Not sure on what the baby seat manufacturer would recommend in reference to this. I am thinking of buckle crunch. Not much help but we had a kombi and they have longer seatbelts on the rear seats so not a problem.

Have you tried looking for seatbelt extensions? Alternatively you could look for replacement longer seatbelts which is what I would prefer to do.

 

Thanks for your reply . Unf, seat belt extensions aren’t recommended for children . Rather be safe .

 

If you have an isofix baby seat then you can buy the isofix bars and get them welded to the frame. I'd personally only do this on a tested frame though.

 

In my T4, a 1992 converted by Westfalia, there are two seatbelts installed for use by passengers seated in the rear seats - the seats that fold down to make the bed. One seat belt is a shoulder belt, the other, next to the cabinetry, is a lap belt only. Rear tethers are attached to provided mount points beneath the rear roof mounted cabinet. Both seat belts can be used (they are plenty long enough) to secure a modern child or infant seat. Most modern child/infant seat systems, including Isofix, are designed so they can also be installed using seat belts instead.

I struggle to visualize a child/infant car seat that could not be installed using my belts and tethers - the ones Westfalia put in my van as OEM. If the belt can be worn by an average size person, they are able to hold a child/infant car seat by default.

You mention your van has been converted. Do you mean converted by a previous owner or yourself? Perhaps the conversion did not properly accommodate proper/OEM seat belts in the rear? Is your child/infant car seat made to only install using the Isofix or similar attachment system and not work with seat belts?

Also, you say the belt won't fit "around" the baby's car seat. The infant (rear facing) seats usually have the belt going through the base, not around the unit. Is that not the case with yours? Then the seat/carrier part snaps onto the base. On some designs there is a support from the back of the carrier, pointing forward to the front of the vehicle, bracing against the floor as well.

Anyway, good luck sorting this out. There should be a safe, legal solution, and congrats having a four month old - and a T4!

 

In my T4, a 1992 converted by Westfalia, there are two seatbelts installed for use by passengers seated in the rear seats - the seats that fold down to make the bed. One seat belt is a shoulder belt, the other, next to the cabinetry, is a lap belt only. Rear tethers are attached to provided mount points beneath the rear roof mounted cabinet. Both seat belts can be used (they are plenty long enough) to secure a modern child or infant seat. Most modern child/infant seat systems, including Isofix, are designed so they can also be installed using seat belts instead.

I struggle to visualize a child/infant car seat that could not be installed using my belts and tethers - the ones Westfalia put in my van as OEM. If the belt can be worn by an average size person, they are able to hold a child/infant car seat by default.

You mention your van has been converted. Do you mean converted by a previous owner or yourself? Perhaps the conversion did not properly accommodate proper/OEM seat belts in the rear? Is your child/infant car seat made to only install using the Isofix or similar attachment system and not work with seat belts?

Also, you say the belt won't fit "around" the baby's car seat. The infant (rear facing) seats usually have the belt going through the base, not around the unit. Is that not the case with yours? Then the seat/carrier part snaps onto the base. On some designs there is a support from the back of the carrier, pointing forward to the front of the vehicle, bracing against the floor as well.

Anyway, good luck sorting this out. There should be a safe, legal solution, and congrats having a four month old - and a T4!

Hi,

thank you for your reply and your congrats on the baby . Strange times to bring up children but doing Unf, we only have the over shoulder belts that came with the van that had been converted when I bought it ( rock and roll belt ) . There are no middle belts that go around the waist . My van was a 2001 t4 transporter and bought it about 10 years ago .

the car seat ( joie igemm 2) is a rear facing and the belt goes around the front section and then around the back to keep it secure . The seatbelts don’t extend to go around the back section . I know seatbelt extensions are not recommended .

Do yo know of anyone that can fit belts etc ? You also mention tethers ?

Thanks again

 

Maybe put the baby up front?

If not, Take it to a reputable child seat shop and let someone have a look. We (just) squeeze the baby seat in the middle of our bench but the belts only just go. I'm going to a bigger seat soon as the little man is nearly 1, so I've just booked in to have a look at other seats. It's a minefield.