OT: Expired Carseats?? really?

[pooh4evr]

Well we are expecting baby#3 just after Christmas first week of Jan. We have been getting things ready slowly- we were looking our infant seat over and noticed it says it expires in Dec. 06 how convenient . Why do they expire? I guess we need to go out and get a new one? Anyone else ever had this happen - what did you do? Traditionally we have used the infant seat for about 6 months because both girls were 20lbs by then and I just couldn't carry then around in it anymore-so they moved to a rear facing upright seat. WWYD? buy another or just use the one we have ?

 

[tanyaandallie]

I'd buy a new one. I am not 100% sure on this, but I think generally they are going to expire b/c safety regulations change over time and you really want the safest seat possible for your little one. Also, I'm not sure if the seats made a while back all had 5 point harnesses and you definitely want a 5 pt harness.

 

[Hannathy]

If it is in good shape ( no accidents) and unless there is 20 yrs between your kids I would use it. There was 5 yrs between mine and I used the same infant seat. I would hate to spend that money for a couple of months.

 

[PoohHappens]

The reason they expire is that there is the Potential for the plastic to deteriorate and break down, become brittle. So the manufacturers have decided to put this on the seats so they are no longer liable. I theory in an accident a seat where the plastic has degraded the straps could break throught the back of the seat. Now honestly I really find it hard to believe that with proper storage and care that your seat the age that it is it would be a problem, however this is a decision you will need to make and determine how you feel about it. If you do use the seat make sure it has not had any reacalls and that all the parts are present and functioning properly. I have a wonderful Britax seat that has only been used by one child that although purchased new, the manufacture date was 16months before we bought it. Sooooo, it is now supposedly expired. It just does not seem right to throw out, but I don't know I know there is another thread from a few months ago on this topic.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have a few Britax seats. Do they have an expiration date on them? Anyone know?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I would just check the seat over very carefully. Push and pull on the plastic and straps to make sure they're still sturdy. Also, check out a few new seats in the stores. Figure out whether your seat is really dated in terms of safely requirements or if it's still in line with the current standards.

But still remember that if a seat has been in an accident, it should be longer be used. Even if it looks OK, the integrity of the materials are compromised each time they are in an accident. This is because of the amount of stress the seat endures while holding the child in.

Generally, I think if your seat has been carefully maintained and properly used, it should be fine for the next baby.

 

[bengalbelle]

I stored both of our Britax carseats in the attic (for the past 2 years in Louisiana heat). I hope they're still OK!

 

[skuttle]

I had no idea! DS has been using his Britax Marathon and it'll be 3 years this December. I planned on using it for a while longer and for our next child, whenever that may be.

 

[all4fun]

Yes, ALL car seats have expiration dates. Usually 6 years from Date of Manufacture - 8 yrs for Fisher Price and Maxi Cosi seats. If there isn't an actual "exiration date" on the car seat then go by the DOM. Either or both dates should be on a sticker somewhere on the side of the seat shell.

Here is an article about why car seats expire:
http://www.epinions.com/content_4753956996
and linked in that article is a video of a 10-yr old car seat crash test. The dummy practically flies out of the seat on impact. A pretty compelling reason to not use old expired seats...

Now, I'd dare say that a 6 yr old seat is not going to pose a great risk of failing, however seats do get recalled, and safety standards change, so to be on the safe side I'd get a new seat, just because it's not a frivolous item but something that can really make the difference between life and death in the right situation. Jmho.

Oh, and here's a "used car seat checklist" that has a rundown of what you should look for in an older seat: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/usedseat.aspx

HTH.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

we weren't planning on buying a new seat for our youngest either until I happend to be doing a search to try to find a new infant seat cover for the one we had. The old one was outdated and stained. Well I found that the seat we were going to use and had used for both of our boys had multiple recalls on it. I never knew. I don't know if it had been recalled before or after my DS4 stopped using it. So anyhow we had to buy a new one. I would at least check for any recalls and then use your best judgement. Like you said, it might only get 6 months worth of use, but you do want your child to be safe also.

 

[all4fun]

FYI: here's a site where you can check for recalls:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm

 

[Tinklvr]

I think that it would be a good idea to get a new carseat if it is past the expiration date. I have to say, about a week, ago I would have probably said it would be fine to use, but my DSIL sent me a link of a video on You Tube about a 3 year boy who was killed when his seatbelt failed and his booster flew out of the car. The point of the video is to let parents know how much safer 5 pts harnesses seats tethered to the seat are that booster seat.

Sorry if this is a little OT, but after I watched the video, I felt horrible for switching my daughter to booster so that her brother could use the carseat. I could never live with myself if something happened to her because I was trying to save a few hundred dollars. We are going to get her the Britax Regent now and I am sure she won't be happy to give up her "big girl" booster, but she will be safer and that is most important.

Anyway, to get back on track to the original topic...most likely nothing bad would happen when using an expired seat, but I think it is better to be safe that sorry when it comes to a childs safety.

I am going to try to post a link to the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

 

[pbharris4]

I'd get a new one to be safe. I was keeping a booster seat from my older DD to use w/ my younger DD (their 7.5 yrs apart) and called the manufacturer for something and they recommended to get rid of it because baby products frequently get recalled and are also updating newer safety features, etc. Also, I had a yard sale a few months back and what didn't sell I took to Goodwill..Goodwill won't even take baby gear. My stuff (car seat, highchair, entertainment center, etc.) was only 2 yrs old as I bought it new and it was in excellent shape. They said because baby stuff is reacalled alot that they couldn't accept it. So on that note, I defintely would buy a new one just to be safe.

 

[brat5063]

I would buy a new car seat. All car seats now expire after 5-6 years depending on the manufacture. It goes for the expensive Britax models too. We have 3 Britax seats and baby number 2 on the way and totally feel your pain.

I copied this below from a website...

While I can understand the frustration of throwing away something that still looks good, it's important to understand that the breakdown of a car seat is not something that can always be seen with the naked eye. Car seats are made of plastics. Consider what happens to a plastic toy if it is left outside for some time. The plastic becomes brittle and can develop cracks when stressed. Car seats are subjected to extreme heat and extreme cold while sitting in your vehicle, so the plastics eventually react just like that toy left in the sun. You may not be able to see that the plastic is breaking down, or is more brittle, but that change could be dangerous in a crash when the car seat shell is stressed. It's far safer for parents to buy a new car seat than to take a chance on a car seat that may be too old to function properly in a crash.

 

[dis-happy]

I would use it. If they are putting an exp. date on there you know there also has to be a margin of error----a pretty big one if one manufacturer is saying 6 yrs, another is saying 8 yrs. I've been a mom of 3 born over the past 17 yrs. and things are always changing. At one point they were saying 5 years for carseats. In the same vein, they've added mandatory vaccines, then taken away vaccines saying they are unsafe. At some point you as the mom have to use common sense. The baby will be born soon, and won't be using the carseat for very long. The one thing I would do first is call the manufacturer and ask if there's ever been any recalls on the seat.

 

[sskem96]

Get a new one! It's not worth the risk. Since you only plan on using it 6 months anyway, you don't have to buy a top of the line one, they've all passed the same safety rules. Check with your hospital to see if they sell them at a discount. The hospital I work at sells very nice Graco infant car seats that retail for about $70, and the patients can buy them from us for $20. I sold one last night to a family who had a different model Graco seat that has that handy little strap between the legs that you pull to adjust so you don't have to adjust the straps from the back (hopefully if you've been looking at car seats, you know what I'm talking about!) Anyway, with those straps adjusted as tight as they go, they were still way too loose on the baby, and she was over 6 pounds. The ones we sell you have to adjust from the back and it's kind of a pain, but there's no "stop" on it, so you can adjust the straps as tight as needed. They also had a car seat cover that zips around, and it had material that laid between the baby's back and the car seat. It interfered with the car seat straps, so I told them sorry, can't use it. Only use the kind that just goes over the top of the car seat.

 

[wrldpossibility]

Get a new one! It's not worth the risk. Since you only plan on using it 6 months anyway, you don't have to buy a top of the line one, they've all passed the same safety rules. Check with your hospital to see if they sell them at a discount. The hospital I work at sells very nice Graco infant car seats that retail for about $70, and the patients can buy them from us for $20. I sold one last night to a family who had a different model Graco seat that has that handy little strap between the legs that you pull to adjust so you don't have to adjust the straps from the back (hopefully if you've been looking at car seats, you know what I'm talking about!) Anyway, with those straps adjusted as tight as they go, they were still way too loose on the baby, and she was over 6 pounds. The ones we sell you have to adjust from the back and it's kind of a pain, but there's no "stop" on it, so you can adjust the straps as tight as needed. They also had a car seat cover that zips around, and it had material that laid between the baby's back and the car seat. It interfered with the car seat straps, so I told them sorry, can't use it. Only use the kind that just goes over the top of the car seat.

Not to hijack the thread, but I wanted to mention that there are zip-around covers for infant seats that don't interfere with the straps. They have a full slit in the back so that it's still tucked around baby, but the baby's back is still against the seat. I think most are like that now (except maybe all the homemade ones on Ebay; I don't know about those). The one we had passed inspection in the hospital, so I felt safe using it, and with cold weather, I loved it!

Back to the expired car seat issue, I'd urge you to buy a new one. Personally, I just wouldn't chance it. If you use the old one, won't you always think about the expiration now that you know about it? I would! Yes, it's a bit of a loss, money-wise, since the baby won't use it long and you can no longer safely resell car seats, but you could still pass it on to a good friend or relative (who can be certain of the history of the seat), since it will be so new.

Another option is to put the baby directly into a convertible seat. (I think you said you have one.) Most are now certified for infants 6 lbs and up. Just be sure to turn it around like you would an infant seat. You don't have the convenience of carrying the baby around in it, but personally, I rarely did that anyway. I prefer a sling or stroller to hauling those seats around!

 

[Becky2005]

Let's just say my almost 13 year old that we bought the infant seat for was the same infant seat my 3 year old came home from the hospital in.

I *LOVED* that carseat because it turned into a rocker. You can't find one like that anymore. So, when the baby would get fussy while we were out somewhere, we could flip it into a rocker & start rocking them.

The bigger carseat we got for our baby shower with my oldest, my 3 year old used too. He just now moved to a high back booster that is fairly new. That one was bought when the law changed to 8/80 pounds here, so it's about a year or 2 old.

 

[Elmo888]

I went through this, too. DDs are almost 5 years apart. I went back and forth, and I bought a new convertible car seat. (I had to buy a new infant seat because I sold the other one along with most of the other infant stuff!).

I just finally decided that if something did happen because of the old seat and it was preventable, I would just be kicking myself, esp. since I found a well-reviewed convertible car seat for $40.

Can you beg-steal-borrow one from a friend who is between kids? I managed to do this with some of the other infant stuff. Ask around - just make sure that it hasn't been in an accident. It seems like after you have kids, you know so many people with baby stuff that you just pass stuff around!

 

[abcboys]

If it looks to be in good shape I would probably use it since you will only be using it for 6 months. With the expiration date of Dec. of '06 it's not like it's going to explode on that exact date. Now if it was 2 years PAST the exp. date I would say get a new one. There is usually some leeway in exp. dates.