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Car seats

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Original poster

Cybex Pallas not safe?

42 replies

Terra1 · 25/01/2011 21:32

We've been using the Cybex Pallas for a month with our 2-year-old and she's escaped by wriggling out 4 times, mid driving! Absolutely shocking! Mamas and Papas who we bought it from (also Cybex's representative) have been exremely disappointing and refuse to believe us because no one else has reported their toddler can escape from the seat. Has anyone had a similar problem?
(By the way, although fitting this car seat is very straightforward, we have been to our local council's in-car safety unit to make sure we do fit it correctly and we do.)

OP posts:

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DoubleDelightTwins · 07/09/2013 20:50

Hello again.

Thank you so much for your messages, BranchingOut and Sleeplessinderbyshire! We now tighten the first half of seatbelt, then fit the second half of seatbelt. Our DD really tried to get out, but couldn't!! So far so good.

We are not sure if Mamas & Papas sales staff has shown us to use the car seat this way. I was too busy entertaining excited twins in the shop while my husband went out to the car park with M&P lady and tried Cybex seat in my car.

PeacockPlumage · 07/09/2013 21:02

There is a terrifying crash test video of these seats going around that shows a child being thrown clear out of the seat in a roll over - I am sticking with erf and 5 point harnesses for mine.

It is not a behavioural issue, as if your child can escape the harness then the forces exerted in a crash would be far greater and your child would be ejected. Please don't pad her put with coats/layers. It is actually advised to remove winter coats to ensure a tight fit.

ftcang · 21/09/2013 19:50

We have a Cybex Pallas and haven't yet had a problem with our 2.5 yr old son getting out. I agree with gallicgirl and BranchingOut.
To Double Delight Twins: when my friend's eldest toddler started releasing his 5-point harness while they were on a car journey, she would immediately stop the car, rebuckle his harness, and then explain to him that they were "going home" as he would not stay buckled in properly, before driving home to howls of protest. After this happened a few times, he learned pretty quickly to stay buckled in his car seat and she has had no problems with loose toddlers in the car since. Maybe give that a try? Good luck!

RandomMess · 21/09/2013 19:57

My houdini could escape from various 5 point harnesses and could undo the buckle on several of them when she was still very young...

Eiremama123 · 07/03/2017 22:02

I know this is old now, but feel I have to comment. We have one of these for a year now and have a very strong houdini child. He cannot get out of this seat when fitted correctly and I cannot see how any child could. You must ensure the cushion is tight, so you cannot fit a finger between it and the child, then you put the lap belt piece of the seatbelt in the slot first, buckle the belt and pull tight, you then put the shoulder piece of the seatbelt through the slot. When done like this, no child can move. If your child can turn sideways it's not tight enough. When done like this even my husband could not move the cushion by trying to pull it out. The child had tried his best to wriggle out, but he can't. They have been safety tested and are actually safer than a 5 point harness.

AndKnowItsSeven · 07/03/2017 22:04

We did all that Eiremama and our child still escaped . A child can twist and twist gradually and then escape.

TupperwareTat · 07/03/2017 22:07

We have always found ours to be really good. It is secure through isofix then easily adjusted to be snug across the tummy and then the seat belt across.

littledinaco · 07/03/2017 22:14

Some 2 year olds can undo the buckles on a 5 point harness so not sure what the answer is if you have an escapee.

FinallyDebtFree · 07/03/2017 22:22

I have this seat and never had a problem...thread title is pretty alarmist OP

Hookaduck1989 · 27/08/2018 04:47

My 1yr old (just turned 1 this weekend) climbed out of her cybex Pallas seat whilst the car was moving the other day. We have the same seat for our 4 year old that we have used for some time although not from as young as the youngest is, but confident that we know how to fasten it correctly. She sort of moved her legs sideways under the cushion and then wriggled up and out of it. She’s a petite baby but meets the minimum weight requirement. It is scary to think she could do it whilst driving at a high speed like on the motorway. Fortunately we were on a local road and could easily pull over. It does concern me that these seats might not be that responsive on impact as well, although our older daughter always looked really snug in hers. I’m not sure a 1yr old can fully understand why she shouldn’t be climbing out of her seat and although she understands no and sit down, she just thought it was a bit of a game and didn’t understand that she shouldn’t do it. Not contacted cybex or M&P (where we got it) but if she does it again then I will do.

teaandbiscuitsforme · 27/08/2018 12:28

My advice would be that you really shouldn't use that seat. The consequences of a crash on a motorway just don't bare thinking about - you now know that that seat would not keep her in place, even if she remains seated in it.

This is the big risk with impact shield seats - children don't have to be that small to slide under them or be pulled out the top. (Ignoring the concerns about what the bar might do to internal organs in a crash). The safest place for her is to be harnassed rear facing. If you won't go for rear facing then you really do need to get a harnassed seat.

Hookaduck1989 · 27/08/2018 12:47

You are probably right, although it took a lot of wriggling for her to get out so I’m not sure she would be likely to come out in an accident unless she had already done the wriggling. I’m going to look for an alternative car seat and let the company know of the problem we have had. I’m sure they’ll just blame us like the OP said happened to them.

teaandbiscuitsforme · 27/08/2018 13:02

I'd still make a huge fuss. They shouldn't be selling a seat for 9kg+ that a 9kg child can climb out of! But I would expect them to say that it's your responsibility to make sure your child fits their seat.

There are much safer options for your DD anyway if you can look into a new seat.

Hookaduck1989 · 27/08/2018 13:21

The problem is that you only have the guidelines they set to go off. Until your child actually demonstrates that they can climb out you don’t really know. This hasn’t happened immediately, she has been using it for a month before this incident with no sign of there being any issues with fit.

randomsabreuse · 22/10/2018 07:23

We looked out of this seat for my Houdini 3yo and there's no way she could wriggle out at her current weight. Can easily escape a 5 point harness if she tries to which is annoying. At 3 we are just about winning on arms in or else, going home only works if she actually cares where we are going!

I can see that the impact shield seats would be problematic for slim hips/legs at just over the lower limit though.

We've tried a few seats that "should" have worked on measurements but don't fit our child - Britax 2 way elite is about right for my now 3yo but would have been long in the back for her at 9kg! Which is why we schlep to the in car safety centre for car seat advice rather than relying on mothercare/Halfords!

Jenjen773 · 10/12/2020 16:22

I’ve just bought this for my twins coz they keep getting their arms out and this says it’s good for escaping children, well both of mine can push it forward if they want too so what’s that all about? Surely their is a way to lock it? I thought I mudt be doin something wrong

BertieBotts · 16/12/2020 20:47

This is a very old thread, but yes unfortunately it's an issue with very determined houdini kids! If they figure out they can slowly push the shield forwards there's nothing to lock the seatbelt's emergency lock mechanism and it will just slowly loosen and then they can climb out. I had one years ago for my now 12yo and he never escaped, but from what I know about them now I would never recommend them any more. Hypermobile kids in particular are very good at escaping from these (and any seat actually).

Do you still have five point harness seats for them you can put them back into? I would recommend either Five Point Plus or the Besafe Belt Collector. Both of these products can be added to ordinary 5-point harness seats and help prevent/discourage escaping. It's also a good idea to check your harnesses are adjusted correctly as if they are too low or high it's easier for children to escape. But they can escape easily even when it's properly adjusted as they can just suck their tummy in, which creates a gap in the straps there. Gummy/chunky wristbands or watches for the kids help as well. I bought a load of replacement straps in different colours for my smart watch (miband) for about £6 on amazon and my 2yo likes wearing them as he thinks it's "his" watch. They fasten pretty tight and would act as a bit of a barrier against car seat antics.

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