| sweetandrew |
| I've owned my MDX for about a month now and have discovered some issues with properly installing carseats that I thought I'd pass along to those of you who may be considering the MDX. I have two young children who both ride in the highly-rated Britax Marathon carseat, which seats children up to 65 lbs. In order to properly install the Marathon in the second row, the second row of seats must be fully reclined. (Otherwise the back of the carseat does not rest firmly against the back of the seat. There is a gap between the two which disappears when you recline the second row of seats fully.) When the second row of seats are fully reclined, the third row of seats cannot be raised! So much for raising the third row on occasion to haul another child! In order to raise the third row, you have to un-install the carseats, raise the third row, then re-install the carseats. Tonight, in preparation for a preschool field trip, we tried putting the Marathons in the third row. They fit, but there would literally be NO leg room left for the kids! So we ended up raising the third row, putting two booster seats back there (which are much less safe than the carseats), then reinstalling the Marathons in the second row. The problem now is that you cannot fold the passenger side seat forward to provide access to the third row without uninstalling one carseat. What a pain! (The kids will access the third row from the rear or climb over from the middle of the second row.) Finally, I tried to fit a backless booster seat as well as a high-back booster in the middle position of the second row between the Marathons, and they absolutely would not fit. Since so many parents are conscious of child carseat safety and keep their kids in the safer carseats as opposed to booster seats for longer periods, I thought I would pass this along. I had read that the Britax carseats didn't install properly in the Audi SUV, so ruled that out, but had no idea that I wouldn't get a good install in the MDX without reclining the second row fully, thus making it impossible to raise the third row. |
|
|
| SoCalDoc |
| Same problem with my '04 and '07 MDXs. But I didn't buy them thinking that they could safely or easily hold more than 2 carseats. My minivans are my only vehicles capable of 3-4 carseats/booster seats at one time. |
|
|
| dj-mdx2 |
How young are your kids. We sort of figured that going the SUV route instead of the "soccer mom" minivan route would limit our choice of carseats. We chose the Britax bodyguard (not a five-point harness) because it is one of the few that has an adjustable base.
I seem to have more problems fitting carseats in the second row in the 07 compared to my 01, let alone the third row. The one time I used a five point car seat for my nephew in the third row, he looked so pathetic as his knees were up against the back of the second row (as they were fully inclined for better fit). I also made him get in through the rear hatch as it was so much easier to ingress there rather than remove the second row carseat.
I'm seriously considering trading it in for the Sienna or Odyssey. Well, maybe not. :D I might get an old model for a third car though. |
|
|
| sigp228 |
| Not all carseats will fit in all cars. For instance Britax may not fit but a Graco or other brand will. It depends on the design of the car seat and the vehicle design. Often people think that because Britax is expensive its necessarily the best. Depending on the study anywhere from 82-97 percent of car seats are installed incorrectly. I would contact your local police department and see if they have a child safety seat technician to check your seats and vehicle. If they do not, you can go to http://www.safekids.org/CERTIFICATION and check for a nearby technician. |
|
|
| SoCalDoc |
| I have a Britax Marathon and Britax Regent (5 point restraint youth booster seat). While pricey they are highly regarded as one of the safest carseats/booster seats around. Both of them do well positioned in the second row of my MDX's. There was a clip on YouTube about one mom's tragic ordeal with a booster seat that cost of life of her son. Valid or not (I mean if a 5 point restraint booster seat would have truly saved her son), that clip sent the Britax Regent Youth seat into serious backorder. It took 3 months to get my booster seat. The Graco's are also very good as I also have 2 Graco Safeseat Step I Ionics. I'm not very comfortable with putting a car seat in the 3rd row. The quality of the seats and proximity to the back hatch never gave me much confidence about the safety of my child in the 3rd row. The third row seats of most minivans are real seats (can fit a grown person) and feel sturdier. My $0.02. |
|
|
| stoke2 |
| we have a britax marathon installed in the middle of the 2nd row using the LATCH system and it works great. i had to remove the center headrest, but no worries there. |
|
|
| SilveradoMDX |
| I went to a local police station on how to properly install the car seat. They showed me to press down hard and make it sure its tight and firm. They recommend if there are extra gaps, you fill it in with a cloth as I use a towel to fill in the gap. I have the Britax RoundAbout, the seat on the MDX is not recline, its tight and firm. Though, when cleaning the MDX there are marks and pattern underneath. |
|
|
| stoke2 |
| I usually put a cloth barrier of some sort between the bottom of the carseat and the leather to help avoid those things. It works pretty decently. |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
I am a CPST (certified child passanger safety tech) certified through SafeKids USA.
I have the 2007 MDX and have not had any installation problems with any of my Britax carseats. I have a Regent, Decathlon, and a Boulevard. The Decathlon and Boulevard have the exact same shell as the Marathon so they install the exact same. You should NEVER put any sort of towel or cloth between your vehicle seat and your child safety seat. Sometimes when you are installing a child safety seat rearfacing you will use a rolled up towel to get a better recline angle, although we prefer to use a pool noodle. If you *must* you can use a thin towel to protect your vehicle seats, but it is preferred that there is nothing between the child safety seat and the seat of your vehicle.
If you can not get a good, tight install in your MDX you need to go see a CPST and make sure you ask for their SafeKids id number or to see their certification card. Many police officers or firemen say they are certifed because they have taken an eight hour class but they are actually not certified after taking that basic course.
To get the best install outboard or in the center I have to remove the headrest to get the Britax convertibles to fit forward facing and fit properly in the seat of the 2007 MDX. Try that and you should be able to install them beautifully.
And to the poster who stated he/she could not fit two Marathons and a backless booster in the middle row...I was able to fit a Boulevard and a Decathlon (same as Marathon) each outboard with a Graco backless Turbo booster in the center. To acheive this install I had to install the outboad Britax seats with the seatbelt instead of LATCH since the LATCH anchors center the seat more which in turn takes up more room toward the center of the vehicle. If you use the seatbelt you can install them closer to the door and then wiggle the backless booster inbetween them.
Please feel free to ask me if you have *any* questions about carseat installs in your MDX!!! I am more than happy to help other parents get those seats in nice and safe. Hope that helps! |
|
|
| dj-mdx2 |
Fosters.2:
Thanks for offering to help. I'm not a certified safety tech but I've done my share of research - after all it is the lives of my most precious cargo that I'm trying to protect.
Just a few questions if you don't mind. I realize that putting an object, e.g. a towel or seatsaver, may make a carseat slide but are you aware of any tests or studies that have shown that these compromise the actual safety of the carseat if they are installed properly? Also as to your statement that a pool noodle or the actual product available in some baby stores is "preferred," what do you base this on?
I only ask because in evidence-based medicine, we classify research studies based on the verifiability of the data. For instance, well-designed large- population randomized control studies earn a better rating than expert opinion based on observation. Are your statements based on the former or the latter?
I don't mean to put you in the hotseat and I really do appreciate your input but when it comes to our families' safety I don't think anyone here would want to make a decision based purely on hearsay.
By the way, not that I don't trust people like yourself who specifically trained to do carseat installation but I believe I can install my carseats in my specific vehicle better than the average person. And when I'm done, my carseats do not move even a quarter of an inch in any direction, even with a seatsaver. |
|
|
| SilveradoMDX |
quote:
Originally posted by dj-mdx2
Fosters.2:
Thanks for offering to help. I'm not a certified safety tech but I've done my share of research - after all it is the lives of my most precious cargo that I'm trying to protect.
Just a few questions if you don't mind. I realize that putting an object, e.g. a towel or seatsaver, may make a carseat slide but are you aware of any tests or studies that have shown that these compromise the actual safety of the carseat if they are installed properly? Also as to your statement that a pool noodle or the actual product available in some baby stores is "preferred," what do you base this on?
I only ask because in evidence-based medicine, we classify research studies based on the verifiability of the data. For instance, well-designed large- population randomized control studies earn a better rating than expert opinion based on observation. Are your statements based on the former or the latter?
I don't mean to put you in the hotseat and I really do appreciate your input but when it comes to our families' safety I don't think anyone here would want to make a decision based purely on hearsay.
By the way, not that I don't trust people like yourself who specifically trained to do carseat installation but I believe I can install my carseats in my specific vehicle better than the average person. And when I'm done, my carseats do not move even a quarter of an inch in any direction, even with a seatsaver.
Like what DJ-MDX2 said...
I thought the idea was to have a strong foundation so that the Britax does not move at all with the seat. Does NOT even move even a milimeters. Isn't that the idea, fosters.2, since your certified?
When I went to the local police station, a certified peace officer specializing in this matter recommended this since not all car manufacturers and carseat manufacturers are the same. |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by dj-mdx2
Fosters.2:
Thanks for offering to help. I'm not a certified safety tech but I've done my share of research - after all it is the lives of my most precious cargo that I'm trying to protect.
Just a few questions if you don't mind. I realize that putting an object, e.g. a towel or seatsaver, may make a carseat slide but are you aware of any tests or studies that have shown that these compromise the actual safety of the carseat if they are installed properly? Also as to your statement that a pool noodle or the actual product available in some baby stores is "preferred," what do you base this on?
I only ask because in evidence-based medicine, we classify research studies based on the verifiability of the data. For instance, well-designed large- population randomized control studies earn a better rating than expert opinion based on observation. Are your statements based on the former or the latter?
I don't mean to put you in the hotseat and I really do appreciate your input but when it comes to our families' safety I don't think anyone here would want to make a decision based purely on hearsay.
By the way, not that I don't trust people like yourself who specifically trained to do carseat installation but I believe I can install my carseats in my specific vehicle better than the average person. And when I'm done, my carseats do not move even a quarter of an inch in any direction, even with a seatsaver.
First of all I apologize if my post made anyone feel as though I was saying they were not taking care of their children or being neglectful of proper usage and installation of their child safety restraints. Because that was not my point at all.
As far as towels under seats, they are fine if it is a thin towel spread over the seat of your vehicle. And meant to protect your leather, if it is there to make the installation tighter by being rolled up then it causes a problem. The rubber "seat savers" you can buy at Babies R Us that are meant to go under your car seat and not okay. Is their any testing that proves they are dangerous? No. But there also is no testing that says that they will not adversely affect the performance of your car seat in a crash. One of the biggest reasons to stay away from aftermarket products is because it voids all liability of the car seat manufacturer and voids your warranty.
The reason a pool noddle is preferred over a rolled up towel is because there would be much less compression in an accident. When your car seats are so tight they do not move that is great but when you are in a crash there are great forces exerted upon them and they do move quite a bit. The seat belt stretches as well as the harness that holds the child in. If you are using a rolled up towel that will compress in the event of a crash and automatically make your install less tight. If it is a pool noodle used (we use the type with no hole in the middle) it is a much firmer, dense material and will not compress nearly as much.
In the CPST world we have to go with the odds, and what we know works. That leaves many, many things that we do not do just because they have not been tested that way. For example, using LATCH and your seat belt at the same time. In theory it seems as if it would be beneficial because you have two things holding in your seat. But in reality we don't know if the LATCH and seat belt will make each other fail. Or does the seat belt stretch as it is supposed to at a different rate of speed then the LATCH straps do and it causes something bad to happen? The truth is we do not know. And since we don't now we don't do it. Until someone out there does the testing we are not going to use any child as a crash test dummy to find out if it works or does not work.
I do not mind being in the "hot seat" at all, if I did I would not have put myself out there as an expert on this subject and offered to answer any questions. :D
Also I do not doubt your ability as a parent to install your child safety seat in your vehicle correctly. But the truth is that over 85% of car seat installations that I see at check up events have fatal mistakes in their installation. Put that with the fact that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death in children between 1-14, and those are some scary figures. So while you may be able to install your car seat correctly in your vehicle, *most* parents can not or do not. This is where people like me come in, to educate them on how to keep their children safe.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
~Danielle |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by SilveradoMDX
Like what DJ-MDX2 said...
I thought the idea was to have a strong foundation so that the Britax does not move at all with the seat. Does NOT even move even a milimeters. Isn't that the idea, fosters.2, since your certified?
When I went to the local police station, a certified peace officer specializing in this matter recommended this since not all car manufacturers and carseat manufacturers are the same.
Yes that is the idea. Is your seat rear facing? I stated in my first post that when rf'ing that a towel is acceptable but we prefer a pool noodle. I explain above the reasoning behind that if you read about the issues with compression.
Did you know that Britax actually says not to use anything under the base of their seats? They want you to install the seat as tight as you can and then use the rf'ing tether to achieve the correct recline. If you want to try this I am more then happy to help you through it. |
|
|
| stoke2 |
| so good to have an expert on board, welcome! the item that i was using between the leather and the carseat is a thin, nylon piece of material. the center seat is attached using the LATCH system and it's extremely stable. obviously, safety is of primary concern to me, please let me know some of the concerns you may have with this set up. thanks! |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by stoke2
so good to have an expert on board, welcome! the item that i was using between the leather and the carseat is a thin, nylon piece of material. the center seat is attached using the LATCH system and it's extremely stable. obviously, safety is of primary concern to me, please let me know some of the concerns you may have with this set up. thanks!
If it is very thin then it is probably okay. The only items we recommend are a thin towel that is spread out and not folded over anywhere. Or thin rubber shelf liner under the base of the child restraint to reduce slippage on leather seats. But if you look at the material and it isn't something that would cause compression issues then I would say it is okay. And thanks for the welcome!! |
|
|
| II Kings 9:20 |
Sounds like the original poster needs a minivan. I am a safety nut though not certified, other than a certified nut. A couple of points I would like to make.
We Have an 05 Odyssey and 04 MDX. The MDX has two Britax boosters and the Ody has and Britax Marathons for the 4 qnd 5 year olds and a Britax Booster for the 7 year old in row 3. They all work very well though, rock solid but as mentioned the booster is no were near as well secured as the car seat.
In all this discussion no one has mentioned that the LATCH ANCHORS ARE RATED AT 48 POUNDS!!!! I confirmed this with Honda last week as it is not mentioned in the owner's manual (05 Ody, the 07 MDX may be different but I doubt it).
It does not matter that the Marathon (65 pounds) or our just purchased 5 point Safe Guard Booster (80 pounds) seem so impressive when the Latch anchors will only safely support a 48 pound child.
We have a real dilemma, I want to keep all of them in 5 points as long as possible but at 48 pounds they must move to a booster. We are getting a Recaro 5 point (until 48 pounds) to go with the safeguard as replacements for the Marathon which are now smallish as the kids are bigger yet huge in terms of space they take up in the seat and surrounding area. |
|
|
| SoCalDoc |
| Quote per NHTSA on LATCH's "the agency has based the determination of the maximum strength requirements on assumptions regarding the mass of the system and vehicle decelerations. Specifically, with respect to the mass of the child, the agency has used 65 lb". Most manufacturers site the maximum weight of 40 lbs for LATCH. So sounds like NHTSA requires 65 lbs LATCH maximum but companies are citing a more conservative number. As my son is only 28 lbs, so I have some time left. |
|
|
| St. Stephen |
Hi - I've been cross-shopping the 07 MDX for a couple of months, and one thing I've been wondering is if you can fit 2 car seats (we have Britax Boulevards) with one in the center and one behind the driver? We have 6 month old twins and I'm trying to figure out if we can keep the 2nd row passenger side seat free for the nanny or grandma (as well as to maintain access to the 3rd row). I've seen some archived posts on older MDXs but haven't seen anything on the 07s.
On a related note, does anyone have any comments about how these Britax seats fit rear-facing? In our current car (04 Subaru Forester), the rear facing seats push our front seats pretty far forward - and even though both my wife and I are only 5'3", it seems a little dangerous.
I have a feeling a minivan is our only answer, but, well... you know...
Thanks! |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by II Kings 9:20
Sounds like the original poster needs a minivan. I am a safety nut though not certified, other than a certified nut. A couple of points I would like to make.
We Have an 05 Odyssey and 04 MDX. The MDX has two Britax boosters and the Ody has and Britax Marathons for the 4 qnd 5 year olds and a Britax Booster for the 7 year old in row 3. They all work very well though, rock solid but as mentioned the booster is no were near as well secured as the car seat.
In all this discussion no one has mentioned that the LATCH ANCHORS ARE RATED AT 48 POUNDS!!!! I confirmed this with Honda last week as it is not mentioned in the owner's manual (05 Ody, the 07 MDX may be different but I doubt it).
It does not matter that the Marathon (65 pounds) or our just purchased 5 point Safe Guard Booster (80 pounds) seem so impressive when the Latch anchors will only safely support a 48 pound child.
We have a real dilemma, I want to keep all of them in 5 points as long as possible but at 48 pounds they must move to a booster. We are getting a Recaro 5 point (until 48 pounds) to go with the safeguard as replacements for the Marathon which are now smallish as the kids are bigger yet huge in terms of space they take up in the seat and surrounding area.
Actually Honda/Acura LATCH anchors are only rated to 40lbs. Unfortunately, the Honda/Acura customer service reps are not very well educated on their LATCH system. Here is a link from SafeRider News http://www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/LATCHApp_B_pg105.pdf that shows the actual weight limits of various auto manufacturers. I would not be surprised if 5 different people from here called Acura and we got answers that ranged from 48lbs, to 60lb, to no weight limit. The engineers at Honda are the ones that confirmed with SafeRider that Honda's LATCH system is indeed only tested to 40lbs. |
|
|
| dj-mdx2 |
quote:
Originally posted by St. Stephen
Hi - I've been cross-shopping the 07 MDX for a couple of months, and one thing I've been wondering is if you can fit 2 car seats (we have Britax Boulevards) with one in the center and one behind the driver? We have 6 month old twins and I'm trying to figure out if we can keep the 2nd row passenger side seat free for the nanny or grandma (as well as to maintain access to the 3rd row). I've seen some archived posts on older MDXs but haven't seen anything on the 07s.
On a related note, does anyone have any comments about how these Britax seats fit rear-facing? In our current car (04 Subaru Forester), the rear facing seats push our front seats pretty far forward - and even though both my wife and I are only 5'3", it seems a little dangerous.
I have a feeling a minivan is our only answer, but, well... you know...
Thanks!
How wide are these Boulevards at the base? If they're close to 18", they "should" fit. The other potential fit issue is the sides - what I call flares for lack of a better term. These can get real bulky.
If rear-facing, the center should be OK but it's gonna be a little tight on the driver's side. If you recline it, the top of the carseat will probably butt against the back of the driver's seat.
One thing you could do is test drive the seats in the MDX. The dealer should be able to accomodate you on this - mine did (twice at that).
Oh, I know the minivan aversion thing. I'm still waiting for the hypothetical 450 HP van with Lambo doors. :2: |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by St. Stephen
Hi - I've been cross-shopping the 07 MDX for a couple of months, and one thing I've been wondering is if you can fit 2 car seats (we have Britax Boulevards) with one in the center and one behind the driver? We have 6 month old twins and I'm trying to figure out if we can keep the 2nd row passenger side seat free for the nanny or grandma (as well as to maintain access to the 3rd row). I've seen some archived posts on older MDXs but haven't seen anything on the 07s.
On a related note, does anyone have any comments about how these Britax seats fit rear-facing? In our current car (04 Subaru Forester), the rear facing seats push our front seats pretty far forward - and even though both my wife and I are only 5'3", it seems a little dangerous.
I have a feeling a minivan is our only answer, but, well... you know...
Thanks!
I have had many three across configurations in my 07 many of which included a Britax Regent which is one of the widest, if not the widest, seats available today. I can fit two Boulevard's next to each other (one center, and behind the driver) but I have them set up with one forward facing and one rear-facing. And remember that since your babies are 6 months (my son is too) they can sit a lot more upright than the required 45* needed when they were newborns. So if you seat are installed pretty reclined you can always sit them up a little taller to allow you more room in your Forester. I will try doing two rear facing tonight and I'll let you know how it goes. Oh and just so you know I used to have a minivan and got the MDX a couple months after number three came. I find it easier to have the option to have all three in one row when I want rather then having to put one child in the third row of a minivan at all times. I think the MDX is a great choice for parents of two or three children who just don't want to go the minivan route.
ETA: We are lucky the new MDX has three LATCH sets along the back seat that can all be use simotaniously. This allows for "puzzeling" of carseats a lot better. For me to get my two Boulevards side by side I have to use LATCH for the center install and the seatbelt for the outside install. |
|
|
| St. Stephen |
| Thanks for replies. I'm definitely going to head to the dealer and try out the seats - I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a complete waste of time to even try, since my weekends and evenings are still pretty crazy right now! |
|
|
| II Kings 9:20 |
quote:
Originally posted by fosters.2
Actually Honda/Acura LATCH anchors are only rated to 40lbs. Unfortunately, the Honda/Acura customer service reps are not very well educated on their LATCH system. Here is a link from SafeRider News http://www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/LATCHApp_B_pg105.pdf that shows the actual weight limits of various auto manufacturers. I would not be surprised if 5 different people from here called Acura and we got answers that ranged from 48lbs, to 60lb, to no weight limit. The engineers at Honda are the ones that confirmed with SafeRider that Honda's LATCH system is indeed only tested to 40lbs.
Even worse then, until now it seems that people are unaware or ignoring that there is a weight limit. I am sure the Honda Latch will well exceede 40 lbs but I am not so sure that I will risk my kids lives with a guess. The Recaro 5 point booster arrived today and it is spectacular. Up to 40 pounds it is a 5 point booster and above 40 it is a belt positioning booster. The belt is very well located by the frame unlike some flimsy models by the usual suspects (Graco, Cosco, Eddie bauer (Cosco)). The nice thing with the Recaro booster is that it can be latched and tethered in allowing the belt to do the job of restraining the child not the seat and child like so many boosters do. |
|
|
| silbermanscott |
| can anyone tell me what if any carseats will fit in the 3rd row? Thanks |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
| The only seats I have installed in the third row are my daugther's Britax Parkway (booster), a Britax Boulevard forward facing, and a Britax Decathlon forward facing. All have installed beautifully and remember that there are rear top tethers in the sill of the rear hatch to use while installing carseats in the third row. |
|
|
| sweetandrew |
As I mentioned in the original post, the Britax Marathon will install just fine in the 3rd row of the 07 MDX, but I can't imagine my 45 lb. 5 1/2 year old comfortably sitting in it. He would have no leg room, as in there wouldn't be any room for his legs to fit between the front of the carseat and the back of the 2nd row. My husband and I tried putting a Marathon back there, and we both agreed that it simply would not work for our kids (5 1/2 and 3).
Booster seats work just fine in the 3rd row, though.
To clarify my original post from months ago, I installed the two Britax Marathons that my kids use in the side positions of the second row using seatbelts, not LATCH. (These are non-LATCH carseats from my prior non-LATCH car, a 2001 Volvos S60.) My husband didn't believe me when I said that I couldn't get the base of the carseat to lie flat against the bottom of the seat when the second row wasn't reclined fully until he saw it first-hand. There is a striking difference in the install when the second row is fully reclined vs. fully upright. If the second row is fully UPRIGHT, there is a noticeable gap between the base of the Marathon and the seat. If the second row is fully RECLINED, the Marathon fits flat against the seat of the car, and you get a perfect install. But you can't raise the third row -- ugh!
I've spent a lot of time educating myself on carseat safety over the past 5 1/2 years of parenthood, so I'm pretty certain that this issue with proper install of the Marathon in the second row when the second row is fully upright exists. |
|
|
| fosters.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by sweetandrew
To clarify my original post from months ago, I installed the two Britax Marathons that my kids use in the side positions of the second row using seatbelts, not LATCH. (These are non-LATCH carseats from my prior non-LATCH car, a 2001 Volvos S60.) My husband didn't believe me when I said that I couldn't get the base of the carseat to lie flat against the bottom of the seat when the second row wasn't reclined fully until he saw it first-hand. There is a striking difference in the install when the second row is fully reclined vs. fully upright. If the second row is fully UPRIGHT, there is a noticeable gap between the base of the Marathon and the seat. If the second row is fully RECLINED, the Marathon fits flat against the seat of the car, and you get a perfect install. But you can't raise the third row -- ugh!
I am a CPST and the trick to getting a Britax convertible to install in the 2nd row with the seats fully upright is to either remove the headrest or turn it around so that it is backwards. If you put your knee in the seat while installing it you should put enough force into the install to make it tight so that it sits flush with the seatbacks. I haven't checked the manual to see if it is okay for the second row seats to be reclined when installing a carseat so you might want to do that. Many vehicle manuals specify that you can not recline the seatback when installing carseats. HTH and let me know if you need any further clarification. |
|
|
| sweetandrew |
fosters.2, the issue isn't the carseat being flush against the seat BACK, but the carseat being flush against the BOTTOM of the seat, as in the part of the seat that our rear end rests on. The issue may be related, though, in that the angle of recline allows the base of the carseat to sit square on the bottom of the seat, whereas, when the seat back is fully upright, the back of the carseat isn't flush against the seatback, thereby creating the gap I see between the base of the carseat and the bottom of the seat.
I will recheck the vehicle manual, although I made a point to read the sections on carseat install when I bought the car and don't recall anything advising to put the second row fully upright when installing a carseat. I'll check it again, though. Thanks! |
|
|
| jeno |
| If your carseats are pre-LATCH, you may want to check the manufacture date from the Britax seat shell. These seats expire after 6 years. I'm not sure when they stopped making non-LATCH seats, but you may be very close to being expired. LATCH became req'd in cars in the fall of 2001. |
|
|
| dj-mdx2 |
| Isn't there a way to change the degree of incline on the Marathon itself? |
|
|
| lentiman |
My wife and I are considering getting a 2007 MDX. We brought along our Marathon to check for fit. The buckles that snap into the latch system would not fit! I could make them fit if I twisted the buckle so it was upside down, but I can't imagine that would be safe. How many of you have/haven't had this problem? This is a deal killer for us. The problem occurs due to the 'nub' that sticks out of the buckle in the normal attachment position. In this position it runs into an obstruction by the latch anchor and there is only room if the buckle is rotated. HELP!
I've seen that some of you are attaching Marathons and I don't understand how you're doing it. |
|
|
| lentiman |
Got it figured out! I had the anchor buckles in the wrong way. Call me Mr. Super Safety. So it should be able to go in fine.
quote:
Originally posted by lentiman
My wife and I are considering getting a 2007 MDX. We brought along our Marathon to check for fit. The buckles that snap into the latch system would not fit! I could make them fit if I twisted the buckle so it was upside down, but I can't imagine that would be safe. How many of you have/haven't had this problem? This is a deal killer for us. The problem occurs due to the 'nub' that sticks out of the buckle in the normal attachment position. In this position it runs into an obstruction by the latch anchor and there is only room if the buckle is rotated. HELP!
I've seen that some of you are attaching Marathons and I don't understand how you're doing it.
|
|
|
| dory |
quote:
Originally posted by II Kings 9:20
In all this discussion no one has mentioned that the LATCH ANCHORS ARE RATED AT 48 POUNDS!!!! I confirmed this with Honda last week as it is not mentioned in the owner's manual (05 Ody, the 07 MDX may be different but I doubt it).
It does not matter that the Marathon (65 pounds) or our just purchased 5 point Safe Guard Booster (80 pounds) seem so impressive when the Latch anchors will only safely support a 48 pound child.
We have a real dilemma, I want to keep all of them in 5 points as long as possible but at 48 pounds they must move to a booster. We are getting a Recaro 5 point (until 48 pounds) to go with the safeguard as replacements for the Marathon which are now smallish as the kids are bigger yet huge in terms of space they take up in the seat and surrounding area.
I realize this is an old thread, but just in case someone else turns it up in search...
If you're in the U.S. and if the seat is rated to 65 pounds, and the child still fits the seat by height/weight, you CAN keep them harnessed. Install with the SEATBELT, instead of LATCH, after 40 pounds. No need to move them to a booster at the LATCH maximum when there is a seatbelt that has equally safe installs.
This might be a problem for Canadians, where a tether is legally required for harnessed seats and the the tether is only good until 40 pounds. Can any techs chime in and tell us Canadians what we are to do? |
|
|
| II Kings 9:20 |
| This is indeed an oldie but very useful thread. What we have done is to use the Britax booster in the MDX and Recaro 5 point with LATCH in the Odyssey. We just use the seat belt to restrain the child in the seat which is in turn restrained with the Latch and tether, works exceptionally well. |
|
|
|
