[alana1980]

Anyone have one of these? Do you use the third row seating for your little ones. Is it a pain? Do you feel unsafe having them in the back facing the back? I'm thinking about getting one, but a little nervous about being rear ended with a little one back there.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Peony]

There are no child restraints (carseats or boosters) that can face backwards in a seat like that so that 3rd row can only be used for children that can pass the 5 step test and do not need to be in a booster anymore.

ETA: I noticed I was a little unclear. Child restraints are only designed to go on a forward facing seat, they are not tested on seats that rear face, hence the reason they can only be used on regular seats.

 

[anabellee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peony There are no child restraints (carseats or boosters) that can face backwards in a seat like that so that 3rd row can only be used for children that can pass the 5 step test and do not need to be in a booster anymore. ETA: I noticed I was a little unclear. Child restraints are only designed to go on a forward facing seat, they are not tested on seats that rear face, hence the reason they can only be used on regular seats.

gtk!

 

[an_aurora]

Actually we don't know if they are tested and failed, or weren't tested at all. Either way, you can't do it.

I'd be ok with using it IF I had a kid who passed the 5 step test on it, had whiplash protection, and was under 80 pounds (the limit on those seats).

 

[BathrobeGoddess]

had one and it had a 65lb weight limit per seatbelt...it was a 1999...never used it because my big kid was too big and little kid too small

 

[Jyotsna]

I used to have a Volvo wagon with a third seat, and my understanding was that the third seat was intended to use with adults. I was told this by the Volvo dealership, and they told me there had been deaths of children where the station wagon had been involved in rear end crash. They said absolutely do not put any children back there. Nothing was said about the car seats, but it makes sense that no safety seat has been made for this type of seating.

However, as child, my parents wagon had a third seat too, and my brother and I LOVED riding in the back. My solution for my kids was to allow them to play in the third row before we started up on our trip, but to get them into the second row seats before we took off. I know kids love the idea of a backwards facing seat.

I own a Honda van now, so they can sit anywhere except the passenger seat up front. That's nice, as they play musical chairs often. : )

 

[Mama2Rio]

my first car was a volvo station wagon. my father removed the 3rd row because he didn't want any one sitting in it if there was an accident. my father is a mechanic and very car savvy. i would not let kids sit back there. mine was a model from the 80's, so i don't know how much things could have changed.

 

[alana1980]

thanks for all of the info.

i adore those cars so much. i'm pregnant with #3 and while i technically could put all three in a row, i can't stand when my two boys are sitting right next to each other. if they can reach each other, they torment each other during drives and it makes me miserable. i need to find something with a third row, but i don't want something as large as a minivan. i don't care for the mazda5's either.

any suggestions?

 

[Drummer's Wife]

I'm glad you asked. I've been thinking about getting one, too. Or another wagon w/the rear facing third row seat (I think subaru?) I had a volvo I loved and am looking for a used car with the ability to occasionally transport four children if necessary.

My dad had a Ford Taurus? many years ago with a 3rd row seat like that and we used to fight about who got to sit back there. I think for older kids out of boosters/car seats it would be okay for occasional use. Of course a minivan or SUV is ideal, but I don't think safety experts completely frown on these wagons. You might search this over at car-seat.org I recall reading that they are obviously a no-no with carseats but that they weren't as awful as we imagine for older kids.

As for vehicles with a third row, we are happy with a Nissan Pathfinder but it's definitely bigger than a minivan. What about a Honda Pilot with a 3rd row? Not sure how they compare sizewize.

 

[BathrobeGoddess]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jyotsna I used to have a Volvo wagon with a third seat, and my understanding was that the third seat was intended to use with adults. I was told this by the Volvo dealership, and they told me there had been deaths of children where the station wagon had been involved in rear end crash. They said absolutely do not put any children back there. Nothing was said about the car seats, but it makes sense that no safety seat has been made for this type of seating.

This is absolutely untrue and I am appalled that the dealer lied to you! How awful!

Found a link to a 2005 manual: http://new.volvocars.com/ownersdocs/...0_04b.htm#pg67

Quote:

Auxiliary seat (option) If all the seats are occupied, a rear-facing auxiliary seat in the cargo area can be used. This seat is designed for two children, each weighing between 50 - 88 lbs. (23 - 40 kg) with a total seat capacity of 176 lbs. (80 kg) and up to 55 inches (140 cm) in height.

 

[hottmama]

Yep, mine has a 50 lb. minimum. My son weighs 52 lbs. and fits in there well, it's obviously child sized. I use it when we need to transport more than 3 kids, for kids who meet the weight requirement. I feel pretty safe with it and read something saying that those seats are safe in Volvos specifically. I also use the built-in booster for carpooling with 6+ yr. olds.

 

[an_aurora]

I worried that the seatbelt wouldn't properly fit a 50-lb 6 year old child.

 

[hottmama]

I think a tall 80 lb. kid would not fit, but 50-60 lb. 6 and 7 yr. olds are perfect there. I could actually take a photo sometime.

 

[rxwagon]

Hello not a mom, just joined to add my thoughts.
I purchased a 2004 volvo v70 wagon last year purposely for the third row seat. We both hate minivans and suv's just use to much gas.

Before getting the car, I tried researching the safety of these seats as much as possible. I was really concerned with the fact that the seats were rear facing. There is not much testing in the industry regarding these seats or any third row seats since the incidence of a rear-facing/rear-ending fatal collision is very low. However, many car companies are adding stow-away 3rd row seats. I have sat and looked at many of these seats, the head rest and back of the seat are very close to the rear windshield/back of the car! Not only that, there is usually little to no leg room between the 2nd row and third row seats. In the unfortunate event of an accident involving the rear of the car, I feel safer knowing my child is closer to the c-pillar(still an integral part of the car's "safety cage") than the very rear of the car!

If you follow Volvo's safety parameters(50-80 lbs, can't remember height restrictions), there should not be any issues. These seats as well as the 3-point seatbelts are anchored to the car's frame. I would just be cautious about leaving any objects untethered in the rear while a child is sitting there.

My son, who's almost 5, loves it in the back on the rare occasion we do need to use the third row. The only thing is that I'm thinking of tinting the rear windshield so that headlights at night do not blind him, although he insists that they do not.

Hope this helps.

 

[karne]

We've had multiple Volvo wagons. here's the thing I always thought about in terms of being on the road w/kids in the 3rd seat: how would it be for us to experience being rear-ended and having kids that close to a crash? When you've got the kids strapped in, they're still pretty close to the back window. It made me uncomfortable enough to stop using the 3rd seat.

 

[SophieAnn]

FWIW, based on an 80 or 88lb. max for the rear-facing seat - that wouldn't even be an option in Canada if a booster seat cannot be safely used in the 3rd row.

By law, a child must be in a booster until 80 lbs. or 8 years old or 4'9" (whichever comes first). The law changed years ago. What if the US follows suit this year, or next year?

Have you looked into crossover vehicles? They have 3 rows of seating, all forward-facing so you could safely use a booster in the 3rd row.

 

[alana1980]

funny to see this thread back. i started it a year ago! we ended up with a honda odyssey. i don't think i could love a car more! so happy i ended up going with the mini van.

 

[rxwagon]

I'm glad you're enjoying the Odyssey. I was close to getting one myself but transmission issues and poor gas mileage scared me away, definitely one of the safest minivans out there.

Regarding the booster seat law, the third row seats are specifically designed for kids where the headrests and belts are positioned properly as if they were sitting on booster seats.

Accidents coming from any directions are scary and traumatic, however rear-end collisions only account for 4% of total accidents. I still think the second row is the safest for kids whether in a wagon, van, or suv.

On an interesting note :http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs...x?post=1732656

Oh and I apologize for bringing this thread back!

 

[MJB]

I agree, I think the third row would be perfectly legal since it is a seat intended for children and most laws say that kids have to be in a correctly used child seat-- it wouldn't be illegal for a 7 yr. old to be in a harnessed seat or vest instead of a booster so why would it be illegal for them to be in a car seat designed especially for 50-80 lb. kids?
I posted on this thread a while ago (as hottmama) but I used the seat again just a couple weeks ago. My son is now a 57 lb. 7 yr. old and he fits in there great. An adult would not fit in the seat, the headrest wouldn't be tall enough, the belt wouldn't fit right, and their legs would have nowhere to go.
We're looking for a new car now and I hate to give up that third row! I feel it is plenty safe, they are further away from the rear of the car than the third row in some SUVs and minivans. It's nice to have seating for 7 when needed without the terrible gas mileage of a minivan.

 

[kducka1]

The 3rd row seat in a Volvo wagon (or likely any station wagon) is NOT safe even in a "minor" accident. Our 2002 Volvo V70 was rear-ended last weekend and I am terrified to think of what would have happened if my kids had been in the 3rd row. The SUV that hit us was high enough that it completely cleared our bumper and pushed a good 18" into the passenger compartment (where the legs of a child would be). I call this a "minor" accident because no one was injured and no one's airbags even deployed. The car that his us was a relatively small SUV -- a 2012 VW Tiguan. The Tiguan hardly even came in contact with the steel frame of the VW, it just nosed through the hatchback (which is made of fiberglass and offers zero protection) and into the backseat.