October 2015 Moms

Car seat- legroom hog

We just got our car seat installed today, and now I have ZERO legroom. I'm fairly tall, but really? I have a midsize/small SUV (Mazda cc-7) but I feel like I have a VW Beetle!! Anyone else have these problems? My knees are in the dash... That can't be safe!

Re: Car seat- legroom hog

  • Yep, me too! We have a Ford Escape and it takes up a ton of leg room. I still fit, but I would only put a smaller passenger up front. Anyone who wants to ride in my car is going to have to be happy with the back seat for a while!
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  • I have a hyundai tucson and we installed the car seat today and had the same problem. Glad to know I'm not alone!
  • I have a Chrysler Town and Country. my husband is 6'1 and can barely put his seat back far enough. I think it happens no matter what you drive... 
  • I have a Chevy Cobalt. I am 5'0" so I fit ok, but just barely. And my husband can't drive with the seat in. No way.
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  • We bought the shortest infant seat on the market, a cybex Aton q, because we had this issue with DS's infant seat. I didn't want to sit with my knees in the dashboard again. Well. While there is a ton of room behind the driver's seat now (where the infant seat is installed), I'm still riding with my knees in the dash because of DS's rear facing convertible seat!!! Ugh. I can't win this battle.
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  • Oh yes- I was so disappointed this morning when we installed our Britax B-Safe Elite in my Subaru Outback 2007. No room. We currently have it installed on the driver's side because this is supposed to be safer due to driver being more responsive to things happening on that side of the vehicle. We might move it over to the passenger side, but that leaves no room for passenger. No good options. Ugh.
  • I have heard it's best for the car seat to be installed in the middle seat, to avoid any major impact if any accident would occur. Is this not true? When I first heard the car seat being installed in the center Seat my first thought was going through the windshield in horrific accident - which shouldn't happen because it would be secured. I feel center seat would solve these leg room issues, but I want baby safe!

    My truck is in the shop so I don't have car seat installed yet. As we are having a home birth we don't NEED it right away. I do plan on having it installed as soon as I get the truck back.

  • @AndreaBiel it depends on the make and model of your car. The car manual will tell you where you should install the seat. Most cars are now middle seat, however, if you have two children in car seats, that's not going to be possible!
  • If I installed mine in the center both seats would have to be all the way up and I would be unable to drive.
  • dparker721dparker721 member
    edited September 2015
    I've heard the middle seat is best too, however my tahoe doesn't have a middle seat in the second row since it has captains chairs, so I guess I'll pick a side. I could see how the middle seat would push both seats up like @MrsFaust1432 said, depending on what type of car you have.

    ETA: stupid autocorrect.
  • We had ours installed by the h&m great patrol and they said if you don't have it in the middle the right side is safer as you take the baby in and out of the car' because you're on the sidewalk, not in the road. Ours is installed in the middle and actually gives the most legroom because the seat kind of tucks between our seats. We have a Jetta.
  • I have a Honda Civic and the manual did not give a SPECIFIC seat. It just said any seat in the back seat is safest. Anyone else?
  • Those of you with an existing car seat: would you recommend putting the seats next to each other? That way a passenger can easily get in? Since we're having twins I have 2 seats but right now they're each at a window. Sorry if this was already mentioned and I've missed it.
  • @babyvelasquez2015, I have a Civic, too, and had my son's carseat in the middle.  Had to move it to the passenger side because two carseats won't fit next to each other.  @chris&haley, that would be ideal, but you'd have to have a pretty wide backseat to accommodate two seats right next to each other.  I don't know what's recommended safety-wise - check out the car seat safety post that's stuck up top.
  • We have an Accord (sedan). We just installed DS's infant car seat in the middle seat and moved DD's convertible car seat from the middle to behind the driver's seat. We ended up getting an angle adjuster from the manufacturer to raise DD's seat by a couple of inches...it's a piece of foam...yup, just a piece of foam, but it gives us back 3-4 inches so that hubby can be seated at a safe distance away from the steering wheel. With both car seats in the back there's just enough room for a small, petite person to barely fit and sit back there.

     

        

  • EllioCorEllioCor member
    edited September 2015
    we got a chicco keyfit30 and it fits fine. we did put it in the middle (which is what is recommended at the safest place for a seat). It's currently installed in DH's Pontiac grand prix(sedan). I drive a chevy S10 (truck). DH is 6'3", I am 5'6" and currently lean the seat back for comfort


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  • I have a 2013 Ford Flex, and the car seat position is a struggle. To be able to get into the third row, the passenger side back seat must be empty (so it can fold up). I haven't done it yet (it's 100 degrees, and I don't want to mess with it yet). But I'm hoping to put DD's convertible carseat behind the drivers side, and our Graco SnugRide in the middle seat, or switch them, but hoping they'll fit side by side so we can leave the one seat open.

    I just googled "car seat install 2013 ford flex" and they had some great car seat recommendations and configurations to try with our car.
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  • @AndreaBiel it depends on the make and model of your car. The car manual will tell you where you should install the seat. Most cars are now middle seat, however, if you have two children in car seats, that's not going to be possible!


    Thanks for telling me! Luckily right now just one baby. I have an Escalade EXT it's the pickup model. I will report back when I find out where it should be installed.
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