Another child/infant car seat thread...

I'll keep this relatively short. My wife and I are expecting our first in November. We have a '12 4runner that of course is perfect for kid hauling.

However, I will also be hauling the baby a decent amount (to and from the in-laws and my mothers for babysitting, and all summer long since I will be off as I'm a teacher). I'm considering selling for a larger cab or a Tundra (I really wanted a dbl cab or fullsize even when I bought this 7.5 years ago). However, it's always nice to be cheap and not have car payments, so I'm still feeling this out a bit. My 05 Access Cab isn't "old," at only 152k miles, but it's definitely a tight fit for a rear facing seat back there.

I've read a lot of car seat threads and it looks like a car seat is doable in the AC with the fold down seats, but do the seat manufacturers recommend it? I know that the manual states that you fold the seat down to provide the platform for the car seat base, but after searching on here and other forums (including car-seat.org), I'm finding that some seat manufacturers don't recognize the fold down seat as a viable seat platform for the base.

Can anyone confirm this?

I'm using a Chico Keyfit 30.

 

You can find the manual for the keyfit 30 online. It should not be a problem to use the seat in your truck. I have had that same seat in my access cab for a little over a year now and it works well. I've had our installed with the rest seats folded down (i know mine rest seats are slightly different than yours but yours). Just make sure to level the base with the built in level and you'll be fine if you follow the recommend directions for the truck and seat instructions.
Also for future reference I just switched to a maxi cosi pria 85 for when you outgrow the keyfit, and it is working will (only had it on for about a week though).

 

yes, it's doable with an AC, however these little monkeys grow fast so it would probably be smart to start keeping your eyes open for a DC.

you'll be much happier with all the extra room and doors

 

Thanks. Good to know!

Yeah, I'm going to start test driving a few options this summer. Looking at DCLB Tacoma, DC Tundra, and Crew Cab F150s.

It's good to know the AC will work if even only for a little while. I'm due to upgrade within the next 50K most likely anyways. We're looking to add an RV to the mix in a couple of years and our towing needs with change. Not to mention we take our truck a decent amount as a family for a variety of reasons.

 

Find a double cab. Rear facing infant seats are tight in a Tacoma double cab. I wouldn't even want to try in an access cab. Trust me in the early months, you'll want something with a "permanent" base and a seat that comes out easily. It sucks when your infant falls asleep and you realize you have to pull them out of the seat and wake them up to run in the store for a minute.

Either way the access cabs suck for back seats. Kids have to be in booster seats these days for what seems like an eternity and they are bulky!

 

I have two children, 4 years and 4 months. The infant is in a Chico Keyfit 30, like yours. I just bought my doublecab less than two months ago, and did a lot of careful checking to see if there is any way to fit child seats in an accesscab. Some people can do it and a google search will get you pictures that are the proof, but unless you are able to drive with your seat pushed almost all the way forward you will not be able to pull it off. Even in my doublecab I could not drive with the Chico behind me (I am 6'2").

If you are determined to find a way to make an acesscab work, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1st, your back seat space requirements will go way down when your child switches to forward facing, so you might be able to suffer through the inconvenience until then. It does seem like eternity when you are going through it. I recently moved to a Radian seat for my older child and the low profile of that seat made a huge difference. I still doubt I could drive an accesscab with that seat behind me, but...

2nd, the front seat position may not be as much an issue on the passenger side (which is the safest side, as it happens). If you do not need room for an adult passenger in the front seat you will have a lot more space for the child seat in back. Or, if your front seat passenger can handle riding in the seat pushed all the way forward, that might do it.

I did a fit test, installed my seats in the back of an Accesscab, and that pretty much told the tale right away for me. I strongly recommend that approach, as the advice you get from any of us is highly personalised. Perhaps you are lucky and can somehow make the accesscab work. I sure can't!

Since you are talking about Towing and Crew Cabs, I would guess that Brjw is right and Tacoma doublecab is the smallest cab you might find worth considering. I know a lot of guys driving F150 crew cabs to tow families and camper trailers, they complain about the reliability but not the space or tow capacity! Another friend has a Tundra and can't say enough about it, it's not even the largest cab version.

Feel free to hit me up if you want any more detailed information.

 

Thanks, everyone. I'm still weighing my options. My wife says to upgrade, but I'm cheap, so we will see. I definitely know we will outgrow the AC in the next couple of years so it might be worth while to unload it while it still has some value left in it.

 

I've stuck a toddler in a forward facing seat in the back of my AC without issue. Though you will have to compromise front passenger leg room to give the little guy in the back enough room. Never tried a rear facing seat however.

It can work with an AC, but it's cramped. The 4Runner works much better and I'm sure the double cab would be the same.

Congrats BTW!

 

Thank you! We're excited.

 

You might squeeze them in for now. But kids grow fast. My 2 1/2 year old barely fits in the back of the DC in a Britax. The wife has to move the passenger seat forward a few clicks to give him leg room.

 

Congrats on the baby!!
Trade truck with 4runner when needed.

 

Not a bad idea, but there will be too many times where that won't work or my wife simply won't want to drive the truck

 

I have a 2005 Access Cab and 3 children. This is a first gen Tundra. I am 5ft 10 and wife 5 ft 4. I can haul all three kids in the back. They are 9, 6, and 3. I have had all of them in there as infants facing rear, facing front, etc. It is a little cramped, but I have no doubt that the newer, bigger Tundra could handle your needs. My biggest issue is not that we "barely" fit, but that my back doors are suicide doors which make it hard when up against the garage wall or parking next to another vehicle. There is limited space for my wife with the rear facing car seat.

The double cab has plenty of space and your children will not get any smaller.

I am at the point where I will be looking to get a longbed Tacoma. The back seat will be similar to an access cab with a bit less shoulder room. I love the new Tundra, but I will not need a truck that big. Plus I only drive a couple miles to work and it kills my mpg. I would probably not get more than 10 mpg.

 

Yeah, the suicide doors are terrible in parking lots even with just me. If I keep the truck, I foresee myself parking way out in no mans land to make it easier getting the car seat in and out.

 

Well I called Chico. I spoke with a lady and explained my situation and my style of truck. She said I cannot mount the seat in the fold down position. It must be placed up front with the airbag off.

My wife and I are not comfortable with that option, so it's off to look at alternatives.

 

at least you can have some comfort in the fact you have put some miles on that engine. mine only has 41000 on the odometer. you could always trade with the wifey for the summer. this would kill me as my wife parks close and could care less about door dings