Child's car seat in front of SUV?

[Scorance]

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I am planning to travel by myself mostly, but occasionally will have my 5yo son along for the ride. I found a sleeping platform I like, but it requires removing the rear seats. I did some basic googling and it looks like it's legal to put a car seat in the front, but legality isn't my only concern. It appears that the biggest risk is the air bag, but I think there is a way to disable that. ('21 4Runner).

Does anyone have any insight on this topic?

 

[AggieOE]

Unless your 5 year old is over 4'9", I would not put him in the front seat.
Knowing that the back seat with a proper booster seat is the safest solution, in the case of a tragic accident, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I put my kid (daughter in my case) in a less safe position without necessity. If we were bumping along a trail at slow speeds without much risk of forward collision, rollover, or side impact, then maybe.

 

[Akicita]

1. Turn ignition ON
2. Put the child seat on the passenger seat
3. Move the passenger seat fully back. Raise the seatback as much as possible
4. Put the child on the seat and fasten the seatbelt. You can pull it tight and make sure the shoulder belt locks without leaning or putting weight on the seat.
5. The airbag indicator should stay OFF

I believe the activation weight is around 55 lbs.

 

[Scorance]

Thanks for the input, both of you.

 

[roots66]

If your vehicle has passenger side airbags, it's a really bad idea to put a child in the front seat, car seat or not. The impact of an airbag deploying can kill a child. Probably best to heed the warning the manufacturer.