Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

I installed the lower anchors myself. Took all of 10 minutes. Didn't hear anything about there needing to be upper tethers (for the wagon) though. Am I missing something?

cheers,

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (flying_scotsman)

you need the upper tether for when the car seat is front facing. the attachment point for the tether (in the wagon) is on the back of the seat, down low. There should be three of them (middle, left and right), and the reason I had to have new seat backs put on, is because to install these tether anchor points, there needed to be some sort of bar for them to fasten the anchors to, and my passat (not all wagons need new seat backs) didn't have the bar in the seat back. The tether itself connects to the top part of the car seat (again, for forward facing seats only), and prevents the top of the seat from lurching forward in case of a rear-end accident. Check out the link for more info. On page two of the .pdf file, you see a picture of the tether strap attached to the top middle of the car seat, and the other end attached to the top tether anchor (although the pic shows the sedan, not the wagon)

<![CDATA[you need the upper tether for when the car seat is front facing. the attachment point for the tether (in the wagon) is on the back of the seat, down low. There should be three of them (middle, left and right), and the reason I had to have new seat backs put on, is because to install these tether anchor points, there needed to be some sort of bar for them to fasten the anchors to, and my passat (not all wagons need new seat backs) didn't have the bar in the seat back. The tether itself connects to the top part of the car seat (again, for forward facing seats only), and prevents the top of the seat from lurching forward in case of a rear-end accident. Check out the link for more info. On page two of the .pdf file, you see a picture of the tether strap attached to the top middle of the car seat, and the other end attached to the top tether anchor (although the pic shows the sedan, not the wagon)

[Modified by jcopley, 12:09 AM 10/25/2002]

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

Interesting. Thanks very much for the info.

Are the tether points proud of the seatback or are they recessed to maintain the flat surface? I have the seat folded flat a lot of the time and flatter is better.

cheers,

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

join the club. no clue, blank stares, what are you talking about, etc.

I talked to the parts dept, had them order the parts and I did the install myself.

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (not_too_shabby)

When you ordered the parts, how easy/difficult was the seatback install. Do they give you the entire back, with colour-matched carpeting or what, please?

Are the anchor points recessed?

cheers,

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (flying_scotsman)

The tether points are not recessed, so yes, they will get in the way when laying the seat down flat

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (flying_scotsman)

The dealer did my install. The gave me all new seat backs - new color-matched carpeting and all. I have leather seats - they leather was never affected - just the seat backs. And again, no, the anchor points are not recessed.

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

Once again, we, the owners (and, generally, NOT mechs/techs/VW employees) are forced to know more about our cars and the manufacturer policies than is the dealership. Weird. "Brake fluid? Why would you ever change it? It's a sealed system...."

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

The parts and installation are offered free from VWoA. There is a TSB out there that states that as a safety feature, this is a free and all costs are covered by VW.
I also got the blank look from the service dept., until I provided the doc myself.

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

Which LATCH car seat have you chosen?

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (icecat)

evenflo triumph 5 with the osk-kosh fabric. Our son loves it!

 

Re: 99 Passat Variant LATCH/ISOFIX retrofit. What a PAIN!!!! (jcopley)

I'm a member of this club too. I've been waiting for about 6 months now for them to get their ordering correct. "Oh, you have the GRAY intererior..." "Oh, we didn't order the top pieces..." "Wait, you have the sedan..." "Looks like we only got one set."

 

Back to the top with this one... I just got back from the dealer, and they did the opposite. They intalled the lower anchors but not the top! I have to now go back and leave the car AGAIN for a day to have the top tethers installed. They claim to have never heard of the TSB :crazy: - especially when I went home, found the TSB, called them back and referenced page 6 where it state that the "top anchors MUST be intalled" if lowers are installed - otherwise the system will not work for front-facing seats.

Here is the question... In a sedan is it easy to intall the tethers yourself?? If so I may jusr ask them for the parts saving me form leaving my car with them again.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

The bottom anchors just bolted in my car. I did it myself after my dealer ordered them. Again, blank stares here too.

I think the top tethers would be tougher as it involves modify the hat rack or changing the seatbacks for the wagon.

 

I was wondering if that can be retrofitted to a 1998 Passat Variant??? :???:

 

The dealer will NOT give you the parts over the counter here in Georgia. They told me it is a federal law. Altough they don;t know what they were doing they said it was safer for them to insall the parts for law suits if I put it in and messed it up and got in an accident. Yeah you can get the 98 varriant retrofitted. ALL VW's after 97 (I think) are able to be retrofitted.

 

I have a 2002 and had the seat back anchors on my variant but not the lower. It took the dealership 2 months to finally get the parts for me. I wanted to install myself but they wouldn't let me (extra paperwork or something) so I just waited for them to do it. Good thing I did. My car, for some reason, didn't have the mounting holes for those suckers drilled and tapped. The tech had to do it. I was as surprised as he was that the mounting holes just weren't there. Maybe it's a MY2002 thing. Funny thing is I don't even use them. I still prefer the seat in the middle of the car.

Another interesting tidbit. On my Britax they say that you should only use the Latch for children under 40 pounds. After this you should use the safety belt. Does this mean the safety belt is actually a stronger anchor?

 

Thanks for the replies. This fix is so simple - yet VW is really screwing up on this. How do these dealers not know about the TSB? I am just so dissappointed in VW... now I remember why my car has been going to an independent tech for the last 3 years. I go back to the dealer for one simple thing like this...and they cannot do it correctly. If they cannot get the LATCH install right - how do we know if they do ANY maintenance correctly? :evil:

I'm going to just let them do it...plus I think I need to have a conversation with their service manager. I have 2 other members of my family looking a VWs (one a Toureg, the other a Passat)... I cannot whole-heartedly endorse VW right now...

 

You know Veakswagon, I would agree with you but I dont really blame VW as much as I blame the VWoA and the Dealers. I bought a brand spankin new 02.5 Jetta GLX and I had nothing but trouble with it and I finally got VWoA to refund my monies. I never hated my car as much as I hated the Dealership. I dont think VWoA was even that bad to deal with.

To summarize it I think the vehicles are good it's just that the dealerships stink.

I'm going to just let them do it...plus I think I need to have a conversation with their service manager. I have 2 other members of my family looking a VWs (one a Toureg, the other a Passat)... I cannot whole-heartedly endorse VW right now...

 

VW Fanantic:
I totally agree, I really like VW's product...it really is the dealers. Its all been said before here, way too many times. This whole LATCH thing makes me feel "confliced" in a way... One one hand I am very impressed by the simple fact that VW will do something as cool as installing the LATCH system for free - they didn't have to do that at all. However, what an opportunity missed, the dumb dealers can take a great gesture like this and screw it up! Very frustrating. Don't get me wrong...I still love the cars (even though I chose a MINI over a GTI for my 2nd car - that's another story :lol: )

 

I just read through that TSB. I have a 98. If I read it correctly, only 99> can get the LATCH lower points done?

My question is: Is there much benefit in doing this for 98? You can't use the LATCH feature for the lower restraint point anyways.... maybe I'm just reading it wrong. Did anyone with a 98 (Sedan) have both upper and lower points done?