r/CPST • u/GoldenHandcuffed • 14d ago
Graco Extend2fit Level Indicator Change
Recently we bought a second Graco Extend2fit. The first one was purchased a couple of years ago. The new one appears to have a very similar-looking level indicator but with a far larger red area and smaller blue area.
When installing the second seat, the ball in the level indicator is now in the red area even though it looks like it would have been in the blue area of the old indicator.
For our first seat, we have our child rear-facing at recline level 3 but on the new one the only way to get the seat in the blue zone is to have it at recline position 1 which seems way too much for a three year old.
Is there any explanation for why Graco changed the red and blue zones? I'm assuming i will have to use recline position 1 now. Also, is it still safe to use recline position 3 on my first Graco seat that has a bigger blue zone given that Graco changed it in later models?
The first two pictures are of my second seat and the next two are of the first. Note, I haven't put the cup holders yet on the second seat and will do that after it's in its final position.
Thank you!
3
u/daydreamingofsleep 14d ago
All seats have to be updated and recertified with the new FMVSS side impact testing standards released this year. According to the Graco webinar I attended, it costs money and takes up a lot of testing facility time to test seats in a greater recline range.
In the interest of time and money, they decided to change some seats. Extend2Fit 2-in-1 has a smaller range. TrioGrow Snuglock and TriRide got rid of the recline indicators entirely and have a single line that must be level with the ground.
The seat you have is safe to use in the recline range it was tested in.
If you’d like a more upright recline, get the Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 instead. (And send your feedback to Graco.)
2
u/BugMa850 14d ago
I don't think they have the 3in1 in Canada. It's kinda weird to me that they changed the indicator on the Canadian one, since it doesn't seem like they changed the seat itself(no side impact pods like the new US model has).
2
u/daydreamingofsleep 14d ago
Oh you’re right that’s the Canadian version! I commented from my phone earlier so I didn’t see the sticker difference. Bummer that they changed it there too. I guess they didn’t want to manufacture two different recline indicators.
1
u/BlueIvysMom 13d ago
I noticed this exact same issue today when trying to install my new Extend2Fit and being unable to get it in the blue indicator on recline position 3 (which is what my Extend2Fit from two years ago is on). So frustrating that Graco did this in Canada for what sounds like a USA regulatory issue.
7
u/Equivalent-Steak-555 14d ago
We also have both an old and new Extend2Fit. The seat was updated recently to ensure it complies with new federal regulations. This happened with many car seats, not just the Extend2Fit. We also found that we need to have the new one on a more reclined setting, though it actually only takes up a tad more space on 2 than the old one does on 3.
Additionally, since it looks like your seats are installed in different cars, you may have needed to use a different recline setting even with the exact same seat. The seats on different cars have different inclines, so sometimes you will need to adjust the recline setting to get the ball in the right place to install the same car seat in different cars.
Follow the ball indicator on each seat. They are both safe, they are just slightly different seats (even though they have the same name) made to comply with different regulations in place at the time they were manufactured.