Can I fit a baby seat in the passenger side?
12-11-2016, 11:16 AM
#21
Melting Slicks
I'm glad this thread starting giving better information as it went along. I don't believe that there is any state where it is illegal to put the car seat in the front if there are no rear seats and the airbag is off. That said, I personally chose not to do it. The airbag is so dangerous to a rear facing car seat, that I did not want to put the child's life in the hands of those seat sensors. Of course, logically, the child's life is in hands of the car's brakes, steering, and other systems, so there is no reason to think the seat airbag sensors are any worse than any other part of the car, but I didn't find that risk worthwhile.
On a side note, I'm glad that some states are going to 2 years rear facing as well. It is so much safer at that age, and the number of people who turn their kid around on their first birthday drives me crazy. Wife and I had some "discussions" about it back in the day....
12-11-2016, 11:20 AM
#22
Burning Brakes
After my son started sitting forward, we put the Recaro Performance SPORT in the Vette using the seat belt. It secures him and is permissible by PA law. He just loves his short rides with the top down....
12-11-2016, 12:14 PM
#23
Race Director
Contact GM for the weight that turns on the front passenger air bag...then you'll have the answer as to whether you can strap a rearward facing car seat in your corvette..
My 3 year old son loved driving in my various corvettes over the years as it was my daily driver...
I bought my first in September 1999 and have been dallying corvettes ever since.
Even my wife became a corvette fan as soon as I started putting our son in the corvette early Sunday mornings so she could sleep in bed late...
Amazing how those Sunday morning father son bonding moments in the corvette became one of her favorite activities...
Always take care of the new momma and let her sleep late.....with your child and you going for nice slow safe drives up around mountain roads and lakes....for the scenic tours...
Best of luck with your incoming new baby....
My 3 year old son loved driving in my various corvettes over the years as it was my daily driver...
I bought my first in September 1999 and have been dallying corvettes ever since.
Even my wife became a corvette fan as soon as I started putting our son in the corvette early Sunday mornings so she could sleep in bed late...
Amazing how those Sunday morning father son bonding moments in the corvette became one of her favorite activities...
Always take care of the new momma and let her sleep late.....with your child and you going for nice slow safe drives up around mountain roads and lakes....for the scenic tours...
Best of luck with your incoming new baby....
The following users liked this post:
demasterz (12-11-2016)
11-20-2017, 04:16 PM
#25
Bump... about to buy a C7 and trying to figure out how to let my 18 month daughter go for rides with daddy. She's too big for her rear facing seat so she's aready forward facing. Will have to see if her current seat fits in the car or if I need to get a slimmer one.
Are the Recaro baby seats compact?
I was very surprised to see the C7 doesn't have the latch system when my C5Z did. Is the chrome hook behind the seat for luggage or is it for latching to top tether of a car seat?
Are the Recaro baby seats compact?
I was very surprised to see the C7 doesn't have the latch system when my C5Z did. Is the chrome hook behind the seat for luggage or is it for latching to top tether of a car seat?
11-20-2017, 10:38 PM
#27
Le Mans Master
Other replies might be correct for their local situations. Child seat laws vary from state to state. In California, you can legally put a forward-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle that doesn't have a back seat. The age for switching from rear-facing to forward-facing also depends on local laws. In CA, the minimum forward-facing age is changing from 1 year to 2 years on Jan 1, 2017.
The Corvette doesn't have the LATCH anchors that are the easiest way to install a car seat, but most, if not all, car seats can be secured using the car's seat belts. The C7 belts have a child seat mode that locks the retractor so you can tighten the belt, but it can't be extended. The passenger airbag deactivates if the car detects that there's not a full-sized adult in the passenger seat. This is based on weight on the seat (and possibly influenced by the retractor lock; I'm not sure).
Some child seats are bigger than others, so you'd want to find a smaller (narrower) one for best fit.
To sum up, you can put a child seat in a C7, and the car is designed to allow you to do so. The local laws where you live may or may not allow you to do so legally. Your specific child seat may or may not fit conveniently, depending on its size and shape. Whether or not you are comfortable putting a child in the Corvette is up to you, but it's pretty fun to hear a two year old yell "Bye, bye, cars! Vroom!"
The Corvette doesn't have the LATCH anchors that are the easiest way to install a car seat, but most, if not all, car seats can be secured using the car's seat belts. The C7 belts have a child seat mode that locks the retractor so you can tighten the belt, but it can't be extended. The passenger airbag deactivates if the car detects that there's not a full-sized adult in the passenger seat. This is based on weight on the seat (and possibly influenced by the retractor lock; I'm not sure).
Some child seats are bigger than others, so you'd want to find a smaller (narrower) one for best fit.
To sum up, you can put a child seat in a C7, and the car is designed to allow you to do so. The local laws where you live may or may not allow you to do so legally. Your specific child seat may or may not fit conveniently, depending on its size and shape. Whether or not you are comfortable putting a child in the Corvette is up to you, but it's pretty fun to hear a two year old yell "Bye, bye, cars! Vroom!"
"The C7 belts have a child seat mode that locks the retractor so you can tighten the belt". How can I activate the child seat mode?
Last edited by Maxie2U; 11-20-2017 at 10:39 PM.
11-20-2017, 10:46 PM
#28
The OM has an entire section which covers all the questions asked so far, except the differing laws. It's very clear about what is recommended, and what is not.
The following users liked this post:
Maxie2U (11-20-2017)
11-21-2017, 08:19 AM
#29
Le Mans Master
Main reason I traded in my c7 was because we had a baby. Traded the c7 in for a hellcat charger. Still a ton of fun with plenty of room for the family. A child should always be kept in a rear facing car seat in THE BACK SEAT!!! Either lease a cheap car with a back seat or say goodbye to the corvette for a little while. It’s a sacrifice yes, but one that’s well worth it to keep the baby safe. Actually for me it wasn’t much of a sacrifice at all. Yea I miss
The handling of he c7 but the hellcat is a beast and when driving without the baby I certainly enjoy the 707 HP!
The handling of he c7 but the hellcat is a beast and when driving without the baby I certainly enjoy the 707 HP!
Last edited by brooklync5; 11-21-2017 at 08:24 AM.
11-21-2017, 08:33 AM
#31
Race Director
I was one of the first people to install the airbag turn off switch in my 1999 corvette c5.
The new cars don't need that switch installed. The airbags turn off automatically with a child in the front seat.
Go for it..
Just remember Sunday mornings to take the baby out and let the mommy sleep late on Sunday morning and you'll get her buy in...
It's no problem and corvettesa re among the safest cars on the road with a structurally strong chassis.
Congrats on the new baby on the way...
Getting a new corvette back in the day when my kid was young was the best thing I did for my marriage.
Lead by example was my motto...
Parenting doesn't mean you stop enjoying life.
The new cars don't need that switch installed. The airbags turn off automatically with a child in the front seat.
Go for it..
Just remember Sunday mornings to take the baby out and let the mommy sleep late on Sunday morning and you'll get her buy in...
It's no problem and corvettesa re among the safest cars on the road with a structurally strong chassis.
Congrats on the new baby on the way...
Getting a new corvette back in the day when my kid was young was the best thing I did for my marriage.
Lead by example was my motto...
Parenting doesn't mean you stop enjoying life.
11-21-2017, 11:54 AM
#32
When my 7 year old daughter is in the front seat in a booster the airbag is on sometimes and off at others. She is about 60 pounds.
When my 4 year old comes with me occasionally the airbag is always off.
I don't take my kids on long trips, but will take them out just around town sometimes because its exciting for them.
When my 4 year old comes with me occasionally the airbag is always off.
I don't take my kids on long trips, but will take them out just around town sometimes because its exciting for them.
11-21-2017, 01:37 PM
#33
Racer
If you pull the seatbelt all the way out, it will ratchet and not quit tightening until you completely retract it.
The OM has an entire section which covers all the questions asked so far, except the differing laws. It's very clear about what is recommended, and what is not.
The OM has an entire section which covers all the questions asked so far, except the differing laws. It's very clear about what is recommended, and what is not.
11-21-2017, 11:09 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
Bump... about to buy a C7 and trying to figure out how to let my 18 month daughter go for rides with daddy. She's too big for her rear facing seat so she's aready forward facing. Will have to see if her current seat fits in the car or if I need to get a slimmer one.
Are the Recaro baby seats compact?
I was very surprised to see the C7 doesn't have the latch system when my C5Z did. Is the chrome hook behind the seat for luggage or is it for latching to top tether of a car seat?
Are the Recaro baby seats compact?
I was very surprised to see the C7 doesn't have the latch system when my C5Z did. Is the chrome hook behind the seat for luggage or is it for latching to top tether of a car seat?
11-21-2017, 11:13 PM
#35
There is no LATCH system in the C7.
Meaning there is no upper tether point. The last Vette that had this was the C6 Z06/ZR1.
Meaning there is no upper tether point. The last Vette that had this was the C6 Z06/ZR1.
11-22-2017, 07:38 AM
#36
Thats what I suspected... so how do you install a kids seat? Just the main belt? I just want to take my daughter to local shows and for ice cream etc... not as a primary mode of transportation.
11-22-2017, 08:03 AM
#37
Race Director
There were no tethers ..just use the seat belt with the child seat and take your kid.
Don't make a problem. Just enjoy.
Don't make a problem. Just enjoy.
11-22-2017, 08:15 AM
#38
Drifting
It's the same laws as a regular cab truck. If the airbag is disabled and it's a forward-facing car seat (normally a year or two old/by weight), you're fine. May get some dirty looks but absolutely safe and legal. By all means, look it up and don't take these randos' (myself included) word for it. Not the best vehicle for a newborn though..
11-22-2017, 08:30 AM
#39
Race Director
You guys are definitely over thinking this...nobody loves his kid more than me but the corvette is one of the safest vehicles on the road.
It literally has one of the strongest chassis's on the road and I'd put it up against a unitbody platform any day of the week.
The entire undercarriage is very much designed as a roll cage...
Structural rigidity is phenomenal.
Like I said I think your over thinking this...
Nobody ever gave me a dirty look as I pulled my kid out of my corvette from his car seat...
If your really hemming and hawing.,. Go to www.legendleasing.com and pick up a 189 dollar. A month lease for 36 months. No money down and call it a day...or swap a lease for a low mileage cheap lease as an extra vehicle...
Personally from experience..if you put your kid in a child seat in the corvette on Sunday mornings and take your kid for a long ride to let momma sleep late...you ll enjoy the relaxing ride, and your better half will wake up relaxed, refreshed and grateful for the noon wake up...
Your better half will quickly learn to love corvettes too...trust me it was a winning deal as a father...
Don't discuss it...just do it...when you come home she will greet you at the door with a big smile or an ax...(kidding)
At that point after you explain the safety structure of the corvette as compared to a unit bodied vehicle...and she gets to sleep late cause your out with the kid....your in like Flynn...and of course I do mean the structure and design of the corvette truly is superior to unit bodied platforms..
It literally has one of the strongest chassis's on the road and I'd put it up against a unitbody platform any day of the week.
The entire undercarriage is very much designed as a roll cage...
Structural rigidity is phenomenal.
Like I said I think your over thinking this...
Nobody ever gave me a dirty look as I pulled my kid out of my corvette from his car seat...
If your really hemming and hawing.,. Go to www.legendleasing.com and pick up a 189 dollar. A month lease for 36 months. No money down and call it a day...or swap a lease for a low mileage cheap lease as an extra vehicle...
Personally from experience..if you put your kid in a child seat in the corvette on Sunday mornings and take your kid for a long ride to let momma sleep late...you ll enjoy the relaxing ride, and your better half will wake up relaxed, refreshed and grateful for the noon wake up...
Your better half will quickly learn to love corvettes too...trust me it was a winning deal as a father...
Don't discuss it...just do it...when you come home she will greet you at the door with a big smile or an ax...(kidding)
At that point after you explain the safety structure of the corvette as compared to a unit bodied vehicle...and she gets to sleep late cause your out with the kid....your in like Flynn...and of course I do mean the structure and design of the corvette truly is superior to unit bodied platforms..
11-22-2017, 08:54 AM
#40
I have taken my now 2+ yr old several times in a forward facing seat. I actually bought a slimmer car seat/booster transition seat that fits the C7 passenger seat better. Agree that you should not place a rear facing infant seat as it really isn’t the safest place to be. With regards to the LATCH system, there was a huge push for it over the last 2 decades, but there is actually a trend away from it recently because of two reasons. 1) people (myself included) ignorantly would use just the LATCH system to secure the seat and not also use the safety belt. That combined with the fact that 2) Car seats have gotten progressively larger/heavier over the past decade led to incidences where in accidents the welds from the LATCH system would actually detach because they couldn’t handle the load. So the recommendation has been to favor harnessing with the safety belt (or safety belt combined with LATCH as was always recommended) and subsequently you now see new cars that don’t have the LATCH system at all.