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Does anyone know about LATCH?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by sunnysandiegan, Oct 7, 2007.

  1. sunnysandiegan

    sunnysandiegan New Member

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    I have been researching online for what feels like hours and have not found the answer to my question.

    ~ Before anyone asks, no, I cannot read the manual. ;) It is in the car and the car is not here. ~

    I am researching new car seat options for our child and I need to know what the upper weight limit is for the LATCH. Some cars are 40 pounds and some are 48 pounds. Does anyone know what it is for the 2006 Prius?

    Thank you!
     
    #1 sunnysandiegan, Oct 7, 2007
  2. boulder_bum

    boulder_bum Senior Member

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    #2 boulder_bum, Oct 8, 2007
  3. sunnysandiegan

    sunnysandiegan New Member

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    Well, for anyone else who needs this information...

    I spoke with 6 people at Toyota today and communicated with numerous car seat safety technicians. The final answer is Toyota meets or exceeds the Department of Transportation's standards, but defers to the individual car seat manufacturers recommendations.

    (It is all political mumbo-jumbo. LOL)

    Also, you may not use the center seat for installing car seats using the LATCH system. You may use the seatbelt in that position, but not the LATCH. The sole reason for this is the spacing between the anchors is not the standard distance of 11 inches.
     
    #3 sunnysandiegan, Oct 8, 2007
  4. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    I use the LATCH system for the car seat in the middle all the time. Technically, some LATCH seats have fixed width attachment arms. These will not fit in the middle, so to avoid owner confusion, they just tell you not to use LATCH in the middle.

    If you can securely attach the LATCH system, one on each side, center the seat, and take up the slack on the belt, that is safer than the seat belt, whose force is spread across the lap belt and shoulder belt, rather than evenly spread between the two anchor points. (On this note, whenever you use a retractable seat belt for a car seat, be CERTAIN that you have pulled the seat belt ALL the way out. Then, listen for the ratchet sound when it goes back in, and make sure you can't pull it out any further).

    The steel LATCH anchor is overengineered by a huge multiplier. It's not going to come loose in an accident. I'm confident I could lift a car up off the ground by attaching solely to the LATCH anchor.

    Nate
     
    #4 naterprius, Oct 9, 2007
  5. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    I use the LATCH system for the car seat in the middle all the time. Technically, some LATCH seats have fixed width attachment arms. These will not fit in the middle, so to avoid owner confusion, they just tell you not to use LATCH in the middle.

    If you can securely attach the LATCH system, one on each side, center the seat, and take up the slack on the belt, that is safer than the seat belt, whose force is spread across the lap belt and shoulder belt, rather than evenly spread between the two anchor points. (On this note, whenever you use a retractable seat belt for a car seat, be CERTAIN that you have pulled the seat belt ALL the way out. Then, listen for the ratchet sound when it goes back in, and make sure you can't pull it out any further).

    The steel LATCH anchor is overengineered by a huge multiplier. It's not going to come loose in an accident. I'm confident I could lift a car up off the ground by attaching solely to the LATCH anchor.

    Nate
     
    #5 naterprius, Oct 9, 2007
  6. christy1246

    christy1246 New Member

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    #6 christy1246, May 24, 2008
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