| 99gixxer |
Hello -
I'm getting ready for the first baby in about a month and I'm having some trouble installing a Graco Snugrider car seat in my 07 MDX. I'm trying to install it in the center position using the latch connectors - but I can never get it to stop moving from side to side now matter how much I tighten the belt. It looks like the hinges for the arm rest prevent it from snugging up against the back of the seat...
I'm hoping that someone might have an idea on whether this seat will work in the middle and if so, what I'm doing wrong when trying to install it... :confused:
Thank you for any help.
Josh |
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| dj-mdx2 |
Try reclining the MDX seat a little. I have the same seat and mine doesn't move at all using LATCH in the middle seat.
You can get help from a carseat safety tech from your police or fire department if all else fails. |
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| castor |
quote:
Originally posted by 99gixxer
Hello -
I'm getting ready for the first baby in about a month and I'm having some trouble installing a Graco Snugrider car seat in my 07 MDX. I'm trying to install it in the center position using the latch connectors - but I can never get it to stop moving from side to side now matter how much I tighten the belt. It looks like the hinges for the arm rest prevent it from snugging up against the back of the seat...
I'm hoping that someone might have an idea on whether this seat will work in the middle and if so, what I'm doing wrong when trying to install it... :confused:
Thank you for any help.
Josh
I have the safeseat and had the same problem. No matter how tight I strapped the base down using the anchors, it was still sliding side to side. When I brought the car [07 MDX] to the local AAA office to have their "expert" check, she stated that I had done a wonderful job. She also said that a little play from side to side would be fine. Go figure. I've tried on many occasions to re-tighten the base with the same results.
Hope this helps. |
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| hfhlee |
| Not try to be a jerk. But, have you tried to use your knee to push the base in and then lock the latch? I recall reading a post in this forum about installing the child seat. Try to run a search on this subject in this forum. I install the car seat on the driver side rear seat. Push it in with my knee. The base is rock solid tight. I recall reading an article about the car seat installation, sliding within an inch is acceptable. Good luck. |
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| castor |
quote:
Originally posted by hfhlee
Not try to be a jerk. But, have you tried to use your knee to push the base in and then lock the latch? I recall reading a post in this forum about installing the child seat. Try to run a search in this subject. I installed the car seat on the driver side rear seat. Push it in with my knee. The base is rock solid tight. I recall read an article about the car seat installation, sliding within an inch is acceptable. Good luck.
That's exactly what I did. It seems pretty solid, even with the minor sliding. |
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| Warzau |
| Try this, since I don't know if the 07 recline in the same fashion as the 02. Recline the seat back all the way. Then tighten the child seat like you did. THEN go back to the reclined MDX seatback lift the tab and push against the child seat. Make sure after you do that the seat back doesn't move by pushing against it. I do this and my child's seat is rock solid. |
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| 99gixxer |
Thanks for all of the replies.
The problem I'm running into is that the seat will not tighten up against the back because of the 2 black arm rest hinges. It seems that because of the width of the carseat base and the width of the hinges - the car seat ends up pushed against those when tightened up. Since they are hard plastic - you can't tighten it up anymore so it just rests against those. Once this happens, the seat can be moved side to side because it just moves off of the hinges. If I try to shift it a bit to the right or left, I can't get it tight enough because the latch connections aren't centered.
I guess I'm just going to have to put it on the passenger side - unless I can find a way to deal with the hinges that will make this more secure...
Thanks again... |
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| Needsdecaf |
Try using the seat belt. Seriously.
Only use a belt that has an automatic lock-off. I am not sure if the middle on does on the X, but I know the outboard middle seats do. We got our X when my son was about 10 months, so he was too big to put in the middle of the car.
We were using a Graco Step One safe seat, which is the next step up from the Snugride. I never got that seat to sit right with the Latch. In either my Nissan, the Volvo or the Acura.
But with the seatbelt, the Graco base (at least the step one safe seat base, they are not exactly the same) has an AWESOME belt lock. I got on top of the base, smashed it down into the cushion and yanked the belt tight. That seat went NOWHERE.
Food for thought. Don't fall into the feeling that LATCH is safer than a PROPERLY done belt install. It is not. LATCH is supposed to make the install more fool proof. It is not a major step forward in safety, orhter than making it easier for many people to hook up their seats. |
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| cybulman |
BE CAREFUL IN THAT CENTER POSITION THE ARMREST FLOPS DOWN IN A COLLISION OR SUDDEN STOP.
Cy |
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| dj-mdx2 |
quote:
Originally posted by cybulman
BE CAREFUL IN THAT CENTER POSITION THE ARMREST FLOPS DOWN IN A COLLISION OR SUDDEN STOP.
Cy
Where did you get this information? Is it based on IIHS or manufacturer crash testing? If so, why is there not a recall? |
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| dj-mdx2 |
quote:
Originally posted by Needsdecaf
Food for thought. Don't fall into the feeling that LATCH is safer than a PROPERLY done belt install. It is not. LATCH is supposed to make the install more fool proof. It is not a major step forward in safety, orhter than making it easier for many people to hook up their seats.
Agreed. On my 01 MDX, I used the seatbelt because there was no other choice.
To the OP, are you using a base or just the seat? I don't recall running into any hinges on my install. |
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| 99gixxer |
I was using the base.
I brought my car and seat to my local PD and the certified officer couldn't get it installed in the center position either - it just wouldn't stop moving side to side.
I have it installed behind the passenger seat using the latch connectors and it is very tight. I have given up with trying to get it in the middle.
Thanks again for the help. |
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| cybulman |
Where did you get this information? Is it based on IIHS or manufacturer crash testing? If so, why is there not a recall?
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This is not only MDX or a recall issue, as it is post manufacture use issue.
This is commonly known and the hospital which conducts proper seat installation classes to new parents emphasises, this happens in most cars/SUVs, and the only way to ensure it doesnt flop down is to Velcro it in with a big patch.
Also, fitting in the seat with the overhead/ceiling belt is not a good idea...we discovered.
Cy |
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| cybulman |
Oh and I read later...that just like 99gixxer we gave up on the center and mounted behind passenger.
Also the center position, just plays havoc on your back leaning in, especially with the running boards!!!
Cy |
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| dj-mdx2 |
quote:
Originally posted by cybulman
Where did you get this information? Is it based on IIHS or manufacturer crash testing? If so, why is there not a recall?
=============================================
This is not only MDX or a recall issue, as it is post manufacture use issue.
This is commonly known and the hospital which conducts proper seat installation classes to new parents emphasises, this happens in most cars/SUVs, and the only way to ensure it doesnt flop down is to Velcro it in with a big patch.
Also, fitting in the seat with the overhead/ceiling belt is not a good idea...we discovered.
Cy
I guess I missed the headlines on this one - it's certainly not common knowledge to me. So what type of injuries have been documented? Any fatalities? That would be morbidly comical: death by armrest.
I can't imagine how the center armrest would flop down since the base of an infant carseat props it in position on the MDX and it would be a non-issue on a booster. |
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| fosters.2 |
I am a certified child passenger technician and I do installs for parents all over my state. It is not unsafe to install an infant carseat (or any carseat for that matter) in the center position with an armrest UNLESS the vehicle owners manual or the child restraint manual says not to. It is 100% fine to install a carseat in the middle position of your MDX and the armrest will not open onto the carseat.
You should be able to get your Snugride in the center with LATCH but if LATCH won't work use the seatbelt. The LATCH anchors are extremely off-center in the middle seat so make sure you are using the correct anchors and that your base is between these anchors and not in the center of the seat itself. Because of where the LATCH is located the seat will overlap on the drivers side outboard seat and possible make it unusable. Just remember that as long as there is less than 1" of movement side to side at the beltpath it is in snug enough. If you are checking your install anywhere other than at the beltpath than it will probably move more than 1". Up towards the front of the vehicle the base will move all over and that is ok...it will happen no matter how tight it is installed. Just use one arm and try to move it side to side at the belt path. Please let me know if you would like any more help with your install! |
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