# Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL



## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

I just got this carseat for my 2 year old son. I bought it mainly because it rearfaces to 45 pounds. However the shell is so tall, that it touches the back of the front seat. No matter how far forwards the front seat is adjusted, it still touches it. The shell is height-adjustable, but even on it's lowest (or shortest) setting, it still touches the back of the front seat. I can't put it in the middle seat because there are no LATCH hooks for the middle seat. I don't know what to do, I hope he's still safe. Is there anyone else on here who has this seat? I have a 2007 Toyota Camry LE, and it's not a small car at all. The car has a lot of room.


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## jnet24 (Sep 4, 2006)

I have a dodge durango, def not a small car and have the same issue. I wondered how safe it is to drive that close to the stearing wheel or for the passenger. You can't put a car seat in the middle seat of our first row bench on our durango either.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

You need to read your car manual to see if it's ok for car seats to touch the front seat. Some cars forbid it.

You can install in the middle with the seatbelt - perfectly safe.

I highly suggest getting some help from a tech.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

If I put it in the middle, it still touches the back of the seats. It also tips over on turns because the middle seat is raised up (had that problem with my previous carseat), while the two side seats are lower. It would be nice if they had put LATCH tethers in the middle when the car was built. That would help a lot. If I could find my car owner's manual, I would read it. But I have no idea where it is.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Bad news is that many Toyotas do not allow RFing car seats to touch the front seats. You will, of course, need to confirm this with the vehicle manual -- you can probably order a new copy if you need it.

I also recommend meeting with a CPST to learn how to get a safe install in the center position.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Well I'd hate to ask my mom to return the carseat, especially since I'm the one who insisted that she get this particular model. I am also very low-income, so I can't afford another seat. The carseat is not shoved (or pushing) against the back of the front seat, but it is touching it. Once my son starts forward facing, it won't be an issue. He is growing quickly, he's tall and getting heavy. UPDATE: I just moved the front passenger seat up, so there is a little room (but not much) for the carseat. There's no way I can put the carseat behind my driver's seat. I am long legged (5 foot 7) and I need all of the leg room I can get while driving.


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## Chloebelle (May 20, 2010)

Are you tethering it RFing?
My Marathon was touching the front seat RFing, but I was told that it is OK if your are tethering. If you're not tethering, the seat needs to be able to move in an accident, which is why it can't touch.
I didn't know it depended on the vehicle.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Vehicles with advanced airbags do not allow a RFing carseat to touch the front seat, as it will confuse the airbag sensors. Check the vehicle manual under both airbag and child safety seat sections.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Chloebelle* 
Are you tethering it RFing?
My Marathon was touching the front seat RFing, but I was told that it is OK if your are tethering. If you're not tethering, the seat needs to be able to move in an accident, which is why it can't touch.
I didn't know it depended on the vehicle.

The radian is allowed to touch, even 'brace' against the front seat IF the CAR allows it Doesnt matter if its teathered or not (which, if it was teathered, it could still move downward, so the teather has nothing to do with weather or not it can touch)

Some cars allow it, some dont. The ones that dont are usually cars w/airbag sensors in the seat.

My car allows it, so my radian is braced, and teathered.

What angle are you installing it at? Try a more upright angle to give more room. A 2yr old can have it pretty upright.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

I don't think my car has airbag sensors inside of the seats. I'll try and find the owner's manual and see what it says. I think a lot of people have this problem with rearfacing carseats.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Ugh!!! The carseat shouldn't touch the front seat (like I figured). I guess my car does have advanced airbag sensors after all. I have his carseat installed behind the passenger seat, and it's very rare that someone actually rides in that seat (the passenger seat). So I guess it does not matter that I have it (the passenger seat) set way forwards to give some room between the carseat shell and the seat. Man, I wish cars were made with LATCH hooks for the rear, middle seat.


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## Smidge (Aug 29, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
You need to read your car manual to see if it's ok for car seats to touch the front seat. Some cars forbid it.

You can install in the middle with the seatbelt - perfectly safe.

I highly suggest getting some help from a tech.

Agreed


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## Smidge (Aug 29, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMacSanDiego* 
Ugh!!! The carseat shouldn't touch the front seat (like I figured). I guess my car does have advanced airbag sensors after all. I have his carseat installed behind the passenger seat, and it's very rare that someone actually rides in that seat (the passenger seat). So I guess it does not matter that I have it (the passenger seat) set way forwards to give some room between the carseat shell and the seat. Man, I wish cars were made with LATCH hooks for the rear, middle seat.

Why can't you install with the seatbelt?


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smidge* 
Why can't you install with the seatbelt?

I might try that again, but no matter what adjustments I made, it still tipped on sharp turns. Even using the locking clip didn't help much. I think I'll seek out a tech. In the meantime, I have the front passenger seat set almost as far forwards as it can go. Hope this picture link works:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...ik01/002-1.jpg


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Some cars do have lower anchors in the center. Vehicle manufacturers are required (in most vehicles) to supply two sets of lower anchors and three top tethers, so that's what most cars get -- but some do provide more.

It's not touching the passenger seat, so it's fine where it is. If you do have a passenger, you'll have to install center with seatbelt or turn FF for that ride if you can't get a solid install in the center. (And again, if you are not confident in your seatbelt install, find a CPST to teach you how to get a good one.)


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## Adventuredad (Apr 23, 2008)

The normal complaint from parents about Radian is that it requires a huge amount of space which makes front seat unusable. This seem to occur in large cars as well.

Letting a car seat touch or lean against front seat is not a problem, it just makes it safer. In a frontal collision the car seat will touch collide against front seat anyway.

We know this from experience since we have been leaning car sets against front seat since 1965 in Sweden and therefore have an enormous amount of data to rely on. Today, when our Swedish rear facing 55 lbs car seats have support legs, we still use support leg and also lean against front seat. This is done for maximum safety.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Adventuredad* 
Letting a car seat touch or lean against front seat is not a problem, it just makes it safer. In a frontal collision the car seat will touch collide against front seat anyway.

It is a problem when the vehicle manufacturer says it is.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
It is a problem when the vehicle manufacturer says it is.


I would agree. Provided the front seat is occupied. I don't see it as a safety issue (personally) if no one is in the front seat.

As I've had it explained to me, the smart airbags deploy at differing force dependent on the weight of the occupant of the front seat. So the issue is that the car seat could make the airbag sensor think someone heavier is in the front seat and will deploy the airbags with too much force, which could be a safety issue for the person sitting in the front seat. If the car allows and the seat allows, then I have no issues with it touching.


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

I would leave it on the passenger side, with the front seat pushed up, and if you need to transport a passenger, just have them ride in the back with the kiddo. It's a temporary situation and shouldn't be too horribly inconvenient. Good for you for keeping him rear-facing!









I would still see about having a tech look at it, simply because they may be able to manage a more upright install, making things easier on you. And of course, just in case you overlooked anything when installing it.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Thank you all for the advice. I appreciate it. For now I'll just keep it like it is, since I rarely have passengers ride in my car anyway, lol. 95% of the time, it's just Ryan and myself.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

I know it doesn't seem like it in this picture, but there is room between the carseat and the front seat: http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...Chik01/009.jpg


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

If it's not touching, it's fine.

However, the straps need to be below his shoulders and it looks like they could be a bit tighter.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
If it's not touching, it's fine.

However, the straps need to be below his shoulders and it looks like they could be a bit tighter.

Oh ok. I just put the straps one hole level lower, so they're below his shoulders. But don't worry about the tightness of the straps, they were real tight. It might not look that way in the picture.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Sorry for another post, but I found and read my car's owner's manual. It says this: "Do not install a rear facing child restraint system on the rear seat if it interferes with the lock mechanism of the front seats. Otherwise the child, or front seat occupants, may be killed or seriously injured in case of sudden braking or a collision." So I'll just keep the seat like I have it now. The front seat is not used very often anyway, so it can be moved far up. However there's no way the carseat can go behind my driver's seat, because I have long legs (I'm 5 foot 7) and I need the leg room while driving, lol. One he's big enough to face forwards, it won't be much of an issue, but I am certainly not going to turn his carseat until he's 45 pounds, as that is the RF weight limit for the Radian. Even after he's big enough to do so, I'm still going to be nervous having him face forwards.


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