Registered: Sep 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 69

We have an 05 EXL-RES Ody and just had our 3rd daughter. We currently have Britax Marathon (3 1/2 yr old daughter sits here) and Britax Roundabout (2 yr old daughter sits here) carseats in the 2nd row captains chairs and the baby's Graco SnugRide infant carrier base is in the middle of the 3rd row. We have the PlusOne seat removed to allow for access to place the baby in the middle of the 3rd row. This current configuration of our carseats is a pain! I hate having to lug the baby in her infant carrier back to the 3rd row. We have seriously considered (and will likely try) placing the Marathon and Roundabout carseats in the 3rd row and putting the baby's infant carrier in one of the 2nd row captain's chairs, but the reason we have not done this yet is because of the lack of LATCH in the 3rd row- there is only one in the center, thus the 2 large carseats will not be LATCHed in the 3rd row. We think that this will be unsafe.

I have seriously considered trading this van (although I really really like it!) for a Toyota Sienna LE-8 to have all 3 children in the 2nd row with their carseats all safely LATCHed. I don't want to give up the features that I enjoy on the Ody such as dual sliding doors, etc. Why didn't the Honda design the van with more than 3 LATCH seating options? It is a family van!!!

Any advice is welcome. Thanks so much.

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1295

Installing a car seat with LATCH is just as safe as with a seat belt. The LATCH system is just more streamlined and standardized for parents, and therefore has a lower chance of being misued. Britaxes are extremely easy to install with a seatbelt, so that's a plus for you.

However, the outboard seats in the third row lack a top tether, which is really a good idea to use with forward facing car seats. US seats are certified to be used without a top tether, but have to pass a less-strict head excursion limit when used this way. Your Marathon MUST be tethered once your 3.5yo hits 50lbs.

How about this:

Remove one captain's chair. Install a Britax on the remaining one. Then, install the SnugRide on the third row bench behind where the captain's chair used to be. Install the remaining Britax in the center, with LATCH if you prefer, and take advantage of the top tether. So long as the child in the third row with the baby doesn't poke or jab, you should have plenty of room to get baby in and out.

Getting the SnugRide next to one of the other car seats may be tricky. You may need to install the third row Britax with the seat belt so that you can move it as far away from the SnugRide as possible. If you have trouble with this, your friendly local Child Passenger Safety Technician can help you out.

Michelle

Last edited by shellebelle on 10-05-2005 at 05:57 AM

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Registered: Apr 2003
Location: Phila, PA
Posts: 8

We have three also. I have the 4 year old in the back with an Advantage. He's on the right side. There's a fabric loop (made from the same material as the tether strap) with a metal piece that I wrap around the third-row seat anchor that I use to tether the rear of the child seat. Strictly an extra precaution, the seat is pretty stable if I sit on the seat when I put on the seat belt.

We have a Roundabout on the left middle for the 2 year old, and then a Graco on the right. We moved it to the middle, so we can get in the back and buckle the 4 year old in.

LATCH is great becuase it makes installation relatively idiot-proof, but its no safer than a properly installed seat with the seat belt.

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'03 Ody EX-L Starlight Silver with IconDVD
'01 Audi S8 Silver

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1295

quote:

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Originally posted by Manny
There's a fabric loop (made from the same material as the tether strap) with a metal piece that I wrap around the third-row seat anchor that I use to tether the rear of the child seat. Strictly an extra precaution, the seat is pretty stable if I sit on the seat when I put on the seat belt.

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Unfortunately, this piece isn't designed to be used when the car seat is forward facing. I have serious doubts about it'd holding in a crash, and then the tether clip turns into a nice hard projectile

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Registered: Apr 2003
Location: Phila, PA
Posts: 8

Its should hold up as well as the tether, which is the same material. If the whole third seat comes off the anchor, the car seat stays attached. Even if the piece became a projectile, which I seriously doubt if you pull it tight, its below the seat and would go in the same direction as that stroller in the back... Your seat belt is doing all the work in a crash anyway..

Location-wise the tether ends up in the same location as the tethers for the captain's seats.. (in the 03 models anyway).

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'03 Ody EX-L Starlight Silver with IconDVD
'01 Audi S8 Silver

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1295

It's not so much as the webbing as the stitching holding the pieces together. We have no way to tell if they're as strong as the stitching on the tether (if there is any, the attachment is concealed). If the D-Ring breaks, there is the potential for the tether clip to come flying over the top of the car seat and nailing someone in the face or eye.

Either way, your manual says to only use the attachment with a rear facing car seat (pg 23). Use it forward facing at your own risk.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago Area
Posts: 1560

I agree with Michelle. Britax instructions are pretty clear- the D-ring strap is only for use rear-facing. It's quite likely it hasn't been crash tested for front-facing use, or worse, it was tested and failed.

No, it won't completely compromise the seat installation in a crash if a top-tether was incorrectly used. In fact, seats must pass minimum requirements even without a top tether strap of any kind. Even so, top-tethers do improve crash performance of a front facing carseat; seatbelts do not adequately restrain the top of the child restraint. Almost every seat on the market must use a top tether to meet the stricter head excursion requirements (The discontinued Fisher Price Futura is the only exception I know).

The risk is that the top of the seat could move farther forward in a crash than if a tether had been used. Similarly, if a tether was to break in a crash it could also allow more forward excursion of the head. This increases the risk that the child's head could strike a pillar, seat back or other hard interior surface. Overall, it's probably not a serious misuse, but why not do it correctly according to the manufacturer's instructions?

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Are Your Kids Safe? - www.Seatcheck.net
2006 Silver EX-L w/fogs-muds-sub-ipod musiclink, replaced 2001 GG LX at 5yr/43k

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago Area
Posts: 1560

quote:

---

Originally posted by shellebelle
Installing a car seat with LATCH is just as safe as with a seat belt. The LATCH system is just more streamlined and standardized for parents, and therefore has a lower chance of being misued. Britaxes are extremely easy to install with a seatbelt, so that's a plus for you.

However, the outboard seats in the third row lack a top tether, which is really a good idea to use with forward facing car seats. US seats are certified to be used without a top tether, but have to pass a less-strict head excursion limit when used this way. Your Marathon MUST be tethered once your 3.5yo hits 50lbs.

---

__________________
Are Your Kids Safe? - www.Seatcheck.net
2006 Silver EX-L w/fogs-muds-sub-ipod musiclink, replaced 2001 GG LX at 5yr/43k

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