Car dealer lied to me, what are my rights?

[Anonymous]

so we bought a RAV4 2 years ago with the promise that it would sit 5 people including carseats. Now, FF to TODAY and I went all over the place trying to figure out how to install 2 carseats in the back and sit one adult or install 3 carseats and the news from Toyota customer service: I regret to inform you ma'am that you can only seat 2 people at a time in the back seat of your RAV4.

WTF? I'm sooooooooooo MAD! Do I have any rights here or I'm just totally screwed?

[Anonymous]

I have a Rav 4. We got it a few years back when we had two car seat kids and another not yet front seat ready kid. So all three sat in the back. Nlow that we are down to one car seat and two kids in the back, it seems quite roomy. Don't know where you are hearing this information.

[Anonymous]

Two years ago? You're totally screwed.

Did you not read the manual on how to install the carseats when you were looking at the vehicle (since this was an important part of the decision)?

[Anonymous]

BTW we bought the car NEW from Koons Toyota.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two years ago? You're totally screwed.

Did you not read the manual on how to install the carseats when you were looking at the vehicle (since this was an important part of the decision)?

I read it and so far we were fine. The problem is that in the newer models the seat belts overlap in the back so you can only use one seat at a time (behind the driver or middle seat).

[Anonymous]

"I read it and so far we were fine. The problem is that in the newer models the seat belts overlap in the back so you can only use one seat at a time (behind the driver or middle seat)."

You are misreading this. We have a newer model Rav and all of the seatbelts work. It is a 5 passenger vehicle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years ago? You're totally screwed.

Did you not read the manual on how to install the carseats when you were looking at the vehicle (since this was an important part of the decision)?

I read it and so far we were fine. The problem is that in the newer models the seat belts overlap in the back so you can only use one seat at a time (behind the driver or middle seat).

(sorry hit submit too soon) So I checked the installation and made sure it was possible to install a car seat in every seat (LATCH on the sides and seat belt in the middle). I never thought we could not use all 3 at the same time and the manual does not say anything about it. After 3 weeks of back and forth with customer service that's the response I got.

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I certainly wouldn't trust a car salesman - Caveat Emptor.

He probably had no idea that once you put two regular (not ultra narrow sunshine radian) carseats in back, that third person or carseat better be narrow as well. We have a Murano (probably a little bigger than your RAV4) and because of the location of the LATCH clips, the carseats sit about 4" from the door, leaving a quite narrow space in the middle that I can fit in, but just barely. I suppose we could always install with the seat belts but LATCH is much safer and we don't need that third seat very often.

So I'd chalk this up to your own negligence in planning and measuring based on:
1) the size of an 'adult' (are we talking big people or tiny people?)
2) the width of your carseat (they vary so it's really up to you to add up the inches)
3) the placement of the LATCH hooks.

If you get another car, ignore the sales person and break out the measuring tape, or better yet, bring the carseats with you and try them out installed.

[Anonymous]

1. Never trust a dealer! You research cars on the internet, negotiate an "out the door" price by email by pitting dealerships against each other, and only set foot in a short-listed dealership to test drive and buy.

2. Car seat info might depend on the type of car seat, the brand and model.

3. No recourse, lesson learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BTW we bought the car NEW from Koons Toyota.

I knew it as soon as I read the title of your post! Koons is the worst, they will say anything to sell you a car! Oh do I have stories about them......but I digress.

[Anonymous]

If there are 5 seatbelts than it is technically a 5 passenger car. It's not the manufacturer's problem if what you place in those belts overlaps into the adjacent seat thus making it unusable.

[Anonymous]

Car salesmen know NOTHING about carseats. They will tell you whatever just to sell you the car. I know those belts overlap so it really limits you. Next time, take your carseats with you and install them in cars you are looking to purchase. It seems silly, but really it is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there are 5 seatbelts than it is technically a 5 passenger car. It's not the manufacturer's problem if what you place in those belts overlaps into the adjacent seat thus making it unusable.

This is the OP and I guess I was not clear enough.

The seats all fit side to side, the problem is that the seatbelts of the backseat overlap. If you're sitting in the middle seat you can only have another passenger behind the passenger side. The seat behind the driver cannot be used at the same time as the middle seat.

Let me try to find a picture to make it clearer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are 5 seatbelts than it is technically a 5 passenger car. It's not the manufacturer's problem if what you place in those belts overlaps into the adjacent seat thus making it unusable.

This is the OP and I guess I was not clear enough.

The seats all fit side to side, the problem is that the seatbelts of the backseat overlap. If you're sitting in the middle seat you can only have another passenger behind the passenger side. The seat behind the driver cannot be used at the same time as the middle seat.

Let me try to find a picture to make it clearer.

found it! see? there's no way to fit 2 carseats in that tiny space at once

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Car salesmen know NOTHING about carseats. They will tell you whatever just to sell you the car. I know those belts overlap so it really limits you. Next time, take your carseats with you and install them in cars you are looking to purchase. It seems silly, but really it is a good idea.

I was not even pregnant when we bought the car and now, DC is 4mo old and I'm pregs with twins AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!