We have our infant seat base installed with the belt in the middle because my vehicle only has LATCH bars on the outboard seats. This morning I was driving with DD. A few blocks from home I looked in the rearview and the carseat had slid across the seat. Of course I pulled into a parking lot immediately and found that the seat belt holding the base had come unbuckled. OMG. I usually give the whole thing a tug to check on it but I guess I didn't this morning. Never will forget that again.
And the WWYD: I have no idea how it came unbuckled. Would you consider that seat belt unreliable and move the base to one of the outboard positions? It's an 11-year-old SUV, kind of a tank, if that matters.
Can you take it to a trusted mechanic or the manufacturer/stealership to have it checked? Even an 11 year old car/SUV should have the safety restraints in good + working order! I'd see if it's a defective belt latch
Oh my goodness, glad you noticed quickly and were able to pull over safely.
If the buckle seems secure when you buckle it and tug on it, I would assume that the buckle was accidentally unbuckled somehow, like something hit the top of it. If it makes you nervous, though, no harm in moving it to an outboard position.
Post by countthestars on Jul 24, 2014 14:33:59 GMT -5
How scary!
DD has always been latched outboard because it was a much better install for us. I would absolutely do outboard and probably bring my car to be checked to make sure it's not a problem with all of your belts.
Oh my goodness, glad you noticed quickly and were able to pull over safely.
If the buckle seems secure when you buckle it and tug on it, I would assume that the buckle was accidentally unbuckled somehow, like something hit the top of it. If it makes you nervous, though, no harm in moving it to an outboard position.
It does seem secure when I pull it. I have our Tula on the seat next to it and sometimes put my diaper bag there too. I guess either of those things could have theoretically hit the button and unlatched it.
It seems like if that's possible there should be a "no things on the seat" rule for carseat safety. :/
The same thing happened to me recently with my CRV. I moved her outboard with the LATCH. She had originally been outboard and I went to a car seat inspection and they moved her to the center with the seat belt. I had not had a single issue with the LATCH for the prior 2 years that she was outboard so I immediately switched her back. FWIW the ladies doing the check did not like that DD was still RF past her 2nd birthday so I did not really trust them after that anyway.
I'd assume it was a one time accident. DDs old carseat was buckled too and I had to check it constantly because I'd hit pressing on it getting DD in, one of my nieces would accidentally crawl over it and hit getting out.
She's now outboard and LATCHED in her new seat which has been so much better and I get a decent fit too.