# LATCH after 40lbs?



## mamatoablessing (Oct 17, 2005)

So I think that most car manufacturers (Ford being the exception) does not recommend LATCH being used over 40lbs. Is this correct?

I hate seatbelt installing. I'm just not good at it. I can get such a solid, tight install with LATCH.

We have a Britax Marathon in a Honda Pilot, btw.


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Honda is 40lbs. So yes, seatbelt after that. I find seatbelt installs aren't too bad with Britax seats.


----------



## mommy2two babes (Feb 7, 2007)

I have both a dodge and a pontiac with latch. I was told on here actually that the latch limit for them is 48 lbs.


----------



## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Yep, I have a dodge (48lbs) and a honda (40lbs)


----------



## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Kia I think is 40# and Toyota?


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Toyota is 48.


----------



## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Thanks. I usually just look in my latch manual, lol.


----------



## KayleeZoo (Apr 8, 2003)

Hijacking- does anyone w/a LATCH manual know the limit for GMC? My new to me 05 Yukon XL manual doesn't address the LATCH limit. TIA!!


----------



## katie9143 (Oct 3, 2006)

ya me too.....dh now drives my 01' olds alero....does that one have a 40lb latch limit too? i cant find the manual anymore. anyone have a clue?


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The only one with a 40 pound limit is Honda. The rest are 48, Subaru is 60.

Kaylee and Katie, both of yours have 48 lb limits on the lower anchors.


----------



## katie9143 (Oct 3, 2006)

awesome thanks! that car will surely die or be traded in before she is that heavy! the angle of the seats is so weird that i know installing with a belt would really SUCK (and that is the car that the backup seat gets taken in and out of) !


----------



## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
The only one with a 40 pound limit is Honda. The rest are 48, Subaru is 60.


Wow, that's awesome. Figures that I own a Honda.







I need to go switch my girls seat from latch to the seatbelt like, uh, TODAY!









I love latch.


----------



## KayleeZoo (Apr 8, 2003)

Thanks Anna!


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Remember that Acura is Honda and is also a 40# limit: Ferrari and Mercedes are 40# as well.


----------



## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
The only one with a 40 pound limit is Honda. The rest are 48, Subaru is 60.

Kaylee and Katie, both of yours have 48 lb limits on the lower anchors.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Remember that Acura is Honda and is also a 40# limit: Ferrari and Mercedes are 40# as well.

Yep, I was going to say Acura = Honda.

What about those Mazdas that are made by Honda?


----------



## GirlBoyGirlBoy (Sep 9, 2008)

Okay I am cracking up at the thought of installing a car seat in a Ferrari! Seriously though, I am so glad I read this thread because I truly was not aware of a LATCH weight limit until now... My 6 year old son is in a Nautilus LATCHed into a Toyota Sequoia at 45 lbs...


----------



## RoseRedHoofbeats (Feb 27, 2008)

Where can you find out what your vehicle's LATCH limit is? I have a 2002 Nissan Maxima.

~Rose


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Nissan is 48 pounds


----------



## IlluminatedAttic (Aug 25, 2006)

So the limit in my 2005 Kia Sorrento is 48 lbs? I looked all through the manual and it did not state a limit.


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RoseRedHoofbeats* 
Where can you find out what your vehicle's LATCH limit is? I have a 2002 Nissan Maxima.

~Rose

Nissan defers to the carseat manufacturer: the Recaro Signo specifies a LATCH limit of 48# (and psst, go back to your other thread, I wrote something to you there).


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *IlluminatedAttic* 
So the limit in my 2005 Kia Sorrento is 48 lbs? I looked all through the manual and it did not state a limit.

Kia also defers to the carseat manufacturer. What seat do you have?


----------



## veganone (May 10, 2007)

Um, possibly stupid question. Would the limit be baby+carseat or just baby? DD is only 23 lbs still, but I'm guessing her Marathon is over 10 lbs.


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Just baby.


----------



## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

This is so helpful, thank you, I'm glad I found this. We are about to buy a car, and I was trying to decide between a Honda and a Toyota. I was already leaning towards the Toyota, so this helps sway me even more. So, my child just turned 5 and is only about 39-40 pounds, and I of course want to keep him harnessed as long as possible. So what you guys are saying is that any car seat that has latch could go in a Toyota for 8 more pounds for us, is that right? Because that could be quite a while longer.

Thanks!


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

It depends on the car seat as well. I can't think of any HWH seats off the top of my head that have less than a 48 lb LATCH limit, though.


----------



## IlluminatedAttic (Aug 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Kia also defers to the carseat manufacturer. What seat do you have?

Ds is FF in a Britax Boulevard and I'm about to order a True Fit for the new baby.


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momofmine* 
This is so helpful, thank you, I'm glad I found this. We are about to buy a car, and I was trying to decide between a Honda and a Toyota. I was already leaning towards the Toyota, so this helps sway me even more. So, my child just turned 5 and is only about 39-40 pounds, and I of course want to keep him harnessed as long as possible. So what you guys are saying is that any car seat that has latch could go in a Toyota for 8 more pounds for us, is that right? Because that could be quite a while longer.

Thanks!

You can also install carseats with seatbelts at any weight.


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *IlluminatedAttic* 
Ds is FF in a Britax Boulevard and I'm about to order a True Fit for the new baby.

Britax: assume 40 pound LATCH limit unless otherwise specified, so 40# in the Kia.

Learning Curve: I can't find a limit spedified, maybe someone else can.


----------



## Ceili (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
Toyota is 48.










I thought Toyota deferred to the seat manufacturer? carseat.org won't load for me right now, but I remember several threads about that.

Ds is 39 pounds and in a 1 year old Regent. Didn't Britax changed their latch limit to 40 pounds? So I think I have to switch to a seat belt install right? Anyone know what the weight limits are on long path install vs short path install on the Regent?


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

According to the 2009 Safe Ride News LATCH manual, Toyota does defer to the carseat manufacturer (page 305) and Britax defines a LATCH limit of 40# unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer (page 113). You get an A+! (And you need to switch to short belt path at 40#.)


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
According to the 2009 Safe Ride News LATCH manual, Toyota does defer to the carseat manufacturer (page 305) and Britax defines a LATCH limit of 40# unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer (page 113). You get an A+! (And you need to switch to short belt path at 40#.)

Oh, good to know. I was told 48 at a carseat check a few months back when I mentioned we were considering getting a Sienna.


----------



## Ceili (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
According to the 2009 Safe Ride News LATCH manual, Toyota does defer to the carseat manufacturer (page 305) and Britax defines a LATCH limit of 40# unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer (page 113). You get an A+! (And you need to switch to short belt path at 40#.)

Thanks chickabiddy. I knew it was coming up, but 42 pounds kept popping up in my head for short path for some reason and I wasn't looking forward to switching it to long path only to have to reinstall it short path in another few months. I spend a lot of time cursing when I have to reinstall the Regent and it's especially tricky now being 8 1/2 months pregnant and summertime. It's time to do the carseat shuffle around here though anyway, gotta get the newbie's seat installed soonish.


----------



## Thandiwe (May 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
...on the lower anchors.

How about the top tether? Is there a weight limit on this?

After reading all these responses, I'm saddened. I have three kiddos (one more on the way in the winter). We have a Grand Caravan, but there's only one top tether in the back seat, dead center aligned with the LATCH. My oldest just hit 50#, so I have to remove the LATCH, but by doing so, he will need to move over to the side of the seat, which means no more top tether.







Also, I feel stuck with this car seat. I have the Britax Frontier, which I love, but after a certain weight limit I HAVE to use the tether. Unfortunately, by then the baby will be here and I will have to move him to the side of the back seat, where there's not a tether point. What then?

Anyways, just random thoughts rolling through my head.


----------



## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Can you not install with a seatbelt and top tether in the center position?

The Frontier requires a top tether after 65#, but it's kind of a moot point, because most kids will outgrow the Frontier by height before 65#.


----------



## Thandiwe (May 14, 2007)

Yeah, I suppose I won't have a choice but to do that install with the Frontier. It gets tricky though because we have to keep the 60/40 split in the seat in order to haul our double stroller, but then the Frontier hangs over the edge of the side edge of the seat a little bit. As for the weight/height limit, I think we will go the distance with it. My son is about 50# and only 4. As for height, he's a little short, and we have a lot longer that we can use the Frontier with height. I dunno...I guess I really don't feel comfortable with the fit I can get from the lap belt, doesn't feel really secure compared to the tight lap/shoulder combo. I just wish they had put top tethers on each of the seat positions in the back row.


----------

