Frontier tether came off on one side

[MamaWillow]

My mom has a frontier in her car, and she (or someone else?) took it out when she had her car detailed last week. I went to put in in yesterday and the tether is disconnected from one side of the seat. I have no idea how it came off or how to get it back on. I'm pretty annoyed because there is a big sticker on it that says DO NOT REMOVE. I don't know if it was my mom or the guy that detailed it (I haven't talked to her yet). What should I do with it? Is the tether totally unusable now?

[jjordan]

Yeah, probably... you could call Britax and see what they say, but I'm thinking that the top tether is probably not fixable at this point.

I'd also try to figure out who took it off and how/why. I'd be very angry!

[MamaWillow]

Well Britax is closed for the weekend. Can I still use the seat without the tether? There is LATCH in my mom's car. No LATCH in my car, and no tethers. But it usually lives in my mom's car. DS is 45 pounds and DD is 40.5 (but I don't think she can use it yet because she's not 2, I don't really get it since she's as large as most 3yos).

[MamaWillow]

Just found out the car detail guy did it. I am so mad.

[jess71903]

Originally Posted by MamaWillow Well Britax is closed for the weekend. Can I still use the seat without the tether? There is LATCH in my mom's car. No LATCH in my car, and no tethers. But it usually lives in my mom's car. DS is 45 pounds and DD is 40.5 (but I don't think she can use it yet because she's not 2, I don't really get it since she's as large as most 3yos).

Check your manual. I would be much more comfortable installing it with the seatbelt, long belt path, if that's allowed at his weight.

A child under 2 years old still has under 2 year old bones, regarless of weight. The whole deal with rear-facing a child as long as you can is to protect the spinal cord, which is wrapped with bones which are still partly cartilage that young. The older a child is, the more bone has been laid, and the more protected the spinal cord. A younger child's head is also much larger in relation to their body, so in a crash, the heavy head is flung forward while the body is held in place by the straps. This can cause internal decapitation, which is exactly what it sounds like. In a rear-facing seat, the head and neck are cradled and move together. The Frontier has a 2 year minimum, presumably to encourage parents to rear-face their babies to at least 2.

[monica-m]

Originally Posted by jess71903 Check your manual. I would be much more comfortable installing it with the seatbelt, long belt path, if that's allowed at his weight. A child under 2 years old still has under 2 year old bones, regarless of weight. The whole deal with rear-facing a child as long as you can is to protect the spinal cord, which is wrapped with bones which are still partly cartilage that young. The older a child is, the more bone has been laid, and the more protected the spinal cord. A younger child's head is also much larger in relation to their body, so in a crash, the heavy head is flung forward while the body is held in place by the straps. This can cause internal decapitation, which is exactly what it sounds like. In a rear-facing seat, the head and neck are cradled and move together. The Frontier has a 2 year minimum, presumably to encourage parents to rear-face their babies to at least 2.

This, all of it.

The car detail guy would be buying me a new Frontier. Monday, call Britax and see what they say. In the meantime, see if you can get it installed with the long belt path. I would not use the lower anchors without the top tether under any circumstances.

If you post what your vehicle is, I can look up tether retrofit information for you. In many cases, it's done at no cost.

[MamaWillow]

Originally Posted by monica-m This, all of it. The car detail guy would be buying me a new Frontier. Monday, call Britax and see what they say. In the meantime, see if you can get it installed with the long belt path. I would not use the lower anchors without the top tether under any circumstances. If you post what your vehicle is, I can look up tether retrofit information for you. In many cases, it's done at no cost.

OK. I usually do the long belt path anyway in my car, it just seems safer.

I have a 1995 Honda Odyssey. I called the dealership once to ask about it and they no clue what I was talking about. I would love to have top tethers in my car though.

[monica-m]

Originally Posted by MamaWillow OK. I usually do the long belt path anyway in my car, it just seems safer. I have a 1995 Honda Odyssey. I called the dealership once to ask about it and they no clue what I was talking about. I would love to have top tethers in my car though.

I think the long belt path gives the most secure install for the Frontier.

I hate it when the dealerships either play dumb or are clueless. There is a low cost program for Toyota vehicles through Safety Belt Safe. Visit www.carseat.org and scroll down to the Parents Corner on the bottom right and click on Toyota/Lexus Tether Anchors.

[Dory]

Originally Posted by MamaWillow Just found out the car detail guy did it. I am so mad.

Did they give any reason why he was just playing around with the back of your seat? I'd be mad!

[jess71903]

I'm thinking it may be like my Regent. The tether is attached to the seat with a couple of metal plate things threaded through 2 holes on the back of the seat, and then out and over the top. I haven't played with the Regent to see if I can get it undone (why would I??) but I'm thinking the guy thought that might be the only way to get it out of the car to clean behind it or something. Still. He either should have left it alone or asked you to take it out.