# Took my car to the CHP Place for Carseat Inspection



## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Well my mom took it because I had lots of housework to do. The tech said it was installed wrong (like I figured it was). The tech moved the carseat from the middle seat to a side seat (probably because it's not raised up like the middle seat is). Then he/she installed the carseat using the LATCH belts only, not the seatbelt. The tech also put a bright yellow foam "roll-up" thing under the carseat for a good angle. Here's some pictures. I hope these pictures show up on here... http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...1/DSC00699.jpg http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...1/DSC00700.jpg


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Oh wow, you need to untether that before he rides in it.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

You can see that the Tech also used the top LATCH strap to hook onto the leg of the front passenger seat. Or he/she hooked it to something down there...http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...1/DSC00701.jpg


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## AllyRae (Dec 10, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMacSanDiego* 
You can see that the Tech also used the top LATCH strap to hook onto the leg of the front passenger seat. Or he/she hooked it to something down there...http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b4...1/DSC00701.jpg

Um, is that even legal? What would happen if you moved that seat forward?! I might be a bit out of it--I've just never seen it done that way!


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

nm, just read the rest LOL

what kind of carseat do you have?! you def can't have it tethered to a moveable part of the seat.

and I thought only a select few carseats could be tethered rf'ing anyway.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Oh wow, you need to untether that before he rides in it.

Untether it? What for? That's how the carseat safety tech installed it.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AllyRae* 
Um, is that even legal? What would happen if you moved that seat forward?! I might be a bit out of it--I've just never seen it done that way!

Apparently it is legal, especially if the carseat safety tech is the one who installed it that way. I didn't install it like that, the tech did.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
nm, just read the rest LOL

what kind of carseat do you have?! you def can't have it tethered to a moveable part of the seat.

It's not tethered to a moveable part of the seat. That's not the part of the seat that slides forwards and backwards.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMacSanDiego* 
Untether it? What for? That's how the carseat safety tech installed it.

No no, you can't have it top tethered. Your seat does NOT allow it. The only brands that do allow it are Britax and Sunshine Kids, not Graco.


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
No no, you can't have it top tethered. Your seat does NOT allow it. The only brands that do allow it are Britax and Sunshine Kids, not Graco.

Oh ok, well that's how the safety tech installed it so I figured it was the right way. I can untether the top strap. Is there a reason as to why it should not be used?


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

Ack! Unteather it right away! It could break your seat and put your child in danger if get in an accident! It is not safe AT ALL!

Only TWO seat brand on the USA market are tested for rear facing tether...Britax and Sunshine Kids...Graco doesn't allow it!


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Well I guess the carseat tech was/is not aware of that. Ok I'll untether it. Thank you ladies.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

and go back to the tech and tell them!


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
and go back to the tech and tell them!

When I have the time, I will.


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## azmomtoone (Aug 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
and go back to the tech and tell them!

What she said. Or call them at least. The top tether piece is NOT LATCH ...LATCH is "lower anchors and tethers for children" It is only the bottome pieces. Most (maybe all?) seats that harness FF have a top tether as well, it's been around longer then latch, that is what the strap is on your seat....it's designed to hook to the top anchor when it is forward facing.

Like others have said, just a couple seats, Like Britax, w/ their "versa-tether" have designed their top straps to be used forward facing or rear-facing....but britax'es hook to the top of the seat differently (it comes to a Y at the top) because the forces on it are different FF or RF.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMacSanDiego* 
When I have the time, I will.

You rock!


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
You rock!

LOL, thanks. I just went out to the car and unhooked the top tether and it was sooo hard! Whoever put it on there put it on tight!! I almost couldn't get it off. I was P.O'ed and I must have said half a dozen curse words under my breath. But I got it off of there, so that's good. Now when he eventually faces forward then it's ok to use that top tether with those anchor hooks, right? Those three anchor hooks (one for each rear seat), you all know what I'm talking about right?


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMacSanDiego* 
LOL, thanks. I just went out to the car and unhooked the top tether and it was sooo hard! Whoever put it on there put it on tight!! I almost couldn't get it off. I was P.O'ed and I must have said half a dozen curse words under my breath. But I got it off of there, so that's good. Now when he eventually faces forward then it's ok to use that top tether with those anchor hooks, right? Those three anchor hooks (one for each rear seat), you all know what I'm talking about right?

yes


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Yes, the top tether is a huge safety feature when FF!


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Yes, the top tether is a huge safety feature when FF!

Ok, thank you.


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## Mandynee22 (Nov 20, 2006)

Wow. Your car is so much cleaner than mine LMAO
Could the tech have put it there to get it out of the way? Does your seat have a hook in the back to hook the tether to? (Not saying that's at all what should happen but maybe that was why? So it wouldn't swing around?)


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## MaryJaneLouise (Jul 26, 2005)

Unfortunately, car seat techs are not always right. In fact, some of the "tech"s are not really CPSTs. I took my cars & seats into my hospital's weekly install clinic when I switched from RF to FF. The tech was completely unfamiliar with the "exotic" Britax Marathon







and didn't know how to switch the LATCH bottom tethers around. So she just twisted the tethers upside so they would "fit". I asked her at the time if that was right, she said "Well the latchey part of it says this side up, so you have to twist them upside down."

When I got home I double checked the manual and saw the instructions for flipping the latch connectors from side to side, and reinstalled it myself. Sigh.


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## butterfly_mommy (Oct 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaryJaneLouise* 
Unfortunately, car seat techs are not always right. In fact, some of the "tech"s are not really CPSTs. I took my cars & seats into my hospital's weekly install clinic when I switched from RF to FF. The tech was completely unfamiliar with the "exotic" Britax Marathon







and didn't know how to switch the LATCH bottom tethers around. So she just twisted the tethers upside so they would "fit". I asked her at the time if that was right, she said "Well the latchey part of it says this side up, so you have to twist them upside down."

When I got home I double checked the manual and saw the instructions for flipping the latch connectors from side to side, and reinstalled it myself. Sigh.

When we got our Sunhine Kids Radian when DS was 4 mons DH took it to be installed at a clinic, they were police officers and I think techs. Anyway no one had heard of or seen a Radian before, they used 3 pool noodles under the RF leg thing. When DH asked about tethering it they said that there was no RF seat that could be tethered







Also these were the same people who when installing our snugride when I was pg kept asking me why I insisted on having it installed in the middle seat when outboard was so much easier to access.

We used a lot of help from some techs online who are really knowledgeable to install the Radian properly!


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## JenMacSanDiego (Apr 3, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mandynee22* 
Wow. Your car is so much cleaner than mine LMAO
Could the tech have put it there to get it out of the way? Does your seat have a hook in the back to hook the tether to? (Not saying that's at all what should happen but maybe that was why? So it wouldn't swing around?)

Yes I'm rather picky about my car staying clean. It's a fairly new car, only 19 months old. The tech may have put it there to get it out of the way. But I untethered it and wrapped it up (because it's so long) with a rubber band. I'll use the top tether when he's FF later on.


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