Has anyone tried to install an infant/child car seat in the rear of a 2k2 with the LATCH system?

I spent 3 hours in my garage this afternoon trying to get the "EZ LATCH" to connect to the brackets in the Maxima and it was anything but "EZ". I eventually gave up and could not get it to work.

I specifically bought the car-seat I have because it had this LATCH system. Additionally one of the main reasons I bought the Maxima was because of the safety features it had, which includes this LATCH capability.

I'm finding the brackets in the Maxima are mounted in a location where my fingers barely fit in. It's difficult to even get the latches attached to the bracket and when I do, they get caught up in the seats and do not work at all. I've given up and am going back to the regular seat belt restraint but I'm not pleased at all about this!!!

Very frustrated,

Cory

 

Sorry to hear about that dude. Maybe you're doing it wrong?? I haven't looked at em yet cause I have yet the need for them....but I thought it was nice that they were there...just in case.

On a side note, I was actually mocked by my buddies for getting a family car with the child seat anchors. I had to shut em up with a quick 6-spd dusting.

 

Yeah same thing today. My buddy asked me what they were, and I explained that it was for a child seat. After all, it is a family car

 

I've read the instructions for the LATCH system, the car-set and the Maxima over and over again trying to see if I've missed something. They all just say attach the LATCH belt to the brackets and you're good to go. The only thing I can think of is that the "Graco" LATCH system I bought is not compatible with the car, but maybe other manufacturers would work. You're supposed to buy the LATCH system that goes with the type of car-seat you have, but I'm going to call Graco (the car seat manufacturer) and see what they say.

I hear you about the mocking. My friends have been pretty good about it...but once they ride in the car, and feel the horses, they quickly shut up.

Cory

 

Is the latching part (on car seat) to thick to pass through the hole in the seat? Or is it a matter of the bar mounted to the car being to "short" for an appropriate mounting.

One last question...have you tried another manufacturer of saftey seats...not to purchase for use but for fitment issues. It would look ugly for a company to advertise a safety system and then have someone prove it does not work. Especially for a kid!!!!!

 

Mine seems to work fine. I don't remember what brand of child seat we've got, but I didn't think the latching mechanism was substantially different from brand to brand. Ours is just a length of seat-belt with a steel 'J' hook that has a spring steel gate. It fits both my Max and the wife's CR-V, and even a couple domestic minivans we've had it in. Is your latching mechanism different?

 

* I can't attach all 4 pictures in one message apparently...this one will include the 1st 2 and I'll include the 2nd two in a seperate msg. *

The plastic part of the actual latch is too long and bulky and doesn't come through the seat. I've included some pictures to try to help explain and I'm encouraging any ideas that anyone might have. I think if they made the brackets longer and closer to the crease of the seat, it would probably work just fine.

Pictures:
1) Maxima seat in it's normal position.
2) The LATCH system itself
3) Seat partially removed to show where the LATCH brackets are physically located.
4) The LATCH system attached to the bracket and the Maxima seat partially removed. ** HERE LIES THE PROBLEM ** With the bulky plastic piece of the LATCH, I can't push the Maxima seat all the way back to get it to snap back in place. If I push the bulky plastic piece towards the rear of the vehicle, and try to wedge it between the back of the vehicles seat, then I can't adjust the length of the belt in order to tighten the car seat down enough.

1)
2)

Cory

P.S. I hope the pictures worked...I've never done that before. If not, I'll send another message and hopefully that one will work. Cory

 

* Here are the next 2 pictures *

3)
4)

Cory

 

Cory

Sometimes I am slow. I have read and re-read the above posts to make sure I am not insulting you. If you feel insulted then don't as this is not my intention.

It appears to me that you are trying to attach the child seat to the anchors and then push the seat back together. This won't work.

Put your seat back together as in your picture #1. Put the child seat latches through the slits in the seat right beside the small child seat stickers on the seat. You should be able to get the bulky plastic piece through these slits and attach it to the anchors underneath the seat.

Best wishes!

 

I think caremd99 is right. The latches go thru the slits in the cushion not, between the seatback and bottom cushion. I have gotta ask... is this your first kid? If it is, congats and welcome to the f%^&ing car seat club! I wrestled with a car seat in my old Civic Si for over an hour the night before I went to pick up my son and wife at the hospital. I was ready to put that damn thing through the windshield. I don't think there is a car seat made that fits right in every car, you may need to try a few to find the right fit.

 

caremd99,

I am not insulted what-so-ever. Let me begin by saying my wife and I just had a very good laugh after reading your post. I assure you...the laugh was at myself...and not you! I read your post...scratched my head and thought to myself, there's no way it's that easy. My wife accompanied me out to the garage...we looked in the back and sure enough, I slid my hand right through those darn slits. I have attached both sides of the LATCH system successfully now. I can't believe I'm that lame. Thanks again for solving my severe frustration. I guess this is just the beginning with parenthood.

And to phillyguy...yes...this is my first child. Thank you for the congrats, and yes...I'm now an official member of the f%^&ing car seat club. I can only imagine things of this sort will get worse as my child get's older. Oh well...I'm up for the challenge.

A sincere thanks to all that helped,

Cory

 

congratz on the child man.. can't wait til my turn. i'm not sure what you guys mean about the slits by the child seat anchors??? i dont' have that feature on my 2k max.. am i suppose too?? i dont' have those little diagrams on the cushions, i've seen them on post 2k maximas but not mine.. did i get jipped???

 

nope, we dont got them.