Booster seat installation - seat belt not big enough!!

[jembelina]

Grrrr........I have jsut spen tehlast hour installing two booster seats in my car and my back is killing me!!

Anyway.....One of the seats is a maxi rider that I am using with a converted lap/sash seatbelt and a protector harness.........problem is the lap part is too small!! I can only jsut get it done up and it is waaay too tight, bub can't breathe!! We jsut have a standars ford falcon sedan, I would have thought theseatbelts would be long enough???
Has anyone else had this problem?? What did you do?

[jembelina]

OMG I cannot tell you how frustrated and angry I am feeling right at this moment!!!!!
I have been on the phone to SafeNSound three times - they can't help me. Apparently there are some cars in which this is a problem...but they can't tell me what to do about it!
Ford can't help me - all seatbelts are a standard length apparently!
Vic roads Can't help me and really had no idea what I was on about.
Child restraint fitters can't help me - never come across this problem, can't do anyhting to lengthen a seatbelt.

I am not a violent person, but I could HIT someone right now.........or more likely just burst into tears!!!

I have a $350 car seat that I can't bl00dy use........I am fuming!!!

I don't know what on earth I am supposed to do!

I think safe nsound should indicate on the packaging of teh seat if there are some cars in whcih you simply cannot use the restraint!!

[SorenLorensen]

:detective: i know they fit in a 2003 and 2007 falcon.

maybe take it to a car seat fitting station and get them to have a go (maybe if they SEE it you might get more help) and :fingerscrossed: its just something you are doing wrong

[Jinglebells]

yip take them to someone that fits them, I know you can get seatbelt extentions :yes: so they might have to do that

[M~T~J~M]

:wave:

I had 'Littles' come out and install my seats. We found that the seat belt was not long enough for our maxi rider also. (We had a Commodore VT wagon at the time). I had to buy an extender, which cost me $75.00, and it gave the seat belt that little bit extra length to be able to accomodate the seat/child, etc.

[jembelina]

Hmmmm....seat belt extenders.........safensound told me they don't reccomeend them adn the restraint fitting place I spoke to told me they don't exist?????

See my frustration!! I think I will call a different fitter.

[LizzardLover]

Hmmmm....seat belt extenders.........safensound told me they don't reccomeend them adn the restraint fitting place I spoke to told me they don't exist?????

See my frustration!! I think I will call a different fitter.

I got a seat belt extender at Auto Barn (i'm in Victoria) for around the $50 mark. It's not very long though only a few inches but it might give you enough difference to be helpful?

In reality though if the seat is still new you should be able to return it if you have the box etc...

Also be careful with the protector harness. They have a habit of pulling the whole lap part up onto the childs tummy/abdomen which is really NOT safe. The seatbelt needs to be low on the hips.

I personally like seats like the Hi-Liner better as it's got much better side impact protection and has the anti submarine clip which clips onto the seatbelt lap part and stops the child "submarining" under the seatbelt in an accident and keeps it in correct position. The headrest adjusts up so it will last a long time (i have one of these and it's great!!)

Considering that very soon children up to 7yo will *have* to be in a booster seat, one that adjusts for height seems a good idea!

[SorenLorensen]

I personally like seats like the Hi-Liner better as it's got much better side impact protection and has the anti submarine clip which clips onto the seatbelt lap part and stops the child "submarining" under the seatbelt in an accident and keeps it in correct position. The headrest adjusts up so it will last a long time (i have one of these and it's great!!)

the maxi rider has the anti sub clip :yes:

[MummaBear03]

I've also never come across this problem, but could it possibly be a fault in the car's seatbelt? If it can't fit through the booster seat, how is it supposed to fit around a person? I have a Maxi Rider but am still using the 5-point harness, however I was using the H harness for another older child (7 years) and had no problems with it, but had to use that thing to join the 2 parts of the seatbelt together. And yes, I also like the design of the anti-submarine clip in the maxi rider :thumbsup:

[jembelina]

Still no solution!!! There is no seat belt extension available for our car!!! I can't see any solution but to get a new seat.Which I really did not want to have to do!!!

[tickle]

Far out! What model falcon have you got?

I'm getting a bit worried now, I've just installed a new maxi rider, so they both have them now! Are you trying to use it with the harness or just as a booster?

Gosh, I hope when my kids are bigger we don't have issues!!!

ETA: Sorry, I just re read you are using it with a harness.

[Milliner]

Oh Jem what a bugger. :hugs:

I have found 'Littles' to be really helpful, could you try them? They will come to you but you will have to part with $$$ for them to fit it.

[jembelina]

Tickle - it is a '92 EB - which is our problem apparently, the only extension available if for aftetr 1996 and we tried it anyway, but no good. It's not like our car is ancient or anything!!

Milliner - I will give them a call, thanks.

I did manage to get it in today, moving the gated slide up closer to the seat(as suggested by SNS) but it is still pretty tight on him...........he wears cloth nappies too and I'm worried he wont fit with some of them!!
I am still so mad about the whole situation!

We will have to get something else before bub arrives anyway as the three seats we have don't fit as i discovered today!

[*Bec&Bel*]

my DD is now in a booster seat with harness and my middle seat is a lap/sash. The seatbelt fits her good at the time but when she gets bigger is WILL be tight so ill have to work something out soon. I seen the seatbelt extensions but there small.I was thinking of changing the middle seat to a lap belt only as i know there adjustable and it will go further. :detective: something for me too look into aswell.
Not sure if its been mentioned but can u get one for your middle seat??