Is there a reason we are not able to properly install a toddler carseat?
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at
6:24 pm
We have a toddler car seat in my Ford Taurus. When we tried to install it in my husband’s 2001 F150, it was very unstable. We need to be able to have a car seat in both vehicles. HELP!
Tagged with: ford • ford taurus • google • script type • text javascript • toddler car seat
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bring it to the cops or the fire department they will do it for you or a car dealer ship they will help. all cars are different i can tell you about that one.
It may be the way the seat in his truck is made. My advice is to take it to your local Department of Motor Vehicles or your local police station and they can help.
Unfortunately, with so many different varieties of carseats and booster seats, and so many different vehicles, I think its very difficult for them to fit properly in all of the cars/trucks. We have 3 children, and so we have gone through our share of different car seats and booster seats. I do know that when we take one out of my SUV and try to put it in my huband’s F-250, we have to adjust the seatbelt more. Sometimes too, the seats in the vehicle are shaped differently and so it may not fit the same way as in your car. I know, its frustrating-trust me-we have been there too. See if there is a carseat clinic in your area. Sometimes the police stations have them. You can also go to any fire station and see if they can help you. Where we live, they are more than happy to show you how to install it properly. Just show up and go in and tell them your problem. My brother is a fireman so I know they will be more than willing because he says he gets about 5 people a week coming into his station. Hope this helped.
The Fire Department or Police Department can help you out. Just don’t drive there with the kid in the unstable seat.
My mom had to get special car seats for her car because it had bucket seats so I am thinking that it really can depend on the way seats are. Also when you put it in make sure you put your knee in the car seat as you are tightening the straps.
check out the health department, fire department, police station, community health fairs etc… where they have car seat education and they will be able to help you find one that will work for you.
also check this out–the poster has a 2007 but the person who answers has a 2000 so the reccomendations might work–crazy because they have a taurus as well
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=35837
here is a list with columns on fit rating ease and whether it was checked or not.
http://www.carseatdata.org/main/search?entry%5Bcar_make_id%5D=15&entry%5Bcar_model_id%5D=231&entry%5Bcar_year_id%5D=1681&entry%5Bseat_brand_id%5D=&entry%5Bseat_name_id%5D=&entry%5Bseat_type%5D=&entry%5Binstallation_method%5D=&x=93&y=15
if you hit extended notes it gives you more comments on fit and how it is installed, it also tells you what type of carseat this product is.
good luck
EDIT: There will be someone in your community who helps with this –you just have to call around.
Honestly, I always had a problem until one day my husband made me sit in the car seat and then he tightened the belts. Car seat didnt move an inch. Try either sitting in it, or putting your wieght in it with your knee it really helps and makes it more stable.
FLMOM — unfortunately… the fire stations don’t do that everywhere. My sister lives in VA and they installed her car seat for her and it was awesome… but when I went to my local fire station (TN) they wouldnt do it. They told me to refer to my manual.
Okay, is it an extended cab? Those seats are hard and small(the ones that fold out anyways), and you need to use the extra clip on the seatbelt to help with stability. If it’s not, then the front seat is usually not angled right(might be adjustable), or the carseat bottom might need adjusted(my carseat is convertible and has a leg on the bottom that folds when rear facing). We have a heck of a time installing my daughter’s seat in my mom’s alero, the backseat is all crooked and padded weird, so it never sat right. I always had to put both knees on it when installing it and pull tight, then use the extra clip to hold in there properly. Also, make sure the airbags are turned off in the f150 if the child is riding in the front. Is it a 5 point harness or just a highback booster? That makes a difference too, the 5 points are easier to install and keep there, where as the ones with the child actually using the seatbelt are more flimsy and slide around. It could be a million things, call the state police baracks tommorrow and see if they can help you, they are great on those sort of things. Your local firemen might be able to help too.
Good luck!