Child seats #$!@#&!!!

[wayner]

Why does this always have to be so frickin' hard?

FYI - I am in Canada so it is possible that Canadian vehicles are a bit different.

I have a brand new P85D and I went to install a child seat in the rear passenger side seat. I used the tethers in the seat "crack" (near the seat belt anchor) and the top strap. According to the picture on page 25 of the Tesla Model S manual (V5.9) the top tethers appear to be in the middle of the seat. That is not the case on my vehicle - they are at the bottom and you have to fish around to find the anchor point. The point that I have attached it to is actual a bit left of the center of the seat (ie towards the center of the car) - at least from my perspective in the back of the vehicle. Is this the right spot? There also seems to be another metal piece of some sort more towards the center but I couldn't get the latch onto this piece

The manual also says to run the tether strap over the headrest and that it will deform. If I have this on for a year or more is this going to permanently deform the headrest?

 

[FireLT]

Let me start off by saying that I have never installed a car seat, so not sure. But here in US, you can take the car to the local firehouse, who have certified technicians to install car seats. Maybe you might want to do that? Not sure how things are in Canada. Also, next week when I am at the firehouse, I can show it to one of the technicians and get back to you.

 

[SFOTurtle]

Not sure what kind of car seats you have, but if they are rear facing and you have either of the front seats extended back for a person of above normal height, the infant car seat likely will come into contact with the headrest on the front seat. I'd recommend placing a towel or bib cloth over the headrest so that you don't do any damage to it while the infant seat rests up against it. We survived 18 months of rear facing seats (plural -- twins), including taking them in and out of the car and fishing for the anchor points. There are easier things in life, but in the end we got used to it and just planned for an extra five minutes or so when we knew we needed to put the seats back in the car for a trip with the twins.

 

[redox]

I've installed our car seat (Britax Advocate) in the back center spot. In my back seats (P85D with old gen back seats) there aren't any LATCH points for the center seat, so I used the belt install (rear facing). Both sides (left/right) in the back are still usable (people can sit there), and it doesn't require me to bring the front seats uncomfortably forward.

I tried to install a Diono seat first, and my daughter hated it (it was quite stiff). It was also quite tall - preventing good rearview mirror visibility as well as easily bumping into the front seats.

I need to figure out the tether: for rear facing I think they suggest you find some anchor point somewhere in between the back of the 2 front seats. I couldn't find any suitable spot yet.

-- Greg

 

[wayner]

This is a front facing seat for an older child. My daughter is now six so I will buy her to a booster seat that doesn't need the anchors as you use the regular 3 point seatbelt. Wally World sells a seat that has speakers built into the headrest that plug into a headphone jack - which is great since I can listen to what I want in the main system.

I think the fire, or police, will install your seats here but that takes forward planning. That won't be required for the booster

 

[KJD]

Why not buy the 3rd row seats for the kids and forget the one that is giving you problems.

 

[Ed Chan]

Top tethers are behind a slit cut into the back of the seat. It's easier if you find the slit with your hand first and open it up to find the latch point. It's about halfway down, and may be slightly off center... The top of the headrest does deform, so I switched my car seats to Britax seats because the top tether attaches to the two corners of the child seat rather than the middle, and goes around the headrests. My Recaros went into my wife's lexus The bottom latch points are a pain to find as the cushions don't give space for the buckles easily. It's doable, but not easy. Once they are in, you hopefully won't have to take them out!

Why does this always have to be so frickin' hard?

FYI - I am in Canada so it is possible that Canadian vehicles are a bit different.

I have a brand new P85D and I went to install a child seat in the rear passenger side seat. I used the tethers in the seat "crack" (near the seat belt anchor) and the top strap. According to the picture on page 25 of the Tesla Model S manual (V5.9) the top tethers appear to be in the middle of the seat. That is not the case on my vehicle - they are at the bottom and you have to fish around to find the anchor point. The point that I have attached it to is actual a bit left of the center of the seat (ie towards the center of the car) - at least from my perspective in the back of the vehicle. Is this the right spot? There also seems to be another metal piece of some sort more towards the center but I couldn't get the latch onto this piece

The manual also says to run the tether strap over the headrest and that it will deform. If I have this on for a year or more is this going to permanently deform the headrest?

 

[wayner]

Why not buy the 3rd row seats for the kids and forget the one that is giving you problems.

Lots of reasons:

1. They have to be factory installed and I have my car (this pretty much trumps everything else)
2. It costs $1500
3. The kids hated facing backwards when they were babies, I don't think that will be different now
4. We hated not being able to see the kids very well
5. Once they get bigger they won't fit in those seats any more.
6. They take up space that could be used for storage.
7. Apparently the HVAC isn't very good back there, it is supposed to be the trunk after all, so they will get too cold or hot depending on the season.

- - - Updated - - -

Top tethers are behind a slit cut into the back of the seat. It's easier if you find the slit with your hand first and open it up to find the latch point. It's about halfway down, and may be slightly off center...

That slit is not obvious - I thought maybe it was right behind the label. Here are before and after shots in case anyone else has this problem and comes across this thread... If you look very closely you can see the slit above the label in the first photo.

 

[Ed Chan]

At least you have a sticker! My 52XXX vin doesn't have any indication at all that they are there... If my delivery guy didn't show them to me, I wouldn't probably wouldn't have found them!

That slit is not obvious - I thought maybe it was right behind the label. Here are before and after shots in case anyone else has this problem and comes across this thread... If you look very closely you can see the slit above the label in the first photo.

View attachment 68867View attachment 68869

 

[Alysashley79]

Lots of reasons:

1. They have to be factory installed and I have my car (this pretty much trumps everything else)
2. It costs $1500
3. The kids hated facing backwards when they were babies, I don't think that will be different now
4. We hated not being able to see the kids very well
5. Once they get bigger they won't fit in those seats any more.
6. They take up space that could be used for storage.
7. Apparently the HVAC isn't very good back there, it is supposed to be the trunk after all, so they will get too cold or hot depending on the

My kids are 7 and 9 and LOVE to sit in the rear facing seats! You're correct the hvac isn't wonderful but they never get cold just warm on extremely hot days (above 85 degrees F)

most at kids don't like to read face because they're looking at a back seat not the position they're curious about what's going on around them! And you CAN get seats added after the fact. Best $1500 I spent on options to never have to move or install a car seat in the car. Plus you can then carry up to three more adults with you.

 

[wayner]

We have two daughters and the older one is already too big for the back seats so it makes less sense for us. We also have an SUV (Lexus Rx450h) that is used more often for the whole family. But maybe there is a Model X in our future!

 

[wayner]

I bought a high backed booster seat that doesn't use anchors - you just use the regular seat belt. This way I don't get the headrest crushed by the top tether strap. However I am not sure how well this is going to work since the headrest in the model S is angled forwarded and forces the headrest of the booster seat forward as well. Unlike many cars you cannot remove the headrests. We will see tonight when I drive my daughter for the first time.

 

[tdanner]

I have an 85D with NextGen seats on the way, so I am trying to figure out the car seat situation. I wish there were more clear and current information!

I have one kid in a backless booster seat - something simple like Amazon.com : Cosco Top Side Booster, Leo : Child Safety Booster Car Seats : Baby should work fine.

I also have one kid who needs the high back booster seat. In my previous car (Infiniti G37) I used a Clek Oobr and that worked well even though other seats like the ubiquitous Graco TurboBooster didn't fit with the car's fixed headrest. However, other info I have seen indicates that the Clek boosters are too wide for Tesla NextGen seats.

It would be super-helpful if someone with NextGen seats and a high back booster seat could share their experience.

 

[JohnnyG]

I just put a Graco AFFIX Highback in my 2015 Model S with NextGen seats. With the forward leaning non-adjustable headrests, the highback booster does not set flush against the back of the Tesla seat. This is a much bigger issue than compression of the headrest over time. For the child to be safe, the seat, just as the occupant, needs to be flush against the back of the seat.

 

[JustSurfin]

I just put a Graco AFFIX Highback in my 2015 Model S with NextGen seats. With the forward leaning non-adjustable headrests, the highback booster does not set flush against the back of the Tesla seat. This is a much bigger issue than compression of the headrest over time. For the child to be safe, the seat, just as the occupant, needs to be flush against the back of the seat.

Hi Johnny,
Just checking in to see if you had any luck solving for the issue above. We have a 2016 with NextGen seats and are having the same issue.
Thanks

 

[JohnnyG]

Hi Johnny,
Just checking in to see if you had any luck solving for the issue above. We have a 2016 with NextGen seats and are having the same issue.
Thanks

Hi JustSurfin,
Unfortunately, not any great solutions. The highback booster that I bought can be used as just a seat booster, which my daughter is big enough for. However, I prefer the extra added support of the whole highback booster. The head support on mine extends up on a plastic rail. That rail has flex. When my daughter is seated, the highback does come flush with the Tesla seat, but the booster's headrest is still somewhat forward, due to the Tesla headrest. The downside to this is that it makes it less comfortable for her if she tries to sleep in the car. The Tesla headrest is showing compression, which may never come out. I wish there was a better all-around solution.

 

[bradhs]

Has anyone found a car seat that can compensate for the high-back?