# 3 across 2nd row in a Sienna or Odyssey?



## ellairiesmom (Mar 20, 2008)

I am preparing for down the road-haven't picked a minivan yet & no # 3 on the way...but as we consider the next seat for DD2 (posted in another thread) I want to try & factor it all in.

My kids run small & will be in convertible seats awhile. We are considering used minivans (Sienna or Odyssey) years 2005-2008. DD1 is currently in a Blvd in our Prius. (DD2 is still in the Keyfit30)

*I like the idea of all 3 being in the 2nd row of a minivan. Not knowing much about minivans, which one & which years is that doable in? *

*Scenario A-let's assume a Blvd & a Keyfit 30 being in the mix. *

*Scenario B-let's assume they both expire & we are dealing w/ a new infant seat & 2 new convertibles. *

We have been very happy with the Keyfit30 & BLVD. And with petite kids, they don't outgrow RF limits as fast so it doesn't have to be as much as a factor.

I like the Radians but fear install issues (esp in a Sienna?) Comp Air keeps popping up too.

Ok-share your thoughts & experiences!!!

TIA


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## KempsMama (Dec 1, 2008)

I have a Sienna, 2004, and this is a configuration I regularly have when I babysit.

2nd Row 2 Captains Chairs, Graco Snugride 32 and a Graco My Ride 65 RF

3rd Row 3 across, Graco Turbo Booster, Graco Nautilus, and a low back booster, I'm unsure of the make/model.

I can install all of these easily and quickly, provided by sliding doors aren't frozen shut. (It was -32 here yesterday...)


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I have a 2008 8 pass sienna and can easily fit 3 across the middle row or back row. I've done it with assorted combinations of britax, safeguard and infant seats.

-Angela


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

in my 2007 Odyssey, I have a TrueFit and two Graco Snugrides (22lb ones) currently in the 2nd row. It's tight but fits with either the TrueFit in the center or passenger seat. Those are all wide seats so there should be quite a few options. I'm going to try for two Complete Air's and a TrueFit soon (all RF). I have a 2yo who I'm hoping to keep RF and 2mo twins. The TrueFit also fits FF on the center seat for when I have to turn DD.

The center "plus one" seat is definitely odd, but the TrueFit fits there like a dream. The Snugride fits ok. The Sienna's center seat is wider, but I like the Odyssey lots!


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## starbuckmom (Aug 2, 2010)

I have a 2008 8 passenger Sienna! I bought it because I wanted to keep my twins rf as long as possible and still needed a way to get my older ds to the back row for his car seat and be able to buckle him in so we went with the 8 passenger and I LOVE IT!!

So, here is my set up and what seats we have: In the captains seat behind the driver is a Marathon that is set to expire in May and will be replaced with either a MyRide or Complete Air, which ever has the highest shell/harness slot. In the seat next to that one, is a Radian80. This seat isn't as wide as the other seats but the Radian having a smaller base, works perfect in this seat! It doesn't touch the front seats at all, it actually sits between them. The captain seat that is supposed to be right next to that one is sitting in the garage. With this seat removed, my older ds has access to his car seat w/o having to crawl under the twins seats to get to the back and it gives me room to hop in the van w/all 3 kids if it's raining and be able to buckle everyone in and I can still access my drivers seat w/o having to get out of the van. My older ds is in the back of a 60/40 split bench in a Regent. He is in the 40 part and the rest of the bench is folded into the floor to give me room to put my tandem stroller.

But, if I choose to put all 3 kids in the second row, its completely doable!! I have done this and probably will if we go to the Golf Shores either this next fall or the following fall as it gives us more cargo room in the rear if we put the whole bench seat in the floor. It's actually nice to have all 3 in the second row b/c I can hand off snacks, drinks, toys to my oldest and he can pass them on to his brothers and they love having him there too!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Sooo- you have a radian in the middle of the second row- correct? Do you have over-recline issues with it?

-Angela


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## starbuckmom (Aug 2, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alegna*
> 
> Sooo- you have a radian in the middle of the second row- correct? Do you have over-recline issues with it?
> 
> -Angela


Yes, the Radian is in the little middle seat. I do have some issues with it over reclining. Can it be braced up against the seat behind it? I didn't think car seats can do that. I just re-install the seat once every 2 weeks or so. If it can be braced up against the drivers seat, then I will move it to that seat and move the MA to the middle seat.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Sigh. No, it can't be braced. The front seats have sensors in them for the airbags 

It can be braced if you put it in the BACK row- you can brace on the captains chairs.

-Angela


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## elus0814 (Sep 21, 2009)

I have an '07 odyssey. I've put two ff-ing marathons and an evenflo rf-ing covertable in the second row. It was TIGHT and took over an hour to arrange. We have four now with two in the 3rd row and 2 in the 2nd but when we had three I removed one of the captain's chairs and it was wonderful. Plenty of room for the older kids to get in the back, plenty of space for me to climb in to help them buckle if they needed it, and plenty of space for any random things we needed to toss there.


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## starbuckmom (Aug 2, 2010)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alegna*
> 
> Sigh. No, it can't be braced. The front seats have sensors in them for the airbags
> 
> ...


Darn! If I back my diaper bag to full, which I have a tendency to do, and I put it on the passenger seat, the seat belt sensor goes off as if a person was sitting there with the seat belt undone! I guess I pack too much LOL

I don't want to rf in the 3rd row. Something about it scares me. I am sure it's fine, but since I have room in my van to rf in the 2nd row, thats what we are doing.


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## ellairiesmom (Mar 20, 2008)

I am a little anxious about having my kids in the 3rd row of any vehicle. I love the idea of that area for all the storage space & then extra adult passengers though.

I was so hoping to hear radian success stories in the Sienna since they would be great seats for now in a smaller car. But it just sounds like they don't work well with the Sienna seats. Having to reinstall a seat every couple weeks would drive me nuts.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *starbuckmom*
> 
> Darn! If I back my diaper bag to full, which I have a tendency to do, and I put it on the passenger seat, the seat belt sensor goes off as if a person was sitting there with the seat belt undone! I guess I pack too much LOL
> 
> I don't want to rf in the 3rd row. Something about it scares me. I am sure it's fine, but since I have room in my van to rf in the 2nd row, thats what we are doing.


Just remember that an angle greater than 45* is very very unsafe. Properly installed in the 3rd row is much safer than over-reclined in the center.

-Angela


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## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

FWIW, at least in my Odyssey, my understanding is that the sensors are *always* on for driver's side and therefore touching/bracing is acceptable. Not so for the passenger's side where sensors are used to turn the airbags on/off.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Yes, you can brace on the driver's side since those are set airbags--they only come out at one speed. The passenger side air bags are "smart" as they deploy at different rates and amounts--since there is a possibility that a child could be up front, it will deploy more slowly and not as completely as it would if the sensors detect a 200 (presumably adult) sitting there. Having a car seat braced against it could affect the advanced air bags and could either over-inflate and injure a child, or under-inflate and not adequately protect an adult.

FWIW, the advanced airbag warning is only in a limited models and model years of certain brands. For instance, my BMW has advanced airbags, but the airbags react to the amount of tension in the seatbelt's pretensioner; if the resistance is low it assumes a small child is occupying that seat, and deploys differently than a higher amount of resistance and a presumably older, larger person. Only a few couple years of Siennas have the warning.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *an_aurora*
> 
> Yes, you can brace on the driver's side since those are set airbags--they only come out at one speed. The passenger side air bags are "smart" as they deploy at different rates and amounts--since there is a possibility that a child could be up front, it will deploy more slowly and not as completely as it would if the sensors detect a 200 (presumably adult) sitting there. Having a car seat braced against it could affect the advanced air bags and could either over-inflate and injure a child, or under-inflate and not adequately protect an adult.
> 
> FWIW, the advanced airbag warning is only in a limited models and model years of certain brands. For instance, my BMW has advanced airbags, but the airbags react to the amount of tension in the seatbelt's pretensioner; if the resistance is low it assumes a small child is occupying that seat, and deploys differently than a higher amount of resistance and a presumably older, larger person. Only a few couple years of Siennas have the warning.


Interesting- so - trying to understand- on Siennas can you always brace on the driver's seat? Couldn't this be used to fix the radian over-recline issue? Sorry- feeling dense this morning... not following well.

-Angela


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alegna*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


My Sienna manual specifically says that child restraints CAN NOT touch either of the two front seats. I don't know if the driver's seat has smart airbags or not (I was led to believe so at the dealer), but regardless, that is what the manual says so bracing is not allowed.


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## devon (Jun 29, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeatherB*
> 
> FWIW, at least in my Odyssey, my understanding is that the sensors are *always* on for driver's side and therefore touching/bracing is acceptable. Not so for the passenger's side where sensors are used to turn the airbags on/off.


We have a 2006 Odyssey and have looked through the manual many times, and NOWHERE does it say that bracing is not allowed. It was my impression that since neither the carseat manual nor the car manual say that bracing is not allowed, then it is allowed.

I also thought it was only certain models of certain cars that had that information in it prohibiting bracing.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Well, only two brands of car seats allow bracing--Radians and Britaxes.

The warning is the in airbag warning section, not in the car seat section of the vehicle's manual.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devon*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


Quote:



> Originally Posted by *an_aurora*
> 
> Well, only two brands of car seats allow bracing--Radians and Britaxes.
> 
> The warning is the in airbag warning section, not in the car seat section of the vehicle's manual.


Yeah, keep looking. I thought mine didn't have the warning either. Looked for it for a year and a half. finally someone gave me the exact PAGE to look on before I found it. It was in a box having to do with something else. Not mentioned in the carseat install section at all. grr.

-Angela


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## devon (Jun 29, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *an_aurora*
> 
> Well, only two brands of car seats allow bracing--Radians and Britaxes.
> 
> The warning is the in airbag warning section, not in the car seat section of the vehicle's manual.


Can anywhere give me a specific page? I looked in the airbag warning section as well as in the carseat section. I also didn't see anything in the True Fit manual that prevented bracing (it says if it is touching when rear-facing to remove the top part, but put the top part back on if the child's size requires it). We're NOT bracing/touching but when I looked at both places, I didn't see anything in either manual.

Also, what is the difference between 'touching' and 'bracing'?


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## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

I just found a PDF of the 2007 Odyssey manual and confirmed a discussion about not hanging heavy items, putting heavy items in the pocket, or pushing/pulling against the seat - all for the front passenger seat ONLY. Nothing specifically in regards to child restraints there, but obviously a 35lb child plus seat braced against it would be adding weight. I'm not concerned, though, about the *barely* touching of my KeyFit onto the grab bar on the back of the seat. It's not adding weight to it in any substantial form.

As for bracing versus touching, touching would be any contact. Bracing is when the front seat is supporting the restraint and/or preventing it from moving.


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