Child Seats Don't Fit? Seat Belts Long Enough?

[barryheath]

Hi,

We have a 4 week old baby girl and the car seat does not fit. I have tried friends' ones too and they are all to big. Or should I say the seat belts are not sufficiently long enough to go around the seats correctly.

I can only get the belt over the top of the seat - not good!

Does anyone or has anyone had the same problem. Is there a way to disable to front airbag??? Perhaps it 'may' fit in the front???

Thanks for your help. Its a company car and the only solution will be to change it! Rather not as its lovely.

Regards

Barry Heath

[Red Yaris 54]

Hi,

We have a 4 week old baby girl and the car seat does not fit. I have tried friends' ones too and they are all to big. Or should I say the seat belts are not sufficiently long enough to go around the seats correctly.

I can only get the belt over the top of the seat - not good!

Does anyone or has anyone had the same problem. Is there a way to disable to front airbag??? Perhaps it 'may' fit in the front???

Thanks for your help. Its a company car and the only solution will be to change it! Rather not as its lovely.

Regards

Barry Heath

Hi Barry and welcome to TOC

Have you checked in your handbook/Manual supplied with the car?

I understand all modern Toyota's have ISOFIX mountings for child seats.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/child..._standards.html

Maybe your local Toyota Centre would be prepared to give you some advice on fitting child seats, certainly worth asking them

You do not want to change your car for what should be a simple solution...................Good Luck :)

[Muarrif]

I have a toyta Avensis 2003 model. Never had a problem perhaps if you have a newer model it does not extend as much.

First I had a ifant carrier and the belt went all the way around (Rear Left) and later as my son grew older I changed it for a car seat from Argos and no problem at all.

Perhaps you are pulling it outsuddenly so it locks try retracting it slowly so see how far out the belt comes.

I definately agree with the previous post (Take it to the Toypta Garage) they shoudl be able to help.

[TeyaDog]

I have a 55 Plate (06) Avensis and have no problems whatsoever in using a childs car seat and find the seat belts of sufficient length.

[Thomas Jorgensen]

Hi,

We have a 4 week old baby girl and the car seat does not fit. I have tried friends' ones too and they are all to big. Or should I say the seat belts are not sufficiently long enough to go around the seats correctly.

I can only get the belt over the top of the seat - not good!...

I have a 2007 Avensis st.wagon. The same thing about short belts in the back. HOWEVER, if you use the right technique, you CAN fit even the larger baby seats. Try this procedure:

1: Slowly extend belt completely - have a helper ensure that belt does not wind back when proceeding.

2: Put the lower part of the belt across the chair - but NOT into the buckle, leave it hanging loose.

3: Put the upper part of the belt around the chair, slightly lifting the chair toward the back is okay.

4: When belt i positioned in front of the child seat, press seat against car seat, and squeeze the belt into the buckle.

It should work... try a few times. :)

-Thomas

[MarkR]

I have a 55 Plate (06) Avensis and have no problems whatsoever in using a childs car seat and find the seat belts of sufficient length.

I've a 04 one and have no problem, mayb e it's the way you are fitting it? I remember there was some mad way where the belt goes over the top, or through a base of some sort. What model child seat do you have?

[The Dogs]

I have a 2007 Avensis no problem with fitting my granddaughters seat in mine. :D

[bjw]

Yes fitting a rear facing child seat in the back is a bit of a pain!! the belts are only just long enough

[Muarrif]

You can get a seat belt extension and it should solve the problem. These things cost about £15

Adjustable Car Seat Belt Extension 70 cm Total Length

Safety belt extension adjustable length. Simply fits between your existing seat belt. Adjustable length for comfort fitment. Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

Ideal for use with child seats. Lots of our customers are using this item to extend the rear seatbelts in the rear of their cars.

Technical spec:

* Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

* Simple to install, just fits between existing seat belt.

* Adjustable length for comfortable fitment.

* 70 cm total length.

Buckle measurements:

* Width: 22mm.

* Length: 40mm from plastic to metal.

* Thickness: 4mm.

* Square hole size: length: 22mm, width: 14mm.

[barryheath]

Re: All of your help and replies.

I've registered with numberous forums in the past and its amazing how many responses you 'dont' get.

Many thanks to everyone for their input.

The seat is a silver cross. I've tried and Gracco and a Mothercare std one from friends to no avail.

I've been to Toyota and they too could not manage to offer a solution other than to bolt the seat in for me. It part of the pram so not ideal....!

The seat belt extension is not something I was aware of and thats the route I'll take so many thanks for that and all your other suggestions.

Regards

Barry Heath

You can get a seat belt extension and it should solve the problem. These things cost about £15

Adjustable Car Seat Belt Extension 70 cm Total Length

Safety belt extension adjustable length. Simply fits between your existing seat belt. Adjustable length for comfort fitment. Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

Ideal for use with child seats. Lots of our customers are using this item to extend the rear seatbelts in the rear of their cars.

Technical spec:

* Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

* Simple to install, just fits between existing seat belt.

* Adjustable length for comfortable fitment.

* 70 cm total length.

Buckle measurements:

* Width: 22mm.

* Length: 40mm from plastic to metal.

* Thickness: 4mm.

* Square hole size: length: 22mm, width: 14mm.

[Barkotron]

Hi Barry,

My daughter's 4 weeks tomorrow, so nearly snap! :)

We have the Bebe Confort Creatis, which _just_ fits inside the seat belt: the tip we got from Mothercare was to use a freezer bag clip on the belt to stop it from rolling back up. This works really well - just extend the belt completely, attach the clip right at the top, then you've got two hands free fiddling with the belt and the seat.

It's a very tight fit, even with the belt completely extended I have to do quite a bit of pushing and pulling, but it does attach properly and the seat feels very secure.

Might be worth a shot - for a few p outlay it's worked well for us.

Cheers,

Chris

[Luke-v]

You can get a seat belt extension and it should solve the problem. These things cost about £15

Adjustable Car Seat Belt Extension 70 cm Total Length

Safety belt extension adjustable length. Simply fits between your existing seat belt. Adjustable length for comfort fitment. Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

Ideal for use with child seats. Lots of our customers are using this item to extend the rear seatbelts in the rear of their cars.

Technical spec:

* Compliant to E1 safety regulations.

* Simple to install, just fits between existing seat belt.

* Adjustable length for comfortable fitment.

* 70 cm total length.

Buckle measurements:

* Width: 22mm.

* Length: 40mm from plastic to metal.

* Thickness: 4mm.

* Square hole size: length: 22mm, width: 14mm.

Although that site says otherwise, all ROSPA, AA, RAc safety information says that seat belt extensions should never be used for securing child seats.

I had the same problem in my last Leon with a rear facing seat, and looked in to all the alternatives. I was left with two options, 1) buy a new child seat, 2) buy a new car. I chose 2 but 1 would have been cheaper.

I wasn't willing to go against the relevant safety advice, even though there are plenty of stores selling extensions as 'ideal for child seats'. To be honest, they'd say anything to get a sale, and my daughter was more important to me than the car was.

[Saintsman]

Hi.

We have an 2006 Wagon & a 1998 Liftback and had success with the following seats:-

Maxi-Cosi Rearfacing (0+) : But did find that it was necessary to feed the belt around the seat before clipping-in the buckle.

Britax Eclipse x2

Britax Trio

Britax Hi-Liner x2

Hope this can help?

ps: I know some people dislike the feature that locks the belts after being fully extended, but I found that the Eclipse & Trio were much safer with this feature.

[pas123]

we're having a similar issue with my wifes 07 plate T180, its really annoying how you have to use the freezer bag solution to put the smaller seat in and now the little one has grown we find the replacments (maxi cosi opal and britax first class plus) either just fit (maxi cosi) and too tight for the recomendation of mothercare and the britax has a little more spare but you have to post the baby over the seat belt so not ideal

so what type of buckle combination is needed for the belt extender please

thanks

Paul