# Install Tips for Cosco Scenera



## Beauchamp

We just bought a Scenera primarily as a travel seat, i.e. it will be used on airplanes and in rental cars, hopefully RFing all the time, but FFing on the plane if it's that or nothing (i.e. lap baby, because we bought her a seat already, so we plan to attempt to use it.)

Of course we're going to read the manual completely, but what are some install or travel tips/tricks you learned with your Scenera?

p.s. I know everyone said there was no padding on the Scenera, and I guess I just didn't believe it would be *no* padding...but there seriously is NO padding!!! Holy cow! It's just a plastic shell and a cover! Is this truly safe? Can we add padding somehow, or a head rest, or is this dangerous?


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## moondiapers

It's the easiest seat I've evern installed. Just put the seatbelt through the beltpath indicated for which way it'll be facing...and tighten. You may need to push it down with your knee, and you may not. I've always been able to get a nice tight install with it. The only car I've ever had to use a noodle with is my mom's camaro, those are some funky back seats.


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## Twinklefae

It's safe as is (all seats pass the same testing, remember.) and you can't add after market products like headrests.

It's easier to install with the seatbelt, the LATCH clips are cheap and hard to tighten IME. I've always needed a rolled towel or noodle for it, but only one.

It's my second easiest install, after the Truefit, and that's only because the Truefit has locking clips.


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## s_kristina

Both of my boys have been in a Scenera from the time they outgrew their Snugride. I didn't have any problems with installing it in the vehicles we have used it in. I have usually pushed my knee in to the seat to make sure the install is tight. I have never used latch as the vehicles we have put the seat in are too old to have latch.


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## DahliaRW

You may need to use a locking clip if you do a seatbelt install to prevent tipping.


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## cschick

I have found the (forward-facing) install of the Scenara with a seatbelt to be extremely easy once you've figured it out--the Scenara has been our travel seat and we can pop it FF into a rental car with a seatbelt install in a couple of minutes. We've also done it via LATCH in a rental car with about the same ease. I don't know about RF, which I hear can be the difficulty.

Airplane install (once again, FF) is extremely easy. Put the belt through the path, pull it hard and tight, and the seat isn't going to move.

I hate the buckles on the Scenara, but otherwise, I love the Scenara as a secondary seat.


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## allisonrose

I read a tip on car-seat.org for rfing a Scenera but can't find it now. It was to get behind the seat and lean over it with your hips and reach in the cover and pull the belt from the middle of the seat. (Assuming you're doing a seatbelt install rather than latch.) I've had success using that tip when the install was tricky.


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## snoopy5386

FFing with a scenera is super easy. RFing is a different story. I've never been able to successfully install it RFing in any car I've tried - pool noodle, no noodle, 3 adults spending 3 hours trying to get installed in one car in 3 different seating positions, etc. I've tried it in at least 4-5 different cars probably spent over 10 hours total trying. Once DD got past 2 I just gave up and stopped even bothering to try.


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## TheGirls

We have a Scenera as our travel seat and have rarely had any trouble with it. It does need a pool noodle/towel to be even 30 degrees in almost any car I've tried. I've installed it in at least 9-10 vehicles, always RF, and I've even used LATCH on it a few times. (SIL's Expedition seems to work better with LATCH. Seatbelt install + leather seats seems to be a hard combo for me.)

It will tip if you don't use a locking clip, especially after a few days. This is ok, safetywise, but drives me batty so I try to use the locking clip if I'm installing for more than a single ride.

Watch the crotch strap when you thread the seatbelt or LATCH strap through the RF belt path. It's really easy to get the crotch strap caught up in the seatbelt.

Make sure that the little feet on the back of the seat are folded up for RF. They should be folded down for FF.

Otherwise, I just run the seatbelt through the belt path and buckle, then put a noodle or something in place, then pull the seatbelt all the way out to lock, let it retract, position the seat how I want it, and push down into the seat (where the kid's bottom goes) while pulling the strap tight. It's not the easiest install ever (my TrueFit is easier) but it very rarely takes me more than a few minutes. The LATCH strap does work, but be prepared to pull a lot (and HARD) to get it tight.


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## delightedbutterfly

I have found it easy to install rearfacing in my Subaru Legacy. No Latch just seatbelts and I have never had any tipping problems so I never needed a locking clip. it does "twist" a little bit but it is rare and nothing a quick double check on the tightening doesn't fix.

I have a towel in there as it did need the extra for the 45 deg recline but I can lose that now as my babe is a toddler and could do without.

The only thing I think you have to watch for is that when rearfacing the seatbelt has to be in front of the crotch strap.

And the only annoying thing is that when trying to install the seat rfing the foot likes to come loose ALL the time and that is a bit of a pain.

I have heard this is hard to get right but again I had no problem.

We bought this seat as a "bridge" seat until we could afford something better (was only $65 CND) at the time and I just haven't had the need to replace it. We may just keep her in it until she outgrows it. Although it doesn't have any padding and we have long car trips to get anywhere and so the comfort factor is why we would upgrade.


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