Please help--we're desperate! We bought a 2009 Ford F-250 Crew Cab (which is the same model for 2008 and 2010 if you have one of those) and neither of our car seats fit in there properly! We have the Graco My Ride 65 (because it rated so well on Consumer Reports) for our 4 year old, and we cannot get it tight enough. I even sat my 140 lb. tush in it while my husband tried to tighten the belt (darn truck is not equipped with the latch system--we never thought to look while shopping as we thought they all were by now!). It still totally wobbles around--there's no way it would be safe in an accident. The other seat is a Britax Marathon for our little guy and it will only tighten down/fit if forward facing, and we want him rear facing still for his safety. So two cars seats for two kids and neither one is right. Please tell me there is a seat out there for our new expensive truck--we're in a hurry as we have some plans next week to tow with this and need to take the whole family.
I would also try the installs with a yoga mat under the seats. It is sticky and also protects the seats. It really helped me get my seats tighter.
Check out this website:
http://www.car-seat.org/
They have experts that can help you with any question about car seats. I have used it before and immediately had my questions answered.
Take your truck and the car seats to the closest police station. They usually have someone there who knows everything about carseats. If you can't find someone at the police station, call KCRA. They can get you in touch with someone who can help you because they regularly have workshops on carseat fitting.
Call your local CHP office. They have officers trained in car seat safety and they will help you get the car seats in correctly!
Check out car-seat.org for great carseat techs who can help you.
We just bought a 2010 and were VERY upset that they do not come with the latch system - i didn't think you could have seats without but as our dealer explained this is not typically a vehicle that is for family use. I could not believe he said that and it almost made us buy something else but we loved the truck. I too have a very hard time getting the seats tight - we have a evenflo and britax seat for our 2 boys and it was difficult to get tiight. I ended up putting a thick towel under the britax to make more level and did use the mat trick to get more grip. Are you using the top anchors behind the seats?? That also helped a lot. nice to know i was not the only mom who had this problem.
Years ago I attended a car seat class put on by a Livermore PD officer who was also a mom. Part of her bag of tricks included pool noodles. She cut sections of them to use in the crack where the car's seat back meets the seat bottom. They're sturdy, waterproof and won't damage leather interior. She also used skid mats and rolled up towels. Like the other posts said, check with local law enforcement and the fire dept.
I'd suggest the local firestation or CHP office, they can help u fit ur carseats or suggest others that would work.
We also have a Ford (150). The only seat we found that was effective and safe was the sunshine radian. They are a slimmer and overall smaller seat but my daugter has never complained about it being uncomfortable (she is now 4) in comparrison to her Eddie Bauer.
This seat fits rather snug (our vehicle doesn't have the latch/anchor in the back) with just a seat belt. I can also tell you that this is the only seat we have been able to use in the two muscle cars my husband has owned. Those vehicles were by no means intended to hold a car seat and I can get this seat securly fastened everytime- cannot say the same of the Eddie Bauer in these vehicles.
Hope this helps...
AAA & your local fire department can install the car seats for you for free. You'll need to make an appointment. I'm not sure if you need to be a member at AAA.
Have you asked the auto dealer if a LATCH system can be installed in the truck?
Good luck!
Can you get the latch system added to it at the dealership? My other thought would be to check with your local firestation. Those guys check every imaginable car seat and may have some guidance.
We were just as shocked. We have Cosco seats in the truck but when we go on trips we put the Britax Frontier and Marathon in it. We've had the Marathon front and rear with no problems. The only way to get a tight secure fit is to use the belt clips that usually come with the seats. If you don't have them you can buy them at BabiesRUs. They are a pain to install, it will take several attempts to get it in the right spot and a lot of weight down on the seat to get it buckled but once you have them in and you are using the top anchors, they won't move at all. Good luck.
