How to install the Cosco Scenera NEXT- the best car seat for taxis!

Hey there! Here is a video of Elise showing you how to install the Cosco Scenera NEXT to fit your child. 

We have also included a list of steps to help you follow along.

1. Unpacking the Cosco Scenera NEXT

 This is what the Cosco car seat looks like straight out of the box. 

It is a fantastic lightweight taxi friendly toddler solution. You can use it from the time your child is born until he or she reaches 18 kilograms. It is the perfect tool to keep your little ones safe and secure. Crucially, it puts the worries of parents, and the occasional animal, at ease.

2. Remove the top tether strap

To start with, you will have a lot of dangly bits coming off your Cosco. The first, and easiest thing to do, is to remove the top tether strap.

The top tether strap is only used when the seat is installed forward-facing. We do not recommend this as it is only used when there is a top tether anchor in the vehicle. This is uncommon in a Singaporean Taxi. You are advised to take it off as it is easily unthreaded. You can store it away and use it if you have a need to do so.

You are advised not to use the seat forward-facing. This is because it is designed as a rear-facing seat. Essentially, this means that it will last much longer in a rear-facing position compared to a forward-facing one. It is five times safer for children to travel rear-facing. Furthermore, it is easier to install it in such a manner. This is not just due to the tether. It is also because the seat belt path for the rear-facing configuration is easily accessible.

 3. Adjust the crotch strap 

Now we are going to show you how to adjust the crotch strap. The different slots are meant for children of different sizes. By default, the crotch strap comes installed in the smallest position. If your child fits the car seat as it is, by all means keep it as such. However, if it requires adjustments, please do no hesitate to alter its orientation.

If you wish to undo it, turn the seat over. You will see a small buckle at the bottom.

Pull the strap out as far as you can so that you can turn the buckle on its side. You should turn it perpendicular to the direction it was before. Once this is done, pop it through the hole. Slide it through the webbing at the front. Now, put it into the center hole. This setting usually fits a toddler. Furthermore, it is the furthest position in which the seat can be used rear-facing. 

The third slot is only to be used when the seat is forward-facing. That is because the rear-facing belt path passes directly underneath this slot. If you are using this rear-facing, and you have the crotch strap in this position, it is going to interfere with your installation. You can check the manual for more information.

To re-thread the crotch strap, pass it into the center hole. You will also have to make sure that you pop it out of the center slot in the plastic molded shell. Slide it through perpendicular before turning it back to its normal position. Double check that it is secure.

4. Adjust the shoulder straps 

After doing this, adjust the shoulder straps. 

You can see that we have five different positions for the shoulder straps.

When you are using the seat rear-facing, the slots for the shoulder harness should always be below or at your child's shoulders. This means you have seated your child’s shoulders over the spot that you have selected the harness to come through. If you are using the seat forward-facing, the harness slots need to be at or above your child’s shoulders.

Once your child’s shoulders have grown over the top of the top shoulder harness slot height, they will no longer able to use the seat forward-facing.That is why the seat lasts longer rear-facing than it does forward-facing. You can still use it rear- facing because the shoulder slots need to be below or at your child's shoulders.

To adjust the shoulder straps, give yourself some slack in the harness. To do that, lift up the little flap.

Push on the silver button and pull the harness webbing out. Once this is done, flip the seat over.

You will see a splitter plate in the back.

Unthread the two harness straps from the splitter plate. In a manner similar to the crotch strap, pass them into the front of the seat. Select the slot that fits your child and pass the straps back in. After this is done, grab the splitter plate on this side again.

Make sure that it goes underneath the webbing. Also ensure that it is not twisted.

The tag should be at the top.

Similarly, the tag on the harness strap should also be at the top.

Pass it back into the splitter plate. You will notice that the webbing itself is wider than the slot on the splitter plate. This means the belt bunches up once it is in the splitter plate. This is completely normal as that is how it was designed. The belt is fine so long as it is completely in the splitter plate and not partially protruding out. To readjust the harness, simply repeat the steps mentioned above.

5. Storing the latch of the Isofix belt onto the car seat

The last step involves the latch or the Isofix connection belt.

There are two things you can do with regards to the Isofix belt. In Singapore, most people will not use the Isofix belt on a regular basis. Due to this, it is recommended that you remove it from the seat. It is possible to store it on the seat. This action would not interfere with how the seat is installed when you are using the seat belt. However, it does add extra confusion to the car seat. This can be particularly vexing if someone else is installing the seat and they not do it frequently. Additionally, if you are concerned with your ability to remember which slots to use, it can compound the problem, and add a tiny bit of weight.

The forget-me-not strap is another important feature. Its only function is to keep the Isofix belt attached to the seat. This is so that you do not lose it. It is completely fine to snip off the Isofix belt at the forget-me-not strap. Cutting the forget-me-not strap does not interfere with how the belt works.

You can keep it in the cupboard and bring it out the next time you are headed to New Zealand, America, or somewhere else. If you want to install the seat in a higher car, and prefer to use the latch in that instance, you can do so with absolutely no problems.

Lengthen the Isofix belt as far as that goes. You will notice that one end is longer than the other. 

Hook the short end on the side of the forget-me-not onto the latch storage hook just under the seat. 

After doing this, pass the belt through the forward-facing belt path. This means that you are going to store the Isofix belt in the forward-facing position.

This also means that the rear-facing belt path will be clear.

Grab the other end of the belt that you just passed through the seat. You will notice an identical hook on the other side of the seat. Clip it on and pull it.

Do not pull it forward so tightly that it actually pushes into your child's back. Instead, set it just nice and tight so that it does not flop around. You can fold the little excess back through if you want to. This is how you store the latch of the Isofix belt onto the car seat.

The red seat belt locking clip is a free accessory that comes with the Cosco Scenera NEXT when you purchase it from us.

If you have not purchased your seat from Taxi Baby, you can procure the clip separately.

This is an American car seat and it is designed to be used with American seat belts. American seat belts are different from European seat belts. Most cars in Singapore, and all taxis, have European seat belts. You will be able to tell the difference because a European seat belt will only lock when you jerk it or when the driver slams on the breaks. It has a single mode which allows it to move freely when used normally. It is automatically activated during an accident.

An American seat belt has two modes. They are the same emergency locking retractor mode that a European seat belt has, and the automatic locking retractor mode.

The latter is specifically for the installation of child restraints. You can check it by pulling the seat belt all the way to the end of the belt.  Releasing the seat belt will allow you to hear a ratchet noise. The belt will only get tighter and there is no way to loosen it. To reset that mode, you need to feed the belt all the way back into the retractor.

Some Grab cars in Singapore have American seat belts. You might have accidentally enacted that mode when you were trying to install your child's car seat. It requires the use of the automatic locking retractor mode. Many cars in Singapore do not have this function. If the car that you are using does not have that mode, and you are not able to engage it, you must use a locking clip for this. This is the easiest one to use in a taxi. We have another video that shows you how to install it all.

It is mandatory to either permanently lock the seat belt or use the locking clip. Otherwise, the seat will not perform its duties to protect your child in an accident. It is also not designed to work with an unlocked seat belt. As a result, you must always keep the clip with you.

If you lose it, you can give us a call and we will send you a new one. You will find it easiest to remember if you have popped it on there. If you bought our shoulder strap, there is really a good place to connect it to. There is a hook on the back of the safe that is for your top tether. You can pop it on there.

Depending on whether you want to carry the seat most on your left or your right shoulder, use one of the latch connection points. This includes one of the latch storage hooks as well.

There is a different way to configure this seat if you have a very small baby. We will do a separate video that shows you how to reroute the harness and the crotch strap. If you have any questions, please contact us.