My wife and I are about to have our first baby. We received as a gift a car seat which has LATCH tie-downs. I looked in the car, but I don't see them. I don't think our 2001 Forester is LATCH equiped. Can I add LATCH anchors now as an aftermarket add???
Ken Rivera
2001 legacy had them. Check with your dealer to see if they can retrofit them or if the vehicle does have them.
F. Plant
As a 2001, I would be SHOCKED if it were not equiped for the anchors. It likely won't have the hooks/loops installed, but the anchor points for the hooks should be there. I have an Audi wagon and mine are on the backs of the rear seats. Look for plastic plugs/covers that would line up with the center of the seating positions. You can get the hooks from your local dealer for a few bucks. I installed the hooks in my wife's Accord sedan. I had to drill through the cardboard decking (where the rear speakers are) and there were pre-threaded anchor points to screw the hooks into. Likewise on the wagon, it came equipped with one hook, but you can easily move it among the three positions as it is held in place with an allen bolt.
Stu
Ken, We have an '01 Forester, and the 3 LATCH hooks are in the ceiling. We use it 100% of the time with the car seat.
-Bill Radio
Andrew, I believe you are correct. I thought about it and looked it up after I posted.
-Bill
LATCH didn't become widespread in cars until the 2002 model year (at which point it may have become mandatory) - easy way to check if you have it - it will have little indicators (usually say "child" or "Latch") along the base of the rear seatback - the latch system is used to replace the seatbelt as a means of holding the child safety seat in place. The top tether anchors, while also important, are not LATCH anchors. If you want to find the latch hooks, run your hand in the gap between the rear seat bottom and the rear seat back - you should find two loops for each seating position (well - one might be shared with an adjacent seating position - there should be 4 hooks - one on either end of the seat, and one on either side of the center position)
My '02 WRX has them, along with the 3 upper anchors.
Many car seats which are Latch compatible can also be used just f>
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