[Dachsieland]

Hi all, I bought the used 98 Caravan a couple of months ago. She has been parked while I finished paying her off and she is finally at my house and getting ready to be used.

I was looking at the middle row seat and assessing it for installation of my 2 year old's car seat. I don't see anywhere to hook the latch tethers or the top tether.........the only way I see to make this work is to hook it up with just the seat belt. Is there something I am missing?

 

[ImperialCrown]

Floor and D-pillar mounted teather anchor kits were availible at the dealer. The 'Fit for a Kid' program was a free service, but may no longer be supported. You can see if a parts dept still carries the kit that came with instructions, hardware and a template.
Other than that, many public safety (police and fire depts) may be able to help you with a resource for fitting a child seat and teather anchors properly.

 

[Dachsieland]

Floor and D-pillar mounted teather anchor kits were availible at the dealer. The 'Fit for a Kid' program was a free service, but may no longer be supported. You can see if a parts dept still carries the kit that came with instructions, hardware and a template.
Other than that, many public safety (police and fire depts) may be able to help you with a resource for fitting a child seat and teather anchors properly.

Thank you so much!! I will call the local dealership today and see if they can help or steer me in the right direction.
Dachsie

 

[A.j. Schreiber]

Do you have the integrated child seats already in the second row?

 

[smgussey]

Right or wrong, here's what I did for the second row:
1.) Route the seatbelt through the child seat, and secure it with the metal locking clip so it cannot move. http://www.amazon.com/Graco-4045-Seatbelt-Locking-Clip/dp/B0002ADQOU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1343042777&sr=8-9&keywords=seatbelt+restraint
2.) I installed a clevis through the bar behind the seat in the floor (used to latch the bench seat in "limosine" position) and hooked the top tether to that.
3.) I then used chain looped through that bar to secure the side LATCH tethers.

Like I said, right or wrong, that's how I did it and there was no way the seat was ever going to move.


In the 3rd row I did find and install the factory top tether anchor, detailed in this thread: http://www.allpar.com/forums/topic/125943-when-did-the-latch-system-start-in-chrysler-minivans/

A similar anchor is available for second row seats.

 

[Dachsieland]

Do you have the integrated child seats already in the second row?

No integrated car seat........just a 2 seater bench type seat.

Right or wrong, here's what I did for the second row:
1.) Route the seatbelt through the child seat, and secure it with the metal locking clip so it cannot move. http://www.amazon.co...tbelt restraint
2.) I installed a clevis through the bar behind the seat in the floor (used to latch the bench seat in "limosine" position) and hooked the top tether to that.
3.) I then used chain looped through that bar to secure the side LATCH tethers.

Like I said, right or wrong, that's how I did it and there was no way the seat was ever going to move.


In the 3rd row I did find and install the factory top tether anchor, detailed in this thread: http://www.allpar.co...ysler-minivans/

A similar anchor is available for second row seats.

Thank you for the idea. I actuall have a clevice I can connect it. I appreciate the information!!!

Dachsie

 

[Bob Lincoln]

We had all pre-2001 cars with no LATCH system. I found that by using the brass belt clip that comes with the child seat, I could simply use the vehicle's seat belt and secured the seat so tightly that the whole vehicle rocked when I tugged on it.

Our local "expert" police officer told my wife she didn't need the brass belt clip (even though the owner's manual said it MUST be used with our seat belts) and threw the clip away. When she came home that night, I could rock the seat all over the place. I had to buy a new clip, and secured it as I said above. So don't trust every expert, the real test is if you can shake the seat loose at all. If you can, it's NOT secured properly.

 

[A.j. Schreiber]

I thought all bench seats have the integrated child seats. oops! my bad

 

[valiant67]

I think the intergrated child seats never sold very well. They seem to be a rare option.

 

[A.j. Schreiber]

my 2000 DGC has them, thought they were standard with the bench seats, hmmm I learned something new