Should I Buy a Used Car Seat for My Baby?
Each manufacturer sets the time til expiration for their car seats. Some manufacturers even put an expiration date on one of the labels. Check the date of manufacture, which must be on one of the seat labels by law. Most car seats expire 6 years from the date of manufacture, unless there is a different expiration date marked on the seat. If you're not sure, call the manufacturer. If the labels are missing from the car seat, it's best not to use it, as the labels would also give you important model information that would alert you to potential recalls.
If you cannot verify all of those things, the car seat is considered unsafe for use, even if it appears to be in good condition. Crashes can cause stress and structural weakness that isn't visible from the outside, and older car seats can be weakened by many seasons of heat and cold in the car. Unless a used car seat is coming from a close friend or family member and meets the above criteria, it is almost always safer to choose a new car seat for your baby.
Comments
i have been given a car seat by some one i trust. it is dated 1998, is it still safe to use on my grandson? is there an age limit on car seats?
NO! Car seats expire within 6 years of manufacturing, and they should never be used once they’ve been in an accident.
but is it illegal to use an outdated carseat?
If your state has a proper use clause in the car seat law, then yes, it is illegal to use an expired car seat. Otherwise it’s just a very poor choice.
how do I find out if my state WA has a proper use clause?
Washington State does have a proper use clause. Section 1 of the state’s child passenger safety law (called the Anton Skeen Law) says children must be properly restrained, and subsection B defines that partly as:
“The child restraint system must comply with standards of the United States department of transportation and must be
secured in the vehicle in accordance with instructions of the vehicle manufacturer and the child restraint system
manufacturer.”
The manufacture date will be on the car seat shell on a sticker somewhere. Sometimes an actual expiration date is also listed on a sticker. Otherwise, check the instruction manual for the time they allow until expiration.
http://depts.washington.edu/booster/pdf/antonlaw.pdf
Is being legal more important than your child’s safety? Certainly not.