[mevertin]

Hi Everyone,
I'm having issues with my 2 year old's car seat that I have never experienced with my older kids. I have a 2000 Excursion with 2 bench seats. He is in a Britax Marathon in the center spot in the second row. The bench seat has 2 spots behind the driver's seat and the third spot behind the passenger seat flips down and slides forward to allow entry to the back row of seats. When I install the seat I kneel in it and it is solid like a rock ( I am no petite flower at 5ft 10in). Every couple days I notice that the base of the seat has slid forward on the seat to the point that I can push it backward and it moves a couple inches. I have taken it out and re-installed it numerous times and it continues to happen. The seat belt looks fine- no fraying or anything and it retracts tightly.The seat looks fine aside from 9 years worth of wear and tear. I am trying to figure out what is causing it to slide. I am wondering if when the big kids climb into the back they lean on the top of his seat. I am also wondering if when I put him in and I kneel on the seat next to him (the car is very tall and I need to climb up to get him in ) if that is loosening the seat. I know the obvious solution is to move him to another spot, but the center belts in my car are lap belts so I don't want to put one of my older kids in a lap belt. I have probably had a car seat in the center spot for the entire time I have owned the car. Is this a Britax thing or should I look for a non-slip pad or something. Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mary
mom to Bobby 12, Bridget 11, Angela 9, Eddie 4 (home in 2005) and Naldo 2 (home Feb. 08)

[avoel]

First of all...do you mean the child safety seat is nine years old? Or the vehicle seat? Safety seats expire after six years and should never be used after that time.

I do have nonslip pads under my kids marathons...it does seem to help. The other thing to check is whether or not your seatbelt locking mechanism is intact. If the seat belt does not lock in place (meaning you pull it all the way out and as you push it back in, it "locks" so it can not be pulled out again) you need a locking clip to install the seat properly. A nonlocking seatbelt may be the issue.

My marathons have been installed with seatbelts for a year now and I have not had this issue. They don't budge at all! Are you using the lockoff on the seat too?

[britfish]

I second the PP in the checking the expiration of your seat. If its ok, then you may went to put some of the shelf liner mesh down under the seat to prevent it from slipping. I have a Marathon and it has always stayed rock solid once in place w/ the shelf liner.

[mkinzie]

Ditto the other posts. I have a liner underneath, too.

[mevertin]

Thanks everyone. I bought his seat in May 08, my car is 9 years old. I checked the belt -it is so tight that I can't move it when I yank on it. It must the base of the seat and the leather on the bench seat. I will get some shelf liner tonight when I take the big kids to hockey and basketball.
Mary
mom to Bobby 12, Bridget 11, Angela 9, Eddie 4 (home in 2005)

[debhorner04]

Does your local fire department have anyone certified to install the child safety seats? Ours has done it free of charge. When the seat needed to be turned to forward facing, they did that for us too. We just bought a new car----I had a VERY difficult time removing the seat---it was so tight! They just put the seat in the new car. Our fire dept. tells us that the majority of people don't have the car seat in properly. Check to see if a local fire department has someone to check the seat for you.

[DPline]

If you follow this link NHTSA Child Safety Seat Inspection Station Locator you can put in your zip code and find a CPS tech local to you who can help you with the correct installation.

[Amber76]

Originally Posted by mevertin

Hi Everyone, but the center belts in my car are lap belts so I don't want to put one of my older kids in a lap belt.

I don't think there is any such thing as a child safety locking lap belt. I'm pretty sure you either have to use a locking clip or not use a lap belt with a car seat. Is it the type where you manually pull to tighten the seat belt or the kind that retracts automatically? Only ones that retract automatically and are specifically child saftey seat belts can be used without a locking clip.

[DPline]

A locking clip should not be used on a lap belt only.

CPSafety - Your online child passenger safety resource

A belt-shortening clip is used to lock a lap belt that cannot be locked by a retractor or a latchplate. But even on a 9 year old vehicle I think it is pretty rare to find a seatbelt that can not be locked by the retractor or the latchplate.

That is why I would advise finding a CPS tech local to you who can look at exactly what type of latchplate and what type of retractor it is to determine the problem. (Or if it is just a matter of the car seat slipping on the leather seat.)