Rebelord Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Sup guys. For us with older Pathfinders, we dont have this. So, I took at look at my 04 to see how its installed. To my surprise it is built into the rear seat back. So, in order to retro fit it. One must replace the whole seat back part. Off to the junk yard it is! Just a FYI for those that have thought about this. As far as the rear tether. Nissan does have a retrofit kit. It cost ~$15 USD for it. Simple to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totriz Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 or you can use a child seat that can be installed with the seat belt. the LATCH system is easier to use, but it's not safer than a seat properly secured with the seat belt. also, if your child + seat weighs 65 lbs or more, you MUST use the seat belt and not the LATCH anchors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01Pathmaker Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Since I love my kids dearly, and have seen some very horrific and tragic things happen during my time (19+ yrs) serving as a firefighter/rescue technician/emt, I use every available attachment method (seat belt and latch) on both of my girls seats. I also check and readjust the harnesses once a month for proper fit. To me, there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to safety. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 This is easily one of those topics where it's "to each their own"... I've stopped using the LATCH systems in any vehicle because I've always been able to get the right tension from the seatbelt alone. And frankly, nearly all LATCH systems I've tried (a little over a dozen to date) have some sort of hassle or inconvenience. One particular incident with a rental Dodge Avenger at Chicago-Midway in the dead of winter was the last straw. NHTSA says both methods are equally safe, yet LATCH is deemed the "easier" way. I don't get how the easier system requires 150% more work to attach (three attachments and two tensions for LATCH vs. one attachment and one tension for seatbelt), and 400% more work to detach (loosen twice and detach thrice for LATCH vs. unclick the seatbelt). If there is no difference in safety, then my next preference is to be able to quickly remove the car seat from the vehicle in case of emergency, which only the seatbelt can reasonably afford. I find the R50 a particular hassle because you need to reach/climb into the vehicle from both the rear and cargo areas to attach and tension everything if using LATCH. And when used, the rear tether straps render half of the cargo area obsolete (at least it does if you have two kids). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patqx4 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 I'm glad to see this thread because I think everyone with small children should pay careful attention to this. I have only 1 daughter who's currently 30 lbs, I have the car seat forward facing and in the middle. The lap belt is through the bottom tightly and the latch system is over the seat back to the middle hook in the cargo area. It's as tight as I can get it but does still move a little. If anyone has suggestions of a better way to anchor it please let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 It's as tight as I can get it but does still move a little. Your car seat's owners manual should specify an acceptable amount of play. For mine, it's less than 1" in any direction. I wasn't able to always do that with the LATCH system (at least not easily), but I can always get that with the seatbelt pretty easily by putting a knee on the car seat while feeding the seat belt back into the retractor. Of course, when using the seatbelt method, you must always remember to fully extended the seatbelt to engage the locking mechanism on the retractor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patqx4 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 The center lap belt doesn't have a locking mechanism. I'd rather keep her in the middle because it's statistically the safest place in the car, which makes sense from an intrusion view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 The center lap belt doesn't have a locking mechanism. I'd rather keep her in the middle because it's statistically the safest place in the car, which makes sense from an intrusion view. Ah, right...sorry, forgot you mentioned middle seat. Yeah, it's probably safer, though I've noticed that when using the LATCH system in the truck, the seats are already placed a more towards center than if using the seatbelt. Two toddlers and two seats means using the center isn't an option for me, but they're rarely in my truck anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patqx4 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Ah, right...sorry, forgot you mentioned middle seat. Yeah, it's probably safer, though I've noticed that when using the LATCH system in the truck, the seats are already placed a more towards center than if using the seatbelt. Two toddlers and two seats means using the center isn't an option for me, but they're rarely in my truck anyway. It's all good, the one time I had to put 2 toddlers in my car I did find them easier to install with the shoulder belts, I wish the r50 had them for the middle seat too. I still used the hooks in the cargo area too because I figured the more anchor points, the better. I will look later (at work now) but are there hooks under the seat as well? I just realized I may be under utilizing the latch system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Since I love my kids dearly, and have seen some very horrific and tragic things happen during my time (19+ yrs) serving as a firefighter/rescue technician/emt, I use every available attachment method (seat belt and latch) on both of my girls seats. I also check and readjust the harnesses once a month for proper fit. To me, there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to safety. Yes and no. Given your career training and experience you probably already know this but I'll put it out there anyway. In most vehicle collisions a properly mounted child seat will move a few inches. No matter how hard you strap a seat down it should be allowed to move about and inch under a firm tug. It should also be able to push into the cushion by about an inch under a firm shove. This inch of movement reduces the declaration/acceleration forces that are transferred to the child seat. Snug is good but using ratchet straps so its completely rigid is bad. I think An extreme example would be you if had 2 identical children (ok test dummies) in one car and one was in a seat belted car seat and the other was in a car seat firmly bolted to a roll cage. Then run the car into a wall. I think The child seat bolted to the roll cage would suffer severe bruising from the shoulder straps because the deceleration is INSTANT and possibly internal head trauma from the brain moving inside the skull etc. On the other hand I think The child in the lap belt car seat would have a few inches of deceleration as the belt pulled tight against is anchors and the injuries would be less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 It's all good, the one time I had to put 2 toddlers in my car I did find them easier to install with the shoulder belts, I wish the r50 had them for the middle seat too. I still used the hooks in the cargo area too because I figured the more anchor points, the better. I will look later (at work now) but are there hooks under the seat as well? I just realized I may be under utilizing the latch system. Just for reference, anywhere you see these icons (in a Pathfinder, or similar in any other vehicle), you've got LATCH points. They're on the seat backs near the crease. The point itself is inside that opening; others are accessible by opening a fabric flap. On other vehicles, it may be between the cushions underneath the logo. I have 4 points on mine, but the middle two are too close, and the outer two too far apart, for safely securing a single seat in the middle. However, as mentioned previously, the arrangement moves both seating positions closer to the center. Also note that unless the vehicle's owners manual states otherwise, you should not attach more than one connection to a single point. All anchors are designated with a similar logo: This logo is often seen on the plastic covers; open the cover to expose the anchor point. Here it's just under a carpet flap in the cargo area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patqx4 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Just for reference, anywhere you see these icons (in a Pathfinder, or similar in any other vehicle), you've got LATCH points. They're on the seat backs near the crease. The point itself is inside that opening; others are accessible by opening a fabric flap. On other vehicles, it may be between the cushions underneath the logo. I have 4 points on mine, but the middle two are too close, and the outer two too far apart, for safely securing a single seat in the middle. However, as mentioned previously, the arrangement moves both seating positions closer to the center. Also note that unless the vehicle's owners manual states otherwise, you should not attach more than one connection to a single point. All anchors are designated with a similar logo: This logo is often seen on the plastic covers; open the cover to expose the anchor point. Here it's just under a carpet flap in the cargo area. I have not seen anything like the first ones you showed, they must have added it after since mine is 02 and yours 04. I do have the anchor points with the flap in the cargo area though. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 In the rear the LATCH are the ones with the logo. The standard aluminum loops are not to used. I'm glad this has stuck up a good conversation on this. It's good to be informed on the safety of our children. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 I have not seen anything like the first ones you showed, they must have added it after since mine is 02 and yours 04. I do have the anchor points with the flap in the cargo area though. Interesting. Very possible. I think 02 was the first year LATCH was mandatory for auto manufacturers, so maybe the logo's presence evolved shortly after. Perhaps try sliding your fingers between the seat crease to see if there are points there? Watch out for 10 year old M&M's and crackers! In the rear the LATCH are the ones with the logo. The standard aluminum loops are not to used. I'm glad this has stuck up a good conversation on this. It's good to be informed on the safety of our children. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Exactly, don't confuse the cargo tie-down points with the anchors. Glad you posted this topic up, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01Pathmaker Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) Everyone has brought up great points, and I too am very happily surprised how this thread is taking off. Also a great resource to keep in mind in case you have any question on if your child seat is installed or adjusted correctly, most police departments and many fire departments offer child seat inspections. You'd be disgusted to see how many people out there are driving around with their kids strapped into a seat that is improperly installed or adjusted, then thereare those who switch to either forward facing or boosters before they should, simply for convenience. Yes and no. Given your career training and experience you probably already know this but I'll put it out there anyway. In most vehicle collisions a properly mounted child seat will move a few inches. No matter how hard you strap a seat down it should be allowed to move about and inch under a firm tug. It should also be able to push into the cushion by about an inch under a firm shove. This inch of movement reduces the declaration/acceleration forces that are transferred to the child seat. Snug is good but using ratchet straps so its completely rigid is bad. I think An extreme example would be you if had 2 identical children (ok test dummies) in one car and one was in a seat belted car seat and the other was in a car seat firmly bolted to a roll cage. Then run the car into a wall. I think The child seat bolted to the roll cage would suffer severe bruising from the shoulder straps because the deceleration is INSTANT and possibly internal head trauma from the brain moving inside the skull etc. On the other hand I think The child in the lap belt car seat would have a few inches of deceleration as the belt pulled tight against is anchors and the injuries would be less. You are 100% correct in that the seat does need to have some movement for the exact reasons you've stated above. Very good info. As to the LATCH and ANCHOR points, IIRC the ANCHOR points came to the R50 with the facelift (my 01 has them, 96 does not, nor did a 99 that I saw not too long ago). The LATCH points became more mainstream in the 03-04 range. It is a good idea to utilize the Anchor points in combination with either the latch or seat belt. Even with a properly secured lower section, I've seen the top of the seat flung forward. Edited October 1, 2015 by 01Pathmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Your car seat's owners manual should specify an acceptable amount of play. For mine, it's less than 1" in any direction. I wasn't able to always do that with the LATCH system (at least not easily), but I can always get that with the seatbelt pretty easily by putting a knee on the car seat while feeding the seat belt back into the retractor. Of course, when using the seatbelt method, you must always remember to fully extended the seatbelt to engage the locking mechanism on the retractor. Ohhhhh is that what the seat belts do that? I've always wondered what that was for! -Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I had to buy that anchor for my wd21. They have the provision for it in the cargo area but were not standard at the time. Nissan had it for about 20 dollars... Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 If anyone needs that special anchor I believe I have a Nissan one because I was given one when I went to get a free cargo cover, he threw in all the pathy stuff he had. Chains too. Up for grabs since I'm happily single and hopefully kid-less for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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