radian latch question/issues

[SwaggerWagon]

Originally Posted by princessizziesmommy Yes I am talking about the top tether. I can get the two sides one in but the rear tether will not latch. There doesn't seem to be enough room between the metal of the car & the latch bar for the rear teether latch to snap into place. I have the seat FF, DD is 4. I will have a radian RF soon for my infant son as well and i am very concerned about a rear facing install with just a seatbelt. The only rear facing seat that I have had up until now is a infant seat. I will have DS rear facing until atleast two or maybe longer depending on his size. I prefer the latch install because of the teethering of the top of the seat. The side tethers i feel comfortable leaving unlatched if i can get a good install with the seatbelt but i love the top tether on cars because it keeps the top of the seat from rocking any. All my car seat installs have been rock solid. My last seat was a PAIN to get uninstalled because it was so tightly latched in and i couldnt get slack on the strap- finally got it undone by undoing rear teether and twisting seat a bit per manufacturer suggestion. I will no longer do both installation methods. I am not a hard headed person such as i prefer to do it my way over the safety recommendations. But i truly missed that while reading my first car seats manual (the rock solid latch installation). And since the car seat was put in and only checked for security since i had no reason to reread the manual and catch that mistake. Thank God there was never an accident to test the theory of safety issues while using both. But i do see now where the strains would be in different directions based on the two separate install methods.

You are still supposed to use the top tether with every install. It's just you use only the lower anchors OR the seat belt. So seat belt + top tether. oR SL + top tether. Does that make sense?

[jess71903]

Yes- you can use the top tether with ANY installation. It's the lower anchors that are one or the other.

I know exactly what you are talking about now. This weekend, I installed my son's ProSport in my ILs Tahoe. I got the top tether hooked just fine. We really had to work and twist and maneuver to get it off.

What vehicle is it in? Someone with that vehicle might be able to help. Can you clip it on (well, almost) then twist it up and get it to click the rest of the way?

I don't know why they make these things so hard.

[princessizziesmommy]

Its a Kia Sorento 06. I have asked on a few different forums but no one with that vehicle/year & seat have answered. I have read a few where people have them installed in their sorentos but none stated with or without latch or the new latchs. So far i have not been able to get the top tether to snap in AT ALL. I have tried several different times. I am going to get my husband to look at it tonight and try.
Thanks for the answers. Since there are so many issues with the latch I plan on doing seat belt install with *praying it will eventually work* top tether done.

[jess71903]

I'm going to post your question on car-seat.org and see what I can find. Surely someone there has or has had a Radian and a Sorento.