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Original poster

Car seat can´t go in front, seat belt too short in back??!

37 replies

maveta · 17/04/2007 15:56

We´ve got a maxi cosi car seat to go with our travel system buggy. We can´t put it in the front seat because apparently the air bag cannot be desactivated (which we presumed it would do). So we just went to try and put it in the back seat but the seatbelts are too short and don´t fit all the way around!!!
So what do we do now?? Has anyone had this and what did they do? Do you know if you can change the back seatbelts for longer ones???
Baby due in 1 week so any advice greatly appreciated!

OP posts:

bozza · 17/04/2007 15:58

I would take it back or see if you can get one of those bases that they can be fitted on.

littlelapin · 17/04/2007 15:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RubyRioja · 17/04/2007 15:59

This reply has been deleted

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bozza · 17/04/2007 16:00

this sort of thing

MuffinMclay · 17/04/2007 16:03

I'd check with a car dealership and see if you can do this.

We found that the rear seatbelts on one of our cars (an Audi) were really short and it limited our choice of car seat hugely (first and second stage seats). The rear-facing seat we ended up with still didn't fit very well in the back, but we could turn off the front airbag so put it there.

If you can't alter the seatbelts (no idea if it is possible, but you don't lose anything by asking), could you take the travel system back and change it for one where the seat will fit?

littlelapin · 17/04/2007 16:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

maveta · 17/04/2007 16:12

Thanks for these suggestions.. dh has just spoken to the car dealership and they said this has never come up before??! They said that the seatbelts in the back don´t come any longer than what we have and we definitely cannot desactivate the front airbag. Dh is going to take the car and seat to the dealership tomorrow to show them and see what they can suggest.

We can´t change the whole travel system as it´s a hand me down and can´t afford to buy a new one.

OP posts:

purplemonkeydishwasher · 17/04/2007 16:15

we had the same problem. had to get a britax rock-a-tot because it could be routed a different way.
you don't happen to have a mondeo do you?

bozza · 17/04/2007 16:16

Maybe do a thread saying what car it is, and seeing how other people have managed and what kind of car seat they have? Could you see if you can get hold of one of the bases I linked to, secondhand?

MrsBadger · 17/04/2007 16:17

would having the MaxiCosi base help? I know it's another £80 but it's got to be cheaper than a new car...

The other option is to get a carseat that doesn't fit on the travel system - if it lies flat there's no need for it anyway. What have you got?

Katy44 · 17/04/2007 16:17

maveta, you might not be able to deactivate the front airbag, but surely they can for a fee? (and obv. you'd have to pay another fee for it to be activated again). That's what I was told about my car - I could pay extra for a button allowing me to turn it on/off as required, or they could do it but it would cost.
Sorry, wasn't sure from what you said whether this was what you had asked.
I kno this isn't ideal, but would allow you to get home from hospital and around for the next few weeks as your baby will be here any day now!

mosschops30 · 17/04/2007 16:18

me and dh had to swap cars for a year to solve this. Couldnt get extenders, and the seatbelt in my Ka wouldnt go round the car seat.
Also had the same problem with hire care (which was a Mazda).

I would take your car seat back for one that fits in your car

MrsBadger · 17/04/2007 16:20

oh it's cheaper than I thought £65

littlelapin · 17/04/2007 16:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

maveta · 17/04/2007 16:24

It´s an Opel Corsa.. on that website it says it is unknown if that seat will fit our car.. AAARGH! Yes, might try another thread asking if anyone has a Corsa and what car seat they used.

Of course Dh´s first reaction is ´we´ll HAVE to buy a new car´ which is hardly practical and completely not financially viable! I think worst case we´ll have to get a fixed seat that stays in the car and doesn´t go on the travel system.

Katy44 - they wouldn´t desactivate it - I think it could also void our car insurance if we did it against their advice as another friend had this problem (although her seat went in the back so it was fine).

Will have a look for second hand bases though it´s a bit annoying if they can´t say whether they fit the car in advance or not! Will search for a britax one too..

Just when we thought everything was set and ready to go!!

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 17/04/2007 16:42

If you buy a base from an online shop with a good returns policy you could try it in the car then send it back saying it didn't fit (even if it did).
Or go to Halfords or a big Mothercare and get them to try it in the car, and if it fits say thanks but you need to go away and think about it.

littlelapin · 17/04/2007 16:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBadger · 17/04/2007 16:46

ooh, I didn't think about isofix
good idea lapin

AitchTwoOh · 17/04/2007 16:50

my old car had short seatbelts in the back. the extenders are no use as you can't have plastic touching the housing of the car seat. isofix is the way to go, kiddicare are selling the duofix (which best buy) for £130. it'll cost you £199 at halfords. but get halfords to check it'll fit first.

Pixiefish · 17/04/2007 16:50

The Vauxhall dealership wouldn't deactivate my air bag either- they said that even if they deactivated it they couldn't guarantee that in a collision it could blow.

helbel3 · 17/04/2007 16:52

Havent read whole thread. The dealership wont want to deactivate your airbag, but all airbags can be deactivated. I found an indpendent garage to do mine when I had ds1, but the Vauxhall dealership wouldnt do it. The independent garage did it and issued a notice to say that the airbag had been deactivated. Cost about £60.00 got the yellow pages out.

littlelapin · 17/04/2007 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sarahlou1uk · 17/04/2007 17:15

Agree with MrsBadger - try a base. I got one when dd and ds were in the first stage car seat and it made getting in and out of the car lots easier.

Original poster

maveta · 17/04/2007 17:29

I do like the idea of the base.. I´m in Spain which rules out Halfords and Mothercare.. we can have a trawl around the shops here but in general they´re rubbish.

Dh just called to say he thinks maybe the backs of the backseats are not on the furthest back setting which might be eating up extra seatbelt length so we´ll look at that first when he gets home but if not I think a base might be the way to go as it´s minimum extra money and we don´t then have to change the car seat OR the travel system. It´s a bugaboo frog that we´ve got. The Corsa is only 2 years old so that´s great news if the Isofix is compatible.. off to find out more..

OP posts:

Original poster

maveta · 17/04/2007 17:32

littlelapin - where did you read about it being compatable with corsas made after 2003?

OP posts:

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