Kia Carens 2015: all new 7-seater arrives

[Asky2505]

Current carens owners, can help me with sth very impt? When u fix your bb car seat and u pull the seat belt all the way out, clip it, upon releasing it, can you extend it again? Or will it like lock /jam at the part that you released?

Mine will still be very loose even after I've released the seat belt back to the 'hole'. It doesn't lock at intervals. My whole bb car seat can still move abt.

[Apple-Tree]

Sound normal.

 

After I installed the bbcs, I usually do a jerk pull to test the lock. If locked, passed. Sometimes, if I am not fast enough, it may not locked ??

If not locked, I probably switch to the next seating.  Never need to do that.

 

I never heard of a broken seat belt, they are so robust, unless, a front impacted event had had happened to the car.  

 

 

Current carens owners, can help me with sth very impt? When u fix your bb car seat and u pull the seat belt all the way out, clip it, upon releasing it, can you extend it again? Or will it like lock /jam at the part that you released?
Mine will still be very loose even after I've released the seat belt back to the 'hole'. It doesn't lock at intervals. My whole bb car seat can still move abt.

 

[Fuelsaver]

went to try out the carens seating position again - i think there's some fundamental ergonomical considerations lacking. 

 

front driver n passenger seats lowest position still kinda high for those below 1.7m yet wishes to stretch our their legs, such that doing so their thigh will bear against front part of seat pad, causing some discomfort after a while due to contact stress. to feel comfy, best not to stretch lower leg, just normal sitting will do.

 

for the 2nd row, i sat at the centre, then the side, during the test drive. legroom, shoulder room & headroom is adequate. however, when i rested my head on the headrest, my head kept being bumped due to the firmer suspension setup, wc wasn't comfy. adjust headrest higher n reclining a bit may help.

 

above aside, ride handles as expected of conti standard. space for 5 very adequate n roomy. diesel performance no need to mention, though gear change can be a lil more immediate. build n sound quality also undisputedly good. if not for the seat quality, i'd have shortlisted this ride as well.

[Apple-Tree]

Ever since we have electronic injection engine, there is not need to warm up the car.  The most damaging time for the engine is during the morning start as the first few stroke of the piston. It is "dry".  Engine oil pump and lubricate within secs.

 

The engine run rich for about a minute as the ECU is open loop and also to anticipate the car is about to move off.  For Petrol & Diesel engines. As a matter of facts, your engine warm up faster when you drive off then waiting.

 

For diesel engine, idling is worst condition as it generate a lot of carbon particulate. Will cause the particulate filter warning to light up, prompting the driver to drive at 60km/h to clean the filter.  

 

Poor excuse. 

 

OK.  Next time I go test drive in C&C, I will reset the FC meter. 

 

 

 

The reason I was given when I saw the Sorento Diesel was that their cars are always idle for a long time in the morning for warm up, waiting to customers to get in the test drive cars etc. Hence the FC is shitty on the test drive vehicles. 

 

[Asky2505]

Carens doesn't come with Auto Locking Restraint. Meaning when u pull the seat belt fully and u release it slowly, it doesn't lock it at the last pt u release. Ppl with bb car seat in their car will get me.

 

Carens only has the Emergency Locking System which locks the seat belt when the car suddenly jerks or e brake.

 

I'm so disapptd that it doesn't have the ALR. Something which is very important and essential when mounting a car seat. Now even when I fix my bb car seat using the seat belt , the whole seat can move abt. The only soln is to buy a new car seat that uses the tether behind. So disappointed. If I've known, I wldnt have bot carens

Edited March 12, 2016 by Asky2505

[teomingern]

Carens doesn't come with Auto Locking Restraint. Meaning when u pull the seat belt fully and u release it slowly, it doesn't lock it at the last pt u release. Ppl with bb car seat in their car will get me.

 

Carens only has the Emergency Locking System which locks the seat belt when the car suddenly jerks or e brake.

 

I'm so disapptd that it doesn't have the ALR. Something which is very important and essential when mounting a car seat. Now even when I fix my bb car seat using the seat belt , the whole seat can move abt. The only soln is to buy a new car seat that uses the tether behind. So disappointed. If I've known, I wldnt have bot carens

 

Doesn't the car come with ISOFIX anchor points? That seems the most secure way to lock down a child seat?

[Asky2505]

Now I strongly discourage anyone with young kids to buy this unsafe car. An isofix as stated in their manual can only accommodate up to 18kg. Any p1 kid weighs more than that but will be too short to use the seat belt without a car seat

 

The family mpv is useless

[teomingern]

Now I strongly discourage anyone with young kids to buy this unsafe car. An isofix as stated in their manual can only accommodate up to 18kg. Any p1 kid weighs more than that but will be too short to use the seat belt without a car seat

 

The family mpv is useless

 

So you're talking about using a booster seat? If having a seat belt that can be moved after strapping down the booster seat deemed unsafe, that would actually rule a majority of mainstream cars unsafe? Would it? I am not familiar with this issue. One of my niece uses a booster seat and my niece sits on the booster seat and uses the seatbelt. Isn't this how a booster seat is to be used? Shouldn't the seat belt for a child using a booster seat work in exactly the same way as how it works with any adult using the seat belt? You strap it on, and it can still move if you pull on it? And then if there is a strong enough impact, it locks?

 

Or are you talking about a child seat? I'm a bit confused.

[Asky2505]

Be it a booster or a car seat, when is strapped on, the seat belt has to have the ALR. The seat belt can't be re-extended once u retract the seat belt. That is to prevent the booster or car seat from moving ard. The logic is to have a secured base for the child to sit on.

[Asky2505]

If you go read up online, it's a MUST for all car seat to be installed in a car with ALR, a seat belt to be able to be locked pre-crash.

Without it, it's like one who is strapped on to the seat belt but sitting on a seat that moves ard.

For adults, we are already seated on a fixed seat

[Mr_biscuit]

Carens doesn't come with Auto Locking Restraint. Meaning when u pull the seat belt fully and u release it slowly, it doesn't lock it at the last pt u release. Ppl with bb car seat in their car will get me.

 

Carens only has the Emergency Locking System which locks the seat belt when the car suddenly jerks or e brake.

 

I'm so disapptd that it doesn't have the ALR. Something which is very important and essential when mounting a car seat. Now even when I fix my bb car seat using the seat belt , the whole seat can move abt. The only soln is to buy a new car seat that uses the tether behind. So disappointed. If I've known, I wldnt have bot carens

You may want to buy the isofix base for your baby-seat

[Asky2505]

Eg during an accident, you didn't crash head on. So there is no sudden jerk thus the ELR is not activated. But the poor bb would have been tossed ard and hitting the sides of the car cuz the bb car seat is not fixed on the seat

You may want to buy the isofix base for your baby-seat

Isofix base can only accommodate up to 18kg. How abt a schooling boy who is too short to use the seat belt without a booster? Edited March 13, 2016 by Asky2505

[Mr_biscuit]

Eg during an accident, you didn't crash head on. So there is no sudden jerk thus the ELR is not activated. But the poor bb would have been tossed ard and hitting the sides of the car cuz the bb car seat is not fixed on the seat

Isofix base can only accommodate up to 18kg. How abt a schooling boy who is too short to use the seat belt without a booster?

How old is your child now?

If any child is too short to use the seat belt, Booster seat should be use then.

 

I'm a Father of 3 too, age 2,4,6.

I understand where you come from.

 

Cheers

[Fuelsaver]

As long as child not > 135cm iirc, have to use booster seats right? The car also provided w isofix anchors.

[teomingern]

If you go read up online, it's a MUST for all car seat to be installed in a car with ALR, a seat belt to be able to be locked pre-crash.

Without it, it's like one who is strapped on to the seat belt but sitting on a seat that moves ard.

For adults, we are already seated on a fixed seat

I'm afraid I don't understand what ALR... I'm sitting in a brand new Renault Fluence in the rear. I don't see how the seat belt can be locked pre-crash. But from the booster seat beside me now, the cross strap of the seat belt is meant to strap across and under the two handles of the booster seat so that the booster seat does not move about pre-crash. And the weight of the child will cause the booster seat to stay in place. Why should it move about? My niece is rather short and skinny. I have never seen the booster seat move when she squirms around in it on long rides. I usually squeeze between her booster seat and her younger sister's full child seat. I don't feel the booster seat move since I am wedged between the seats. If the booster seat will move, I should feel it move. It also doesn't move when my dad or sister hit the brakes really hard. The seat belt pre-tensioners kick in faster than the booster seat can overcome the inertia of the mass of the child and the resulting friction between the booster seat and the car's seat. So I don't quite understand why the booster seat will move.

 

So far, everyone in Singapore has been using booster as I described in all manner of cars. I don't see anything to suggest that most of our cars don't comply with any safety standard with regard to child seats and the need for pre-crash locking down of the seat belt.

Any links to read about this issue of ALR?

[teomingern]

http://cpsafety.azurewebsites.net/articles/lockincss.aspx

 

This website mentions the standard kind of seat belt that we all use. Which I take to be the ELR type. Which I think you find on your Carens. And it gives instructions as to how you can secure a child seat or booster seat properly. Does the Carens manual show how you should buckle down the booster seat? It seems pretty all in order to have the kind of seat belts you complain about?

Edited March 13, 2016 by teomingern

[snowwolf]

Nothing is perfect.

Even ALR seat belt safety is debatable.

水能载舟 亦能覆舟 The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it up.

I read some articles wrote about kids nearly strangled to death playing with ALR.

https://thecarseatlady.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/strangulation/

For infant/child seat, should consider getting isofix first. If not, look for child seat that allow guide/lock seatbelt to secure lab belt and once lap belt secured on manufacturer suggested location it should prevent child seat from moving much. If not last option is using locking clip. It should lock lap belt and prevent child seat move. Shoulder belt can extract but lap belt is lock so child seat won't move.

For booster seat, there are many type.

IMO: For booster seat that using car seat belt to secure kid, ELR is safer. Booster seat cushion and side airbag added protection.

For booster seat that comes with own belt, I think it has weight and height limit too. Ultimately will need to use car seatbelt.

Drive safely...

[teomingern]

Eg during an accident, you didn't crash head on. So there is no sudden jerk thus the ELR is not activated. But the poor bb would have been tossed ard and hitting the sides of the car cuz the bb car seat is not fixed on the seat

Isofix base can only accommodate up to 18kg. How abt a schooling boy who is too short to use the seat belt without a booster?

Anyway bro... thanks for raising this, I also wasn't aware that there were so many types of seat belts and how child seats should be properly secured until I read up. Good to know. Thanks!