To want a replacement car seat

[Mrsgogginsthe3rd]

I was wondering if anyone could help. We’ve had to take our MC Axisfix back to M&P as the strap has become twisted and one side won’t tighten. We haven’t been very savvy about this and just accepted what they said which was that they couldn’t refund it, fine we need a car seat but they would need to send it to Maxi Cosi as they can open it up and find out what the problem with the strap is and fix if possible. Ok DC was screaming as we waited bloody ages so we accepted this and the loan of a car seat. They would only offer us the Joie Stages 0,1,2 car seat as a loan - none Isofix. I wasn’t happy with it not been Isofix but the whole thing was so stressful I just wanted to get out. Anyway on getting home and googling exactly what we’ve been given we’ve seen that the loan car seat has a Which Safety alert on it and a Don’t Buy. Obviously this is very distressing, I wasn’t happy that it wasn’t ISOFIX and now this. The latest which safety alert talks about front impact (which is most common) and high speeds, given I do a lot of motorway driving I found this quite alarming. Also thinking about it further I’m not sure I want a car seat that’s been taken apart this just doesn’t feel right - especially not when we’ve spent £350 on one. I also don’t want to be driving around with a loan one that has a safety alert on it. Where do I stand?!? Anyone had a similar experience. I’ve had a look at consumer rights gubbins and it seems to be I can ask for a replacement but they can offer you a repair. Surely it’s not safe to go messing around with a car seat. How do we know it’s been put back together properly, it’s not going to be crash tested is it again is it?!?

The alert is because it doesn't function as well in stage 1 front facing mode. What stage will you Be using it for?

I would talk to your local Trading Standards on monday morning to get their advice on what to say precisely to M&P to ensure that you get the result that you want and that you're not fobbed off.

It’s not rated poorly for front facing harnessed mode. For rear facing and booster mode it’s good. If your child is under 18kg then use it rear facing (as your child should be at this age/weight) if they’re over 18kg then the seatbelt booster mode is safe.

The car seat you have taken back, if it is being repaired by the people who made it then it is fine. They know how to make them and fit them together in the first place so should be able to to take one apart, test it and fit it back together to proper standards. Putting together a car seat after it has been dismantled is exactly like putting together the pieces in the first place.

They will also test it afterwards properly. They don't usually test them in a crash as they need replaced after an accident anyway, they will test them how they test all newly made car seats.

That warning is from 2013 and only affects certain serial numbers, are you sure this is one of those?

I've always found Mamas and Papas and also Maxi Cosi to have brilliant customer service, the brakes on my M&P pram went and i had a replacement within days, and Maxi Cosi have given me a lot of advice re carseats. Maybe now things aren't frantic and you've got your head together you can give them a ring.

My first carseat arrived in a box that was a bit bashed and i asked for a replacement because i wasn't happy it had obviously had some impact during delivery, I'm with you about wanting the safest option.

They've given you a safe and legal alternative seat, no "consumer rights" issue. If you dont like it, go and buy another seat.
Maxi Cosi manufacture the seats so they will know how to properly fix it - they will probably deal with hundreds a day

@Soontobe60 it’s stage 1 rear facing - although clearly not designed very well for this as the belt is totally in the way when getting them in and I’m essentially tipping DC upside down to get him in - queue screaming and 10 mins of crying once he’s in - happened twice now, when we were leaving be we also stopped at my parents on the way home and he did it then - can’t be doing with that for two weeks!

With my non iso fix you needed to take the seatbelt off completely each time for rear facing. It means that you adjust the tightness of the belt each time you put baby in making sure it's secure.

If the belt is in the way because it goes across the lap then there's a sliding technique that gets baby in without tipping and screaming. Keep practicing and you'll get it! I had to use a seat like that while visiting my parents until my kids were big enough for a bigger rear facing seat.

Pretty much all seats that belt in mean you have to slide them past the belt. What the hell are you tipping them upside down for though?! There’s absolutely no need for that. Just put them in properly. You can watch a video on YouTube if needs be.

The fact that it's not isofix doesn't mean it's less safe than an isofix seat. If it's belted in securely, it is as safe as being clicked into isofix fittings.
The isofix just makes things easier, and takes the guess work out of whether it's belted in properly.

You should be unstrapping the car seat to get the child in and out not tipping him upside-down and making him cry!

You are making this a far bigger deal than it needs to be.

You turn your baby upside down rather than unfasten the seat belt

If you fit an belted seat correctly it isn't any less safe than an ISOFIX.

It's fine for the people who make the seat to fix it for you. I'm a bit at your comment about not wanting to use a seat that's been 'taken apart' - it was in pieces before it was a complete brand new unit anyway!

Nothing you have posted sounds like you have been treated badly at all.

I lift a chunky 3.5 year old into mine, yes the seatbelt is a bit of a pain (I tend to hook it under the SIP bit) but I’ve never tipped the child upside down or made them cry.

@bouncingraindrops I agree

What do you mean by the strap was twisted? Unless it came like this then this has happened since you have been using it!

My DD straps often become twisted especially when DH straps her in, you just have to re thread them.

The carseat will be fine and if they cant fix it then they will probably replace it.

As for the loan carseat, most people don't have isofix as can't afford it, its not the end of the world just a pain in the ass x

And to those suggesting you unfasten the seatbelt, that’s not possible with this seat.

And to those suggesting you unfasten the seatbelt, that’s not possible with this seat.

Of course it is. Unless once you put it in it remains in your car forever 🤷‍♀️

You don’t need to unbelt the seat or turn them upside down, you just slide them in over the belt.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lsGCUwZDs Here - she puts the baby in under the belt but you can just slide them over it too. No need to turn them upside down - angle them feet first, slide them over the belt, turn them 90 degrees and plonk them in the seat. It’s not hard.

So you’re supposed to undo the seatbelt each time?!? Sorry if I sound dim but I’ve only ever used an ISOFIX base so would have no reason to know any of this! Well surely that’s the problem with the belt tethered ones how are you meant to unbelt it and refasten it 100% correctly each time with a wriggly 1 up in your arms, or can you do this whilst they’re in the seat?!? Sorry but they didn’t mention any of this in the shop, just that we’d have to try manoeuvre him through the belt if we wanted to use it rear facing

I think palming us off with a much cheaper car seat - (when we have to use the car every day to and from childcare) that isn’t really designed for rear facing at that stage after the one we had what they said had a serious safety fault which we invested in isn’t great @HJWT the strap is twisted and it’s also slackening off on one side on its own once tightened. Apparently they’re both connected, and it’s twisting due to an issue with the tightening mechanism. It shouldn’t happen so that it’s impossible to untwist. you can’t just re thread it on this model but they tried various things in store tna, apparently the twist is serious in terms of how it impacts safety, I wasn’t as concerned about this until they told me that.

Yes you strap in it with the child in the seat.

I'm not familiar with that particular seat but looking at the video it seems you have to belt it in before you place the child in, I don't think you could do it once the child is in the seat. But it doesn't seem that tricky to put them in, just slide them under the belt. I've done it with similar seats and never needed to tip a child upside down.

You cannot put the child in this seat then fasten it into the car seatbelt, it’s not possible. The lap part of the belt goes over the seat where the child sits, then the diagonal goes around the back. It HAS to be fastened I yo the car before seating the child, as the child sits on the actual seat belt.