairs in the second row of my sienna. Also the first time I'm doing a latch install. It was previously in the 3rd row with a long beltpath seatbelt install.

I have two questions;

1) The positioning block is hanging off the front of the seat a bit. I have the carseat installed as far back as possible on the vehicle seat. I think the carseat is just longer. Is this ok?

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404300477.jpg

2) When I install with latch, in order to get it tight enough, the piece you pull on to tighten the latch belt comes up into the beltpath a bit. Is this ok? I'm not sure if this makes sense. I was having trouble getting a good picture. I can try later if it's too hard to understand my description.

Thanks.

[OKKiddo]

I don't know the answer but on a totally separate question--what kind of rubber mat do you have and where did you get it? :)

[mikeys_mom]

This is the mat I have;
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/VehicleAccessories/MatsRunners/PRDOVR~0312280P/AUOtrends+Kraco+Premium+Multi-Season+Runner+Floor+Mat.jsp?locale=en

It's a heavy duty mat for a truck. I bought it to protect the car from snow and salt on the kids boots. I ended up keeping it in the car permanently because it is great at catching all the crumbs from the kids.
I take it out and hose it down every few months.

Looking at the picture, I should probably shake it out one of these days :).

[legaleagle]

The overhang is fine, though if you have gaps at the back of the seat, I'd fiddle with the recline and headrest to minimize as much as possible (just because it's easier to get a tight install and gives more legroom to the kid in the seat). Not sure what you mean in the second question. Is there some reason you don't want to do a seatbelt install?

[blueperidot]

Are you using it harnessed or as a booster? My understanding is that harnessed, there should be a gap in the back as it is preferable to have it reclined and not fully vertical.

[legaleagle]

Are you using it harnessed or as a booster? My understanding is that harnessed, there should be a gap in the back as it is preferable to have it reclined and not fully vertical.

Really? What do you mean, exactly? (just wondering where you saw this).

If it wasn't clear what I meant, I was thinking of how when the headrest is on in my mazda5 3rd row, the whole thing is pushed forward and it gets massive overhang, removing the headrest makes the whole carseat fit much more squarely on the seat.

[blueperidot]

I've read it here. I remove the headrests to get a tighter fit overall, but there is still space between my seat and the bottom back of the frontier. It is slightly reclined, so no gap at top and increasing downwards. Am I making sense? I can take pictures tomorrow.

But definitely read it here, and I think within the last 6 weeks.

[mikeys_mom]

The overhang is fine, though if you have gaps at the back of the seat, I'd fiddle with the recline and headrest to minimize as much as possible (just because it's easier to get a tight install and gives more legroom to the kid in the seat). Not sure what you mean in the second question. Is there some reason you don't want to do a seatbelt install?

Ok, I took a few more pictures.

There is a bit of a gap at the back of the seat, but even if I remove the headrest it still seems to be there. (I'd prefer to leave it on because I sometimes need to move seats around to transport older kids friends in boosters and this avoids the headrest floating around in the car.) I tried playing around with the recline of the vehicle seat a bit, that's what I typicaly do when I install my MA's there, but when I get the FR positioned all the way back against the vehicle seat, I can't get the vehicle seat back into the upright position. The shape of the FR seems to want to force it to be a bit recined. The recline is a problem because I have DD1 behind that seat in a Monteray and I need to give her some legroom to keep the peace. Also, my Sienna manual says that when I install a carseat, that the vehicle seatback needs to be upright and not recined.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308540.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308541.jpg

As for my second question in the original post, here are a couple of pictures that show how the latch adjuster ends up in the beltpath a bit. This might be fine, I just have no idea as I've never had it happen to my other seats.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308538.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308536.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308535.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1277/13526788/24209033/404308534.jpg

The seat is in super solid with the latch. There is really no movement. I'd prefer to use latch just because that seat needs to sometimes be taken in and out of the car and I find latch easier to get tight quickly, especially in the winter when it's cold outside. If it's not in properly with latch I have no problem trying trying to install with the seatbelt.

Thanks so much for your help.

[Joolsplus2]

Well, sort of...reclined for harnessed seat does decrease head excursion, but the gap in the back is an artifact/annoying consequence of that, not a requirement, and taking the headrest off the vehicle, when possible or allowed (Some model years of Mazda5, for example, in the third row, absolutely require it to be on, it provides the structure to the seat).

Mikey's mom, it looks fine, and yeah, I know what you mean about the LATCH's latchplate, when you pull the LATCH up tight on the inside of the seat, it does go up into the seat somewhat. As long as it doesn't loosen when you give it a good shake at the belt path, you're fine. Remember the LATCH weight limit is 40 pounds unless your car manual states a higher weight limit, so if you're close to that, might as well go back to the old seatbelt install.

edit: heh, I answered before seeing the pictures. Still looks fine :)

[mikeys_mom]

Well, sort of...reclined for harnessed seat does decrease head excursion, but the gap in the back is an artifact/annoying consequence of that, not a requirement, and taking the headrest off the vehicle, when possible or allowed (Some model years of Mazda5, for example, in the third row, absolutely require it to be on, it provides the structure to the seat).

Mikey's mom, it looks fine, and yeah, I know what you mean about the LATCH's latchplate, when you pull the LATCH up tight on the inside of the seat, it does go up into the seat somewhat. As long as it doesn't loosen when you give it a good shake at the belt path, you're fine. Remember the LATCH weight limit is 40 pounds unless your car manual states a higher weight limit, so if you're close to that, might as well go back to the old seatbelt install.

Thanks Julie!!

I've tried moving the seat numerous times and it is staying solid for now. I'll make sure to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't loosen.

DD3 is only 32 pounds at 3.5 years old so I've still got a ways to go until she reaches 40 pounds.

[Joolsplus2]

Sounds great, then :)