child's car seat installation problems(help)

I have a 06 access cab and i'm not having any luck getting this car seat tight enough. I'm tryin to use the three point tether hooks for install. I do have the seat folded down. I finally managed to get the top tether strap to work but it required removing the strap and feeding through the anchors first then the car seat due to the fact it wouldn't feed through the top loop then to the side hoop half way up. My issue is no matter how tight i get these lower straps the seat still shifts all over the place. It also tries to pull the bottom of the car seat back toward the rear of the seat. The back of the truck seat is vertical but the child's seat is slanted,its not working. This is a stupid design for a car seat. Is it even possible to make a car seat work in a access cab? I've fought with this thing for hours on end with two different car seat and still no luck at all. I have no problems installing both of these seats in a 07 civic at all.

Anyone have a solution? Here's the car seat.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Evenflo-Chase-Deluxe-Booster-Car-Seat-Abigail/12960877

 

Two tips: use the seatbelt to tighten it also and use your body weight on the child seat when tightening

 

Credentials: I am a Sheriff's Deputy and have been a Child Passenger Safety Technician for 9 years. I've taught hundreds of parents how to install their car seats and booster seats. Your problen is a common one.

First off:
Use the three point (latch) system only. Do not use the cars seat belt in addition, as this will just make the install harder, which means more mistakes are usually made.

Thankfully for you summer time is coming. Go out and buy a pool noodle. Yes you heard me correctly a pool noodle.
Cut a section of the pool noddle approximately three inches wider than the car seat. Place the cut section in the fold of the seat(where you described the void) and install the car seat as per the instructions. If needed you can place two cut sections in the void, but never use more.
This is a remedy that has been use for years to correct seat recline/angle issues. Below is a website that should help explain.

http://www.carseatsite.com/reclineangle.htm

 

Noodle? It may work. Thanks.

I have asked all over town where to buy some high density foam similar to what is in import vehicle seats like the hondas. Cut it to fit,its should work really well i just can't locate any. I figured cut about a 4" thick piece under the car seat then it will have some give and some resistance then you can put your weight into like in a normal seat and it should hold tight then,maybe.

Toyota should provide a adapter pad of some type for free cause this set up is un-safe. Childrens life's are in danger. Most people would never even take the time to get it right and just let it go. I think may write a few letters.

 

He knows what he's talking about. I was saved by the noodles!

 

Using your body weight on the seat as you or someone else tightens the straps is a big component as well. Unfortunately the Access cab is not the optimal design for a car seat.

 

yeah dont listen to me listen to eagle. the cops in our city send the poor residents over to the fire station to get those seats put on, even though they are the ones technically who are qualified to do it...

 

The car seat issue is why i went with a dc not xcab. I use the lap strap to the factory hooks under seat and the back strap through the head rest and down to the factory hooks.i used the seatbelt as well. I put all my fatness on it while straping it in.that shit doesn't budge at all.

 

Don't know about other models but the 06 is hard plastic on the rear lower protion when it is folded down like the directions said so their is no give at all. So body weight doesn't help any. Mine is like the one in the photo. http://trucks.about.com/od/2006toyo...ota-Tacoma-Pictures/Tacoma-s-Rear-Seating.htm

 

thats true, forgot about that... hopefully ill have a double cab by the time the kids come lol... did you try the noodle method? did it work? and if you did id like to see pics (writeup) and it could be put on the cheap mods section lol so its easy to find

 

Indeed they should do something to make it easier. The fact is over 70% of parents install car seats incorrectly. The car manufacturers could help reduce that number. They may have to make some changes soon with new recommendations that have come out. Now children three and under a should be rear facing. This change won't effect the car seat manufactures they have been making suitable seats for rear facing 3yo for years as that has been the standard in Europe for years. Children here whine about there car seats enough now are you ready for this

Very true! Most deputies with my department would do the same. In Louisiana all law enforcement officers get an hour or two of instruction but that doesn't qualify them for squat. I believe out of my 700+ member department 8 people have been to the 40 hour Child Passenger Safety School. jackwithcorona if you or your department is interested take a look here at the certification http://cert.safekids.org/ It's a national program so it should be around your area. Anyone can go through the course mostly we see law enforcement, fire firefighters, EMS, and nurses.

 

Easiest baby seat is the ones now with permanent locking base that you just hit a button and the baby seat unlatches from. Oh and they actually have specific foam things at babysrus for $10 for under the seats

 

Glad to hear most parents know about the foam stuff. I used to roll up towels too. But sometimes it is the child seat itself that is difficult. Drop by a fire station or anywhere that teaches parent how to put a child seat. My wife and I had to go get certified by a fire station before the hospital release our daughter to us. Which I think is cool. Safety first.

 

+1 for you for some great info! Thanks for looking out!

 

yeah ill look into that, mostly for peace of mind. firefighting in the northeast is very traditional, so i doubt the dept will approve or recognize the training, however the residents arent going to stop coming and the peace of mind of knowing we did it right is enough for me. thank you +1

 

Here is the BEST Thing for baby seats!
MIGHTY TITE! It's a ratcheting device that makes the seat rock solid!

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2267437&prodFindSrc=search

 

These actually should not be used!!! They allow for the seat belt to be over tightened and can cause fractures in the plastic seat weakening it. These small fractures which often can't be seen may cause a failure in the seat during a crash.
Notes that are not commonly known: Child seats are a one time use item. Meaning if a seat has been in a crash it is trash! If you wonder why, remember those small fractures I mentioned above. This is why you should never purchase a car seat from a garage sale. You don't know the history of the seat. Speaking of history, car seats, like the tires on our beloved Tacomas, have a life span due to dry rot. A seat seven years old is also trash! I'm sure your child's life is worth the price of a new seat.

 

Well if you use common sense and do not tighten the ratchet until the handle feels like it's going to break off. I'm sure you'll be fine.

It's much better than having a 200 lb person compressing the crap out of the chair just to get the seat to remain in one position.

With this device my wife has absolutely no problems installing our car seat. PROPERLY!

I'm sure this device allows the belt to be over tightened. Just like your gas pedal allows your truck to be over accelerated.

But good use of common sense and you should be fine!

If you lack common sense then YES!!! You should not use these! And you may not want to be driving on the street.

 

Well, you have a problem with your thought process there. You assume people have common sense these days. There are more and more people in this world that lack COMMON SENSE. It really shouldn't be called common anymore. I feel it's safe to say the people of TW have more sense than the average Joe, so we aren't the problem.

But referring to your response. It is actually better to put 200+ pounds onto the seat with your knee to tighten the seat than to use the ratchet. With very few clicks it places much more force than 200 pounds onto the seat. But if you wish to ignore this advise feel free. All I offer to parents is the safest methods found through years of research by people with more intelligence than most to keep your children safe, while those who lack common sense drive all around us in swarms of mass chaos.

 

I do believe that one of us may have a problem with their thought process.

Too bad that most 100 lb. women don't carry around 200 lbs. to install their child seat properly.