Which car seat in your experience is better? Need 45lb rearfacing, tall if possible, in Toyota...

[nia82]

Pretty much explains my issue. I hear from people that they have problems with the Radian in Siennas. It would be installed in a captain's chair with latch. DS is still in a Britax Boulevard, but now weighing 34lb so I need a new car seat asap.

Are Radians the only ones that go up to 45lb? I need that limit, DS grows quickly. And I want him RF as long as possible....

DS is 2.5 years old, weighs 34lbs, is 35.5 inches tall.... The Sienna 2011 has latch in three different places (7 passenger 4WD model)....

[DahliaRW]

The issues were in the 2010 and older siennas.  I don't know how the design changes in the 2011 will effect things.   Might help, might not.  The radian is the only 45lb rfing seat.  But lots go to 40 and it can take a while to gain 5 lbs.  The CA installs beautifully and has a taller rfing height than the RN.

[nia82]

CA? Which one is that, sorry I have no idea!

[an_aurora]

CA = Safety 1st Complete Air

However, it looks like the Radian installs well in the 2011 Sienna.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1515695&highlight=sienna#post1515695

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by an_aurora 

CA = Safety 1st Complete Air

However, it looks like the Radian installs well in the 2011 Sienna.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1515695&highlight=sienna#post1515695

 The radian actually installs fine in all siennas.  The problem is with taller/heavier kids over time it overreclines.  So that one post would not be enough for me to say the problem is solved.  I would if multiple people had 35lb 3yos riding in them for a few weeks with no overreclining issues.

[an_aurora]

Does the 2011 Sienna have the advanced airbag rule?  If not, bracing the Radian would prevent over-reclining (which I agree is a huge PITA--I can't stand the Radian in the center of any vehicle I've ever had except our Explorer, in which it installs very upright).

[nia82]

The seats are equipped with air bag sensors, so no touching allowed... The overreclining - how often does one have to adjust the seat? I wouldn't bet on growth-slow-down with DS, he has been pretty consistent with rapid growth, also height-wise, and I hear Radians have the tallest shell?

[DahliaRW]

Actually, the CA goes taller.  But it only rf's to 40lbs.  With ds2 I would have to install his seat again every 3 days or so.  So not a minor inconveninece.

I did drive a 2011 Sienna overnight (after I got rid of my RN) and the captain's chairs were easier to get a more upright install with my MR, but I don't know if that will solve the problem or not.  I think it just had to do with the stupid buried latch hooks in the 2011 (boy were my fingeres sore!).

[nia82]

Yes, I hate those. It took me 30 minutes to get the latch hooked up, it's ridiculous, why did they hide the hooks in the upholstery like that?!

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by nia82 

Yes, I hate those. It took me 30 minutes to get the latch hooked up, it's ridiculous, why did they hide the hooks in the upholstery like that?!

 It's REALLY rediculous in athat in 2010 and earlier models they are super accessible under a flap.  A really dumb design change, IMO.  I really think they made the 2011 less child/car seat friendly, and since most people who buy mini vans have small children, well, that was really dum.  IMO, if I were in the market for a new van, I'd get an Odyssey!

[nia82]

We need 4WD, so Toyota is the only company that offers a minivan with 4WD.... But otherwise I'm very happy with the quality and space of the car. I think I will order a Radian and see how it works, Amazon has great return policies. I'm afraid that if I buy a 40lb car seat that DS will outgrow the RF weight within less than a year.

[MJB]

FWIW, my 5 yr. old was 33 lbs/36" at 2 and change (I think 28 mos?) and we had to turn him FFing (limit of our Radian way back then) but he wasn't 40 lbs. until his 4th bday. 

[nia82]

We got the Radian XTSL and it is more reclined than the Britax, but the Sienna has enough space so that even my husband can drive comfortably (DS is in the captain's chair behind the driver). The CPST couldn't get the latch in cause there is fabric at the hook so she used the seatbelt to install it...

[DahliaRW]

Glad i'ts working for you.  Just keep an eye on the recline as your little one grows.  It's horribly unsafe to be reclined more than 45 degrees.  Hopefully the redesign of the 2011 will have solved that problem.

[AnnieA]

Do those same over-recline issues exist when the RN is installed in Siennas that have the 8th seat option? Say '06-'09 models? That 8th seat in the center of the second row doesn't look like it has the same angle that the captain's chairs do. I'm in the market for a Sienna with the 8th seat and I'd like to get a RN XTSL for the new baby but I'll look in a different direction carseat-wise if the RN has issues in that position as well.

[alegna]

ooo, good question.  I'm wrestling this right now as ds is approaching the height limit on his blvd (not there yet and oh-so-hard-to-tell) and I want to keep him rf.  A radian is the logical choice but won't work in the captain's chairs I've always heard.  I never thought of the center being different.  Now I'm going to have to go examine it in detail  lol

-Angela

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

Do those same over-recline issues exist when the RN is installed in Siennas that have the 8th seat option? Say '06-'09 models? That 8th seat in the center of the second row doesn't look like it has the same angle that the captain's chairs do. I'm in the market for a Sienna with the 8th seat and I'd like to get a RN XTSL for the new baby but I'll look in a different direction carseat-wise if the RN has issues in that position as well.

[AnnieA]

Originally Posted by alegna 

ooo, good question.  I'm wrestling this right now as ds is approaching the height limit on his blvd (not there yet and oh-so-hard-to-tell) and I want to keep him rf.  A radian is the logical choice but won't work in the captain's chairs I've always heard.  I never thought of the center being different.  Now I'm going to have to go examine it in detail  lol

-Angela

Originally Posted by AnnieA 

Do those same over-recline issues exist when the RN is installed in Siennas that have the 8th seat option? Say '06-'09 models? That 8th seat in the center of the second row doesn't look like it has the same angle that the captain's chairs do. I'm in the market for a Sienna with the 8th seat and I'd like to get a RN XTSL for the new baby but I'll look in a different direction carseat-wise if the RN has issues in that position as well.

 

Well keep me posted! Also I wonder if cloth seats vs leather seats make a difference with the over-recline issues?

[nia82]

Hm our captain's chairs are leather... I do check the seat daily for reclining issues... But actually installing it is quite easy so I'm not too concerned about doing it over and over...