1996 D1 - (baby seats) locking rear retractable belts and tether points

[Young Angus]

There is a thread on this somewhere but I didn't find the answer I need.

I have a lovely 1996 D1 Tdi, retractable seat belts in the rear. I want to put a rear facing baby seat in there and of course there no isofix points so need to use seat belt. I have tried to put it in the side position but the seat belt just won't lock...I think I need a locking retractable seat belt in order to install this seat in the side position, it doesn't have the ability to hold the belt in place if facing backwards. Do the rear seat belts in these have the ability to go into "locking mode" where you pull them all the way out and then they start ratcheting back in and don't come out again until let to go all the way in...is that what these are or do they just not do this at all? I have tried but maybe I'm not doing it right???

Also the rear tether points...there is one already installed in the middle position, but how the heck do I get the plugs out of the two side bolt holes if I want to install another tether point...this should be easy but I can't seem to figure out how to get the damn plug out!! Any advice on this so I don't wreck the head lining?

Also middle position for rear facing baby seat...is this actually the safest position?? I would have thought a side position would be safer so at least there is a seat in front of it if something fails with the belt itself so it doesn't shoot through the windscreen. I've managed to install it to the middle position and it is solid, but I can't help feeling nervous that there is nothing in front of it between the baby seat and the windscreen.

[BradC]

Also middle position for rear facing baby seat...is this actually the safest position??

I went back and forward over this for quite a while.
On one hand you have the potential for a belt failure in a head-on. On the other hand you're further from either door and window in any side impact.
We ended up behind the passenger seat, not because it was safer but because it was incredibly difficult getting the eating, screaming **** machine in and out when the seat was in the center position.

[loanrangie]

I had no issues with baby seats in my D1, rear facing on the passenger side.
Seat belt retracted and held fine, maybe your belts need replacing.

[TonyC]

Hi Angus,
When our kids were in baby seats, our car didn't have locking belts, we used these,

https://www.target.com.au/p/mother-s-choice-child-restraint-locking-clip/57063836

The middle of the rear seat will be the safest spot, but as Brad pointed out, you need to be able to get the little tacker in and out without doing yourself an injury.

Tony

[Arapiles]

The centre of the rear seat is safest place in a car, which is why in Australia it's the default for child seats.

30 years ago most European cars were too small to have room in the centre seat for a baby seat or capsule, so they stipulated that the new Isofix mounts be on the left and right outside seats and that there not be any in the middle. The Australians lobbied against this - since we usually had room in the centre rear seat for a child seat or capsule and pointed out that it was the safest place in the car - but were ignored. As a result you weren't allowed under the Euro standard to have a child restraint in the middle of the rear seat. This is why you never see an ISOFIX mount in the middle rear position. The Australians walked out and stayed with top-tether, which meant we had 3 top-tether mounts in the rear of a car. When Australia permitted ISOFIX about 15 years ago you ended up with the situation where you had 3 top-tether mounts but only 2 ISOFIX. Our car in Japan had both ISOFIX and top-tether, so our kids' child seats used both, and the seat belt went in too.

[Young Angus]

Thanks for replies...can anyone actually confirm whether the rear side seat belts are meant to be locking retractable ones that will hold when put into "locking" mode (usually by pulling the belt all the way out and letting it in slowly so it starts the ratcheting noise as it retracts)...?

[Woolly]

Hi Angus, yes the outer seatbelts are the retracting types.
Cheers,
Woolly.

[Young Angus]

Hi Angus, yes the outer seatbelts are the retracting types.
Cheers,
Woolly.

Thank you for this...mine retract, but are they the "locking" type?

[Woolly]

Yes, mine certainly lock when you give them a swift pull. Don't think there would be much point if they didn't.
Cheers,
Woolly.

[njz]

They don't have a child seat locking mode in the D1. D2 onwards have them.


Just use a "gated buckle" to lock the belt in place.


I remember having to get a top teather extension for using the seat in rear facing mode with the anchor points above the rear door. You don't need it for later forward facing.