Child Seat Top Tether

[uoapsdb]

Does anyone know if there is a top tether available for child seats on the A6 C5 ? This would be a stronger method than those wobbly front legs on child seats. 

Audi parts at first said there isn't one, then said "an old colleague who was around at that time said that the bar with the bottom seat eyelets is what they used to use for the tether" but this is not in the manual and sounds like a work around.

The USA seem to have a LATCH system for which Audi USA claim they will retro fit top tethers for cars from 1993 but I can't find any details in that.

Any ideas ?

 

 

[Steve Q]

Isofix is a retrofit to the c5, it bolts straight into the chassis. I have it on my car. My advice is to search on eBay. The kit should cost around £100. 

[uoapsdb]

Thanks for your reply Steve. I have already installed the isofix attachments below the back seat backrests on the left and rhs of the car. I bought these from Audi. But it's the top tether attachment that I am interested in.

The top tether is a bar that can be attached to by a strap from the top of the child seat that runs over the top of the back of the seat.

There is a top tether on the A6 C6 from 2005 onwards as shown in this extract from the C6 manual:

https://www.manualesaudi.com/AudiA6/AudiA62014/en_GB/onboard/o_m00436.htm

But the question is - is there a top tether for our A6 the C5 1997 - 2004.

Thanks

[Steve Q]

Glad you've got isofix 🙂 

I've never seen a top tether for a c5. It's definitely not listed in any of the accessory brochures I have which include 1997 (for 98 model year), 2001 and 2002. 

However if it does exist, and assuming you have an Avant I'd guess the tether would be attached to a bar that would slide clip behind the seat backs where the dog guard would go.bif that makes sense. 

[uoapsdb]

 

https://forums.audipassion.com/topic/218595-tuto-rétrofit-top-tether/

Thanks for that suggestion Steve. I did find this article (in french) for the C7 version of the A6.

I can't find any information for the C5 equivalent parts.

Additionally, the left hand single back seat does not contain the inset into the back of the seat. 

[Steve Q]

You're welcome 🙂 good point I'd forgotten the inset was on one side. 

A crazy thought, have you considered ordering the c6 or c7 version to see if it'll fit the c5. Certain parts sometimes don't change. 

[uoapsdb]

Thanks for the suggestion of trying the c6 version Steve. From the photographs it certainly looks like they would fit.

But when it comes to fitting parts to the car for the safety of my grandchildren I only want to fit the part that is made for my version of the car and using the torque setting given by Audi - if it doesn't exist then I'll stop there.

I've passed this information on to the parts department of my local Audi dealer to see if they can find the part for the C5 - initially they said there is no part but possibly they were not looking at the right diagram.

It was your initial suggestion that started me on this new path which may lead to locating the correct part so thank you for that. That's the benefit of these forums where people share information.

You'd have thought there was some Audi document on retrofitting the child safety components that Audi themselves supply, especially considering the LATCH laws that exist in the USA.

[Steve Q]

You're welcome, I personally think it doesn't exist as I've never come across it in my time of researching A6 c5 accessories. Please keep me posted though on how you get on because if it does exist then I'd like to fit it to my A6 for my daughter. 

[C5RS6NZ]

Hi @uoapsdb  i assume you didn't get any further with this? Trying to get top tether for my 2003 RS6 and contacted the local Audi dealer here in Auckland, New Zealand, and they couldn't see anything as accessories for this. But said come back if you have a part number.

[uoapsdb]

Hi Nick,
Nice car. No I lost the will to live and gave up. Got a different seat with the spindly leg
at the front which I'm not convinced would be as good as a top tether.
Fitted 2 genuine Audi isofix bars myself not cheap.
The images above show a part number can't guarantee it. But I think you could only fit one top tether seat
as the recess is only on RHS of the back of the seat.
Seems to me that the Americans had a solution but was unable to find out.
Good luck. Let us know.
Steve