Horta

Hey All

Well if some of you know I purchased my first (1991) LS400 last year because we had a baby. Well now I have a child seat question for all of you. Oh this question pertains to my newer 1998 LS400 that I bought because I wrecked the 91.

The new child seats now have tie straps for anchors that are mounted on the back dash behind the seat bech. LS430 have these anchors built in. One the regual LS400 you can have them intsalled buy the dealer. The problem is I like having my daughter in the middle position so people can sit to her left and right, but the dealer is telling me they can only install the anchors on either the left or right side and not in the middle.

Have any of you had to deal with this? Did you find a solution. This same proble just came up this weekend when I had the anchors put in my wife RX300, only on the left or right and NOT the middle.

Let me know and thanks for your time....

Jerry

tenpointed

Hi Jerry,

In order to install a middle anchor, you would have to drill a large hole through the metal under the panel behind the rear seats. The left and right seats already have that hole, so that's why the dealer says those are the only ones they can do it on. The only problem is that I don't know if the metal is flat in the middle so as to accept the anchor. FYI, I never use that teather strap from the car seats. It really isn't necessary if you get a real tight installation of the seat. This is done by putting the seatbelt through the back slots of the child seat, buckle it, then pulling the seat belt all the way out till it goes into locking mode. Then push the child seat firmly against the seat back with your knee while firmly pulling up on the belt to retract it. If done right, the child seat won't budge.

Lextreme

I am not sure about the newer LS (98). My 90 LS has pre-drilled holes under the fabrics. I got three tie achors from the dealer. All i did was to use my finger and push. Once you penatrate the fabric, the cardboard is pre-drilled. There are 3 pre-drilled holes for the 1st Gen.

I did use the center for my 18 months old daugther, but i noticed the center seat is not a very stable place for the baby seat. The center seat is slightly convex, therefore it slide left and right as the car turn. I finally move my baby seat to rear left seat. Much Much stable with turns. Read your Owner Manual. It should stated in the book. It did on my 90 LS.

EGainer

now seeing how I am only 18, and have no child, I do not have this problem. But from my knowledge, I thought that it was not a good idea to have the child in the center. Most parents I know put their child seat on the passenger side in the back, so they can turn around and see the kid if necessary.... just my opinion

Horta

Hey Thank guys. Im putting the car in tomarrow for its 35k mile service and to discuss this anchor business. Lets see what the dealer says.

I'll let ya'll know...

Jerry

SharpLS-96

The safest place for a child to sit in the rear seat is dead center right in the middle position in case of a side impact/crash/accident. Regardless whether it's a baby seat or a booster seat or nothing.
Of course, this only applies if you have one child.

The driver actually should never turn around while the car is in motion to look. If applicable they should pull over if the child needs to be tended to or use the rear view mirror or a special baby mirror that either hangs from the passengers side sunvisor or suctions to the windshield to see if they are alright.

The reason they put the anchors on the side and not in the middle for the baby seat is that is can be a real pain placing the infant/baby/child into and out of the seat when it's mounted in the middle.