Child seat

[dacostad]

Well one week after getting my Boxster S, we find out m wife is pregant! (ops).

So no it looks like a 996 is in my near future.

Am I correct that you can fit a baby seat in the rear of a 996?

Thanks

David

[98Boxster98]

Not the smallest of the three car seats:

http://www3.us.porsche.com/english/usa/acc...kindersitze.htm

I hope you have an easier time getting a car seat than I did. Apparently Porsche is redesigning the car seat airbag deactivation and seats were hard to come by. One dealer told me a couple of weeks ago that he had a waiting list going back to this January. I did finally get one. The weird part of it is the airbag light is suppose to blink for awhile and go off when the car is started and the child seat installed. Well, all starts out well for me but eventually the airbag light stays constantly on. I went to the dealer to have it checked out but he said that the driver side seat belt caused the alarm. If I want it fixed, it's only $560 to replace seat belts (after buying a $350 car seat.) Dealer told me at least I know what's causing it. Hmmm, not exactly reassuring. The dealer cleared the alarm and with no child seat installed, I had no problems for a week. Installed the child seat for weekend use and airbag light magically reappeared. I guess I'll drop by the dealer again to make sure if it isn't something else this time.

Anybody else have a problem like this? How hard is it to switch out seat belts. I found an earlier thread discussing seat belt changout but it didn't go further to report difficulty and success.

[dvu70]

Well one week after getting my Boxster S, we find out m wife is pregant! (ops).

So no it looks like a 996 is in my near future.

Am I correct that you can fit a baby seat in the rear of a 996?

Hey congrats. I guess it wasn't planned, but then again they never are. I think a rear facing one will only fit properly in the front seat, but you'd have to get the airbag de-activation kit. You may find a rear facing that fits in the back, but it would take up so much leg room, that you wouldn't be able to fit a front passenger.

I have the Britax Roundabout forward facing (~$180) in the back and it fits perfectly. Don't buy one from Porsche unless you want to spend $500 on a car seat. Britax was the OEM for the forward facing Porsche car seat a couple of years back. Not sure who they use now.

[98Boxster98]

Of course, how rude of me. Congrats, Dacostad. dvu70, that's sound advice. You really don't need a Porsche child seat if you have a back seat you want to use.

[Hroussard]

Well one week after getting my Boxster S, we find out m wife is pregant! (ops).

So no it looks like a 996 is in my near future.

Am I correct that you can fit a baby seat in the rear of a 996?

Hey congrats. I guess it wasn't planned, but then again they never are. I think a rear facing one will only fit properly in the front seat, but you'd have to get the airbag de-activation kit. You may find a rear facing that fits in the back, but it would take up so much leg room, that you wouldn't be able to fit a front passenger.

I have the Britax Roundabout forward facing (~$180) in the back and it fits perfectly. Don't buy one from Porsche unless you want to spend $500 on a car seat. Britax was the OEM for the forward facing Porsche car seat a couple of years back. Not sure who they use now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also have a Brittax in the back of the 996. It cost me new about 70 bucks. The one Ihave is for a small child say 2 years and up, rather than for a new born baby. The back of the seat can come off when the child is bigger and it looks than like a booster seat. The problem with the Porsche is that the seat width in the back is very narrow. My Brittax seat can be adjusted width-wise from about 12 inches or so up to about 17 inches. A perfect fit. If anybody wantys additio0anl information I will dig up the particular model etc. The Porsche seat made by Brittax that has the airbag disabling feature was discontinued for the 996 quite some time ago. That is a seat for the front of the car.

[dacostad]

Thanks guys! Would I be right in assuming that for a new born rear facing is the only option or can I use front facing as well.

When I had my first 2 kids (almost 20 years ago!!!!) there was no such thing as rear facing seats.

I need to be able to get my wife and the baby in the Carrera, otherwise it is not going to be an option :(

[dvu70]

Thanks guys!  Would I be right in assuming that for a new born rear facing is the only option or can I use front facing as well.

When I had my first 2 kids (almost 20 years ago!!!!) there was no such thing as rear facing seats.

I need to be able to get my wife and the baby in the Carrera, otherwise it is not going to be an option :(

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess the "official" rule is a baby needs to be rear facing up to 12 months AND 20lbs. I tried putting a rear facing in the back seat of my 996 and it'll work as long as the front seat and backrest is moved up all the way. I tried cruising with my family, my wife behind me, which meant i had to move my seat past the desired comfort level. Tried it once and never again. And we're not big people, i'm 5'8 and wife's 5'3.

I was anxious to switch my baby to the front facing one, so when he was 20lbs and only 8months (so what if he gets a neck injury, driving the pcar is more important right?) ;), I dumped the rear facing infant seat and got the Britax. Even with the Britax (or any other car seat), front passenger legroom is still compromised. So usually if we go out as a family for a longer ride than 15 min., we take the wifey's ride. I only take my son out in the 996 if it's just me and him.

In the end, we're trying to make Porsches something they're not: family cruiser cars. Cayenne maybe? :o

[dacostad]

So it looks like I may have to just keep the Boxster S as my "toy" and get a proper four seater :( . By the way I am 5' 9" and my wife is 5' 1"

[djantlive]

A family sedan sounds like a better idea.

With a child seat in back, you won't get enough room in front for an adult so you won't be able to take your family.

A booster seat works with an adult in front. By the time your child is 4-5 yo, get a 996/997.

[Danyol]

I had no problem getting a car seat from Carnewal.com out of Belgium a few months back. Ordered on a Tuesday, had to fill out customs paperwork for Fedex Friday, delivered on the following Monday.

The airbag deactivation kit is a buckle in front of the passenger seat attached to a bar that bolts on via the seat mounts. The receptacle ties into wiring under the seat. The seat is a Britax, marked Porsche & has a special buckle. The control computer needs to be told this device is in otherwise the SRS light will stay on as an error (been there done that). I took the car to a garage with a PST-2 tool, no problem works great now.

Now the issue is my 6 & 9 year old fighting over the front seat!

I can get you pictures anyone's interested of the deativation device install that is (not the kids fighting).

Congrats!

Mehmet

[dacostad]

If there is no room for an adult in the front with a forward facing child (20lbs +) seat in the rear, why do porsche sell one for the rear?

[dvu70]

If there is no room for an adult in the front with a forward facing child (20lbs +) seat in the rear, why do porsche sell one for the rear?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is some room. Since your wife is 5'1 you guys should be fine.

[Kim]

I hope you have an easier time getting a car seat than I did.  Apparently Porsche is redesigning the car seat airbag deactivation and seats were hard to come by.  One dealer told me a couple of weeks ago that he had a waiting list going back to this January.  I did finally get one.  The weird part of it is the airbag light is suppose to blink for awhile and go off when the car is started and the child seat installed.  Well, all starts out well for me but eventually the airbag light stays constantly on.  I went to the dealer to have it checked out but he said that the driver side seat belt caused the alarm.  If I want it fixed,  it's only $560 to replace seat belts (after buying a $350 car seat.)  Dealer told me at least I know what's causing it.  Hmmm, not exactly reassuring.    The dealer cleared the alarm and with no child seat installed, I had no problems for a week.  Installed the child seat for weekend use and airbag light magically reappeared.  I guess I'll drop by the dealer again to make sure if it isn't something else this time.

Anybody else have a problem like this?  How hard is it to switch out seat belts.  I found an earlier thread discussing seat belt changout but it didn't go further to report difficulty and success.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know it sounds basic, but did you have your car reprogrammed after the installation of the deactivation kit? (I realize the dealer should have raised this issue if not). I ask because, following my self-installation of the deactivation kit, the airbag light was on whenever the child seat male buckle was inserted ..... until I got to my independent shop and had the child seat programmed into the central computer.

After proper child seat programming, the airbag light will flash for 60 seconds after the ignition is turned on ... .whenever the child seat male buckle is plugged into the deactivation female buckle. That's your signal that the pax airbag is, in fact, deactivated.

Kim

[98Boxster98]

I know it sounds basic, but did you have your car reprogrammed after the installation of the deactivation kit? (I realize the dealer should have raised this issue if not). I ask because, following my self-installation of the deactivation kit, the airbag light was on whenever the child seat male buckle was inserted ..... until I got to my independent shop and had the child seat programmed into the central computer.

After proper child seat programming, the airbag light will flash for 60 seconds after the ignition is turned on ... .whenever the child seat male buckle is plugged into the deactivation female buckle. That's your signal that the pax airbag is, in fact, deactivated.

Kim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Kim:

Thanks for the advise. The dealer from whom I bought the child seat also did the install. (By the way, the dealer said if I bought the seat elsewhere then he would have to charge labor to install the deactivation bar. Since I bought it there, the labor is free.) I'm going to go by the same dealer today and see if it's the same fault.

[98Boxster98]

More discussion of the availability (or lack of) Porsche child seats and the deactivation redesign at www.ppbb.com. Look for "Zoom Seat Availability?" There's an interesting pdf attachment about a possible problem of the deactivation unit not working properly because of a belt buckle connection issue. I don't believe it related to the problem I having, though.

[Danyol]

I believe there was a problem with the earlier generation system ( over a year ago it is listed as a "recall" for Porsche).

Mine works exactly like Kim's, it appears to have more than one "failsafe". I the light stays on there is a problem with the installation or equipment. My wife is 5'4', no problem having one of my kids behind her with a forward facing seat.

[Kim]

More discussion of the availability (or lack of) Porsche child seats and the deactivation redesign at www.ppbb.com.  Look for "Zoom Seat Availability?" 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yesterday I was standing in the big Porsche dealership in Munich, looking at the new version of the Zoom. It is definitely fancier and more modern looking .... but appears (to external inspection) to be the same basic seat structure. I asked the parts guy (located on the floor of the main showroom .... a concept I like) about availability. No problem, he said. Well, actually, what he said was mostly German with a little English thrown in, but I got the drift as I have found I can communicate there well enough to order the occasional part.

So .... the problem must be between there and here.

Kim