GRACO TURN2ME Complaints

The base of the car seat loosens while driving, even with the snuglock latch fully locked and the seatbelt locked.

I have had to re-install the seat multiple times in the last 2-3 weeks because it keeps coming loose in rear facing mode. I installed the seat in early to mid-March. I first noticed it was loose on 4/26/24. I had it installed with the seatbelt at that time. I re-installed with the seatbelt and continued checking it daily until I noticed it being loose again within about a week. I again re-installed with the seat belt so it was secure and moving less than 1 inch side to side and front to back and continued checking for excess movement. I attended a CPST training the week of 5/6/24 and had my seats looked at by an instructor who told me it was done correctly. For the sake of practice, I installed it with LATCH instead and had an instructor confirm it was correct. That was all on 5/9/24. On 5/13/24 I had to re-install it yet again as the latch had loosened. I used the seatbelt that time and submitted a complaint to Graco. Today, 5/15/24, I had to re-install twice, first with seatbelt and then with LATCH (around 6 pm) which at the time of this writing (8 pm) has held. The seat has repeatedly become loose after a proper install, putting my child at risk because of the seat moving more than one inch side to side which does not meet Graco or CPST installation requirements. The remedy supposedly provided by Graco to others is to use LATCH. However, in my situation that has not helped and in general that is not a long term solution since LATCH has weight limits. I’ve also heard from others that Graco just tells them their seatbelt or vehicle is incompatible and nothing can be done. From what I can tell, it’s a known issue that Graco hasn’t acknowledged.

The Snuglock feature on the car seat is not securing the seat belt for a safe installation. My child is able to loosen the installation of the car seat belt by pushing on vehicle seat while rear facing in the car seat. This is a reoccurring problem, even after reinstallation. The seat belt comes loose. This means in an accident the car seat would likely move off of the vehicle seat due to failure of the seat belt securing it to the vehicle seat.

When installed with a lap/shoulder seat belt, rock solid (so moving well less than 1" at the belt path), in the rear-facing position using the built-in SnugLock lockoff, the carseat tips completely over to the back when in the side loading position and a toddler-sized child climbs in. When reinstalled using the same method—lap/shoulder seat belt, lockoff, but also switching the retractor to locked mode (allowed by Graco)—and having the same toddler climb in, the Turn2Me still tips over. This tipping allows slack from the shoulder belt to slide through the lockoff to the lap belt and remain there because it can't equalize back due to the lockoff. The carseat is extremely loose. This can happen gradually or at once, depending on how aggressive the child is on getting into the seat. I am a child passenger safety technician instructor with many, many years of experience who has shown this seat to other instructors in my area who agree with my assessment.

When this seat is first installed with the seat belt, it has a tight fit. However, the install seems to loosen for no apparent reason on its own. This occurs frequently. The seat is properly installed with pulling the slack out of the seat belt, securing the snuglock, and then locking the vehicle seat belt. I am concerned that the install will loosen in the event of an accident, and my toddler will not be properly secured. When the seat loosens, it moves more than one inch from side to side. It has even loosened so much that it began visibly lean to one side.

We have the Graco Turn2Me installed in two vehicles - a 2016 Chevy Colorado and a 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. In both vehicles, we get a great install initially with the seat belt. Checking for wiggle at the belt path shows very minor movement (maybe 1 cm at most). However, over time the seat belt loosens and suddenly we find the whole car seat is moving several inches in any direction. We've discovered this in both vehicles at least 2 times each and now check them regularly. We notified Graco and they said there is no recall but we've found numerous complaints and videos online indicating we are not the only ones to experience this exact issue with this car seat model.

The snuglock technology is a joke on this seat. It doesn’t matter if it’s latch or seatbelt installed the lock off isn’t holding it in position. Over time it becomes loose and the seat is moving more than an inch at the base. I’m having to tighten my seat every other day to ensure that my child’s seat is secure. I first complained to Graco in November and they wanted to send a replacement seat, but other complaints say even those have the same problem. I reached out to Graco again today stating I no longer want this seat.

After putting my son in the seat a few times the seat becomes very loose moving all over. Seatbelt is still locked at the top but becomes very loose in the seat under the car seat lock

When installed in the rear facing orientation with the seat belt, the seat becomes lose with normal use. Seat has a tight install initially with less than 1" movement at belt path but gradually loosens to the point where it will move several inches. My toddler ended up tilting diagonally when going around a curve at a slow speed. This was a replacement seat Graco sent me because I was experiencing the same issues with the first seat.

The seat, when installed with seatbelt, loosens over time. The seat has been properly installed with seatbelt, using the snuglock lock off and locking the retractor as recommended in the manual, in 6 different vehicles by a CPST-I, and continues to loosen to the point where it can be tipped over while the child is getting in to the seat. In each case, the shoulder portion of the belt tightens, while the lap portion loosens, causing the installation to be unsafe. It appears that the snuglock lockoff, the rounded belt path, and the narrow base are contributing factors to this issue.