Many people have never heard of this term, but at the latest when they become parents and are looking for the right seat for their child, they will inevitably come across it. Because at the latest when the R129 standard came into force in 2013, the ISOFIX fastening system became mandatory as a child safety device. However, since older cars in particular are usually not yet equipped with this system, parents-to-be often ask themselves which cars have ISOFIX at all. In this article you will find out everything you need to know about this topic, starting with the question of what ISOFIX means and how you can recognize the special bracket, the possibility of retrofitting and the advantages of an ISOFIX child seat and possible alternatives.
Contents
What is ISOFIX at the car?
This is a fastening system for child seats that is internationally standardized according to the European standard ISO 13216. The system is also named after this standard (“ISO”). The second part of the name (“FIX”) derives from “attachment”. It enables baby carriers and child seats to be attached more easily and securely than the standard three-point belt, so that you can always transport your child properly ?
Vehicles with ISOFIX each have two small metal eyelets that are firmly welded to the body and are located between the backrest and the seat of the car seat. Their spacing is standardized at 28 cm and their thickness at 6 mm, so that the ISOFIX hooks of any child seat fit into these eyelets. The hooks on the child seat are usually attached to adjustable rails and are snapped into the eyelets one after the other by applying pressure. Correct installation can normally be checked by a clearly audible click and by the indicators on the rails, which change from red to green. Some models may also indicate this with a beep or an indicator light. After you have convinced yourself that it is properly attached by jerking, you can be sure that the child seat has a rigid and secure connection to the vehicle body and that your child can ride as safely as possible. It is therefore not necessary to also use the vehicle's three-point belt. With the help of the adjustable rails, the child seat can be pressed against the rear seat backrest of the car to ensure optimal support.
If the metal eyelets are difficult to find in your vehicle and are covered by the upholstery, you can also use the plastic sleeves included in the scope of delivery, the so-called ISOFIX insertion aids. These are pushed between the seat and backrest to facilitate access to the eyelets. Incidentally, the ISOFIX system is designed for a maximum weight of 33 kg (child and seat together) and exclusively for child seats with their own belt system.
If you want to remove the ISOFIX car seat again, you can attach the hooks the rails by activating the switch on the rail. A combination of pushing and pressing is usually required as additional protection against unintentional loosening.
Top tether and support foot
In addition, the child seat can be secured either with a top tether or a support leg. The top tether is the strap that is located at the top of the seat and is attached to a correspondingly marked anchorage point on the floor of the trunk, on the ceiling or behind the backrest of the rear seats. The support leg, on the other hand, is attached to the vehicle floor in front of the car seat. However, make sure that there is no storage compartment on the floor. This additional attachment prevents the infant carrier or child seat from turning or tipping forward in the event of a head-on collision.
ISOFIX – yes or no?
Many parents-to-be ask themselves this question, since child seats can usually be used with and without ISOFIX. This novel fastening system has only a few advantages, but they are very convincing.
- + It offers significantly more safety: This system creates a rigid connection between the body and the child seat. In addition, in contrast to the conventional belt system, it is impossible for you or your child to accidentally loosen the fastening.
- +Easier attachment: the visual and audible signals indicate correct installation, while almost 60% of belt attachments are incorrect.
- + Optimum fastening of the empty child seat: If your child is not traveling with you, you do not have to buckle up the seat to prevent it from being thrown forward in an accident.
- +Even if you have to install an additional ISOFIX station in a baby seat, this has the advantage that the baby seat can be quickly and easily removed from this base station and reinserted.
Despite these clear advantages, ISOFIX naturally also has a few disadvantages:
- –In most cases, the metal eyelets are only attached to the two outer rear seats, neither in the middle nor on the front passenger seat.
- – There is not enough space for three child seats in the back seat.
- – The car seat can be damaged or slashed by the snap-in rails. However, there are also protective rubber covers for this.
- – ISOFIX child seats are something more expensive to buy.
Since when is ISOFIX available?
This special fastening system was standardized in 1990 by the ISO (International Organization of Standardization) in cooperation with the automotive industry and specified in ISO 13216. With the development of the first child seat with ISOFIX hooks, the child seat manufacturer Britax Römer is considered to be one of the two inventors of this safety system. The other is the vehicle manufacturer VW, which developed the appropriate metal eyelets for attachment to the vehicle.
Does my car have ISOFIX?
If you If you have a newer car, you can be sure that it is equipped with ISOFIX, as this fastening system has been mandatory in new cars since 2013. However, these special metal eyelets are usually already installed in vehicles built after 2004. This is only a matter of luck for older cars.
If you have an older vehicle or you are unsure, you should first consult your vehicle's operating instructions before purchasing a child seat. If you don't have this to hand, you can also recognize ISOFIX in the car. Although the system itself is standardized, the type of installation differs depending on the vehicle manufacturer. The metal eyelets are easiest to find when they protrude slightly between the backrest and seat. If they are hidden behind a flap, a zipper or Velcro, this is often indicated by a small label with the inscription ISOFIX. In some cars, however, the eyelets are completely hidden between the backrest and seat cushion and can only be felt. The eyelets are usually located on the two outer rear seats, but on larger cars and depending on the model, they can also be found on the center rear seat, the third row or the front passenger seat.
Can I retrofit ISOFIX?
If your vehicle really doesn't have an ISOFIX device, it may be possible to have one retrofitted. However, whether this is possible depends on the respective vehicle model. There are three options.
- Your car is already prepared for ISOFIX, which makes retrofitting easy and relatively inexpensive at around €30.
- Your vehicle has to be completely retrofitted, which means slightly higher costs (approx. €100).
- Especially with older cars, it is often not possible to retrofit this system.
Conclusion
If you are expecting your first child and would like to take it home from the hospital by car, make sure you arrive earlier or later the question of whether you should buy a child seat with or without ISOFIX. The advantages of this fastening system are clear, as it guarantees quick and easy installation and maximum safety without the risk of incorrect fastening. Despite the few disadvantages that usually only the outer rear seats are equipped with the appropriate metal eyelets and the seat upholstery can be damaged, it makes sense in your child's interest to pay a little more for a child seat with ISOFIX hooks or an ISOFIX station for a baby seat, provided your car has the appropriate eyelets.
