car seats

A: Yes – you can install this seat in the center seat of your vehicle. Please check in your vehicle owner’s manual as to whether you have lower anchors and a tether anchor for your center seating position. If there aren’t dedicated lower anchors for your center seat, install the bay latch SI with the seatbelt.

A: This will largely depend on your vehicle make and model, type of car seats in question, the type of vehicle seat belts in use, and the configuration of the seat cushion. While the spin base is relatively narrow, the only way to know for sure is to install the car seat next to the adjacent car seats or passengers.

When installing three car seats next to each other, please make sure the following conditions are met:

• Each car seat must achieve a correct and tight installation.
• The positions of the car seat on the vehicle seat are not changed by contact. Each car seat still aligns properly with respect to the seat belt or lower anchors that secure them and do not overlap the adjacent car seat.
• If the vehicle seat is adjustable front-to-back, both portions of the vehicle seat must be adjusted to the same position.
• Only one lower anchor connector is connected to a single lower anchor point.
• There is no contact or force that would bend or deform any of the car seats.
• The lower anchor belt or seat belt used to install each car seat does not rub on each other or crossover in a way that they interfere with each other.

A: This is highly dependent upon the type of vehicle you have and the type of car seats being used.  We recommend testing out your desired setup ahead of time.

When installing three car seats next to each other, please make sure the following conditions are met:

•    Each car seat must achieve a correct and tight installation.
•    The positions of the car seat on the vehicle seat are not changed by contact. Each car seat still aligns properly with respect to the seat belt or lower anchors that secure them and do not overlap the adjacent car seat.
•    If the vehicle seat is adjustable front-to-back, both portions of the vehicle seat must be adjusted to the same position.
•    Only one lower anchor connector is connected to a single lower anchor point.
•    There is no contact or force that would bend or deform any of the car seats.
•    The lower anchor belt or seat belt used to install each car seat does not rub on each other or crossover in a way that they interfere with each other.

A: No. You cannot install the lower anchors and the seat belt at the same time. Please refer to your manual for installation options based on the seat mode you are using and your child's weight.

A: No. You cannot install the lower anchors and the seat belt at the same time. Please refer to your manual for installation options based on the seat mode you are using and your child's weight.

A: No. You cannot install saffron™ SI with the lower anchors and the seat belt simultaneously. Joie recommends installing Saffron™ SI with the lower anchors when rear-facing.

A: Generally, no, the vehicle seat that the car seat is being installed on needs to be at an upright angle similar to what an adult would use. Many of our car seats come with the ability to recline the car seat itself.  Please consult your vehicle manual for specific direction.

A: You may continue to use your bay latch SI after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply): 

1. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle sustained any injuries in the crash.
4. If the vehicle has air bags, the air bags did not deploy during the crash; and
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

A: You may continue to use your car seat and base after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply):

1. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle sustained any injuries in the crash.
4.  If the vehicle has air bags, the air bags did not deploy during the crash; and
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

If your accident does not meet all 5 conditions, it must be replaced.

A: You may continue to use your Matcha Spin SI after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply):

1. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle was injured in the crash.
4. If the car has airbags, the airbags did not deploy during the crash; and
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

If your accident does not meet all five criteria, you must replace the car seat.

A: You may continue to use your Pepper after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply):

1. The vehicle could be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle was injured in the crash.
4. If the vehicle has airbags, the airbags did not deploy during the crash, and
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

A: You may continue to use your Rue after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply):

1. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle sustained any injuries in the crash.
4. If the vehicle has air bags, the air bags did not deploy during the crash; and
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

If your accident does not meet all 5 conditions, it must be replaced.

A: You may continue to use your Saffron after a minor accident.  A minor accident is defined as follows (all must apply):

1. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site.
2. The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was NOT damaged.
3. None of the passengers in the vehicle sustained any injuries in the crash.
4. If the vehicle has air bags, the air bags did not deploy during the crash.
5. There is no visible damage to the child restraint.

A: No, we cannot advise the use of a vehicle seat protector under your seat. 3rd party accessories have not been crashed tested with our car seats and can keep the seat from being installed correctly, thus, compromising crash performance. 

A: This spin base can be installed using a seat belt or lower anchor attachments. Never use both methods to install the base.

A: Yes – For children over 40 lb. in harnessed mode, you must use the seatbelt and tether to install the seat, but you can also use the rigid lower anchors. When using Bay latch SI in booster mode, you may use the rigid lower anchors to attach the booster to the You must use one install method or the other, never both at the same time.

A: When cleaning the plastic portions of your car seat, please use a damp cloth with a bit of ph.-neutral soap if needed.  The car seat should not be soaked, hosed out, or power washed.

A: The basil™ is not certified for aircraft use. Airplane seats only have a lap belt and the basil™ must be used with a Lap/Shoulder Belt.

A: The bay footrest can not be used on the plane.

A: The Cilantro or Cilantro FX booster is not certified for aircraft use. Airplane seats only have a lap belt and the Cilantro or Cilantro FX must be used with a Lap/Shoulder Belt.

A: Yes, you can use the lower anchors when using Matcha Spin SI in highback booster mode to help secure the seat.

A: Yes, you can use the lower anchors when using Pepper™ Spin SI in highback booster mode. The lower anchors cannot be used in backless booster mode.

A: No – the seating area must be adjusted to the child. It must be in contact with the back of the child’s legs but not pushing their legs forward.

A: FAA regulations ban the use of baby carriers during take-off and landing. Wearing a baby carrier is not a replacement for an FAA approved and installed car seat while on an airplane.

A: Yes. Matcha has four different recline options. When installed rear-facing, ensure the recline indicator is fully visible in the recline indicator window when positioned on the vehicle seat. Any of the four recline options can be used when the child is in forward-facing harnessed mode. When used in highback booster mode, Matcha Spin SI must be on Recline 1.

A: No. The cup holders are a structural component of the car seat and must remain in their designated position. If they are removed for cleaning, they must be reinstalled before the seat is used.

A: If your vehicle does not have lower anchors, or the lower anchors are difficult to reach (even with the included LATCH guides), you may use the vehicle seat belt (lap & shoulder, or lap belt) to install your car seat. Be sure to lock your vehicle seat belt to maintain installation. If your seat belt does not lock, contact joie customer service for a locking clip. 

A: Yes! Mint latch can be used with the base AR.

A: No. Wearing bulky clothing can prevent a proper harness fit. A large “puffy” coat or clothing can compress in a crash introducing slack into the harnesses which need to stay tight on the child. You should not put your child in any car seat wearing bulky clothing or jackets. Instead, remove any bulky clothing and cover your child with a blanket or jacket after securing your child in the seat. We do not recommend using any products or accessories that are not approved by JOIE. To determine if the harnesses are tight enough, the caregiver should use the “pinch” test. If you can pinch the harness between your fingers at the shoulders, then tighten till you cannot pinch any of the harness between your fingers.

A: No. The cup holders are structural components of the car seat and must remain in their designated positions. If they are removed for cleaning, they must be reinstalled before the seat is used.