Reader Question: Do Car Seats Expire?
Wednesday July 12, 2006
Q: I have a used car seat that is in great condition. The cover even looks new. I listed this car seat on my local Freecycle group, and now I'm getting emails from people who say that the car seat is expired and is dangerous and should be destroyed. I bought the car seat in 1999. I wouldn't sell it if it was obviously dangerous, but I don't see how a car seat in perfectly good condition should be thrown away.
A: To answer your first question, yes, car seats do expire. In fact, most car seats have an expiration date on one of the manufacturer labels that can be found on the sides or bottom of the car seat. To find out if a car seat is expired, you should look for that expiration date label first. If there's no expiration date listed, use the date of manufacture and consult the car seat owners' manual. Many manufacturers give a maximum car seat life in the manual. If not, call the manufacturer and ask.
The rule of thumb, if no expiration date is given on the seat, is that car seats expire six years from the date of manufacture. Assuming that your car seat was manufactured in 1999, when you purchased it, yes, it is expired. A few car seat manufacturers allow 10 years of life for their car seats, but unless you have specific directions from the manufacturer, the car seat label or the manual that state otherwise, you should stop using a car seat after 6 years. Expired car seats should be destroyed so that no one picks the seat up thinking that it is still safe to use. Good ways to destroy car seats include cutting up the cover, cutting the harness straps, and using a saw or large hammer to break the shell. If you can actually watch the car seat go into a garbage truck and watch it be crushed, this is a good option, too.
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.
Heather Corley is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
A: To answer your first question, yes, car seats do expire. In fact, most car seats have an expiration date on one of the manufacturer labels that can be found on the sides or bottom of the car seat. To find out if a car seat is expired, you should look for that expiration date label first. If there's no expiration date listed, use the date of manufacture and consult the car seat owners' manual. Many manufacturers give a maximum car seat life in the manual. If not, call the manufacturer and ask.
The rule of thumb, if no expiration date is given on the seat, is that car seats expire six years from the date of manufacture. Assuming that your car seat was manufactured in 1999, when you purchased it, yes, it is expired. A few car seat manufacturers allow 10 years of life for their car seats, but unless you have specific directions from the manufacturer, the car seat label or the manual that state otherwise, you should stop using a car seat after 6 years. Expired car seats should be destroyed so that no one picks the seat up thinking that it is still safe to use. Good ways to destroy car seats include cutting up the cover, cutting the harness straps, and using a saw or large hammer to break the shell. If you can actually watch the car seat go into a garbage truck and watch it be crushed, this is a good option, too.
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.
Heather Corley is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Comments
Dear Heather
Thank you for the lifesaving advice. I was ready to put my 1 year old in her big brother’s carseat and read the date the seat was made and it said 1996!!! We are going out and buying a new one tonight!!!
Sincerely,
Heather Porteous
Dear Heather
Thank you for the lifesaving advice. I was ready to put my 1 year old in her big brother’s carseat and read the date the seat was made and it said 1996!!! We are going out and buying a new one tonight!!!
Sincerely,
Heather Porteous
Thank you for the advice. I did not know that carseats expired. I have a friend that was telling me about it and I was shocked. Atleast I know I am safe with our carseat for about another year.
I call bull####. Read this and then decide.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/11/business/11shortcuts.ready.html?ex=1276142400&en=db02720bc0a85724&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Well, it’s your child and your car seat, so you can make whichever decisions you wish. However, since there’s a great deal of agreement on this particular issue among people who are trained on car seat issues, and among the groups that do car seat crash testing, I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’ve seen the crash test footage of old seats, where the harness straps (and baby crash test dummy) come flying out because the shell is weakened. My child won’t ride in an expired seat - ever.
Hey Chad, you’re an idiot. You’re going to let one article influence the safety of your child? I’m going to guess you’ve never kept a car longer than 10 years. Because if you had, you would see the plastic does start to get brittle and crack. Guess what? If it happens to your car, it happens to a carseat. But hey, it’s your kid, not mine.
What an idiot (Chad). I would assume that everyone thinks their child is worth the $40+ for a new seat. Even the most expensive Britax cost only .12 cents a day with a six year life. And if his child is injured who do you think pays the bills? We do, either through higher insurance premiums or gov. subsidy. Listen to the experts, not some troll or reporter that has no expertise. The article quoted even states that seats do break down and gives the reasons for an experation date.
I read the article linked by Chad. I contacted manufacturers concerning this issue. Each manufacturer I contacted basically said the same thing–that the plastic does not decay at all until a minimum of ten (10) years. Also, the plastic in a car’s interior and th eplastic in a car seat is not the same. Plastic is not all the same–different formulations of plastic polymers produce different qualities in plastic. As an example, the plastic used in the six pack holders is manufactured to break down in sunlight whereas the plastic in car seats is manufactured to withstand the elements. This is one reason why the plastic six pack holder plastic costs far less thean the plastic in a car seat. All plastic is not created equal. If you doubt, contact the NHTSA and ask about this. Be informed and don’t simply take someone’s (even mine) word as Gospel truth. trust the data that are out there. If the manufacturers are saying that a seat is good for at least ten years (and they would stand to make more money with a 5-6 year expiration date) that is a good indicator that a car seat is OK to use pst six years. I would never use a used car seat because I would have to trust the word of a total stranger regarding the histroy of accidents regarding the car seat in question.
NHTSA has a national, standardized certification course for child passenger safety technicians, and in that course they teach that car seats expire either after 6 years or on the date that the manufacturer has stamped on the car seat shell. If someone from NHTSA or a car seat manufacturer has told you to ignore that advice, they are not doing their job very well.
Car seat manufacturer put an expiration stamp on each and every one of their seats for a reason. Do you drink milk past the expiration date? Do you let your kids play with a toy that is brittle and breaking down due to damage? NO. Then why would you EVER WANT to go against the manufacturer’s expiration guidelines when THEY are the ones who make the seats?
Car seat manufacturers are the ones that are testing each individual car seat…not NHTSA. NHTSA does do SOME independent testing, but the majority of the testing falls on the manufacturer. Plastic begins to weaken from the moment it is made. Some car seat manufacturers have gone above the standard safety grade of plastic to use the same plastic that athlete’s prosthetics are made from. While no one will EVER agree on this and it has always seemed that the majority of negatives come from the male population…You are talking about the SAFETY OF A CHILD…why risk that??? Why take a chance of keeping a car seat past the expiration date just b/c you don’t want to spend an extra $50 or $100 on a new seat for your child. Isn’t he or she the most precious cargo you have riding in your vehicle?
My kids are worth more than I could ever pay for a car seat!!! I don’t have to read anything……the expiration date is when the seat gets thrown out!! Do you love your child???? I have two in car seats and I don’t care if I had to beg, borrow or steal to buy new car seats, these are my babies…..they mean the world to me.!!
Because all car seat manufacturers give an expiration date on their car seats (either stamped on the seat or in the instructions), and because the federal authority on car seat matters, NHTSA, also states that car seats expire, there is very little room for anyone to argue that this is a false notion. Car seats do expire.
What purpose do any of you serve by arguing against this? Have you seen the crash test footage of expired seats? The ones where the babies fly right out of the seat because the brittle plastic can’t hold the harness straps? And yet you promote the idea that others should not buy new, safe car seats for their kids. That’s disgusting, in my opinion.
It’s one thing to decide that you don’t want to spend the money to buy your own child a new car seat every six years, but to attempt to put other people’s children in danger by spreading misinformation is cruel.
I think that the “expert” they used is just trying to cover his own butt anyway. Google ‘David Galambos Graco witness’ and then google ‘Graco recall’ if he’s in charge of safety… he’s not doing a very good job anyway. It’s like learning gun safety from Dick Cheney.
you should see how many people are selling expired car seats on ebay!! sometimes i send messages to people letting them know.
…the reasons given to avoid used seats are good ones and yet here we are filling landfills. i mean, let’s recognize that these things are built to degrade. they are built to be thrown out with no thought for the consequence. if a plastic carseat can only last 6 years even if it’s never used, perhaps we should be making carseats out of something else.
also, taking a certification course does not make anyone an expert on anything except knowing the regs.
I have read all of these commments and I have got to admit I am a little baffled. I am the mother of a one year old (and one on the way). I have a convertible carseat made in 2001. I will say that whether or not i get a new carseat for my son is not a question of how much I love him. That rationalization can be used in many areas. For instance, are you replacing your child’s toothbrush every three months AND after every time they get sick (and yes, that means a simple cold or even the “crud”). A manufacturer (or any representative of) is not going to be allowed to say anything about the safety of a product without it being valid. Trust me, this world is so lawsuit happy that companies do anything, and everything, to “cover their own butts”. If in their testing they found that decay began at a minimum of tens years, then I have confidence in the fact that a properly maintained carseat from 2001 is safe for my child. The key is going to be whether or not it has been properly cared for. You buy all of the seats in the world to make you feel safe, but you will always find “sides” for or against. Oh yeah. By the way, milk is good up to a week after its expiration if stored properly (I think it has a hard time reading its expiration date). But just like with the carseat you do what makes you feel comfortable. It’s your money.
I am so glad that some of you think that your kids are safe in seats that are 7 or 10 years old….*rolls eyes* I am glad it won’t be MY kid who suffered serious injuries after a bad accident beacuse I thought of the wasted landfill space or that milk is good for UP TO 1 week after the sell by date. We are not talking about food here people we are talking about the safety of our CHILDREN. Riding in the car is the most dangerous thing most kids do every day, and injuries from car accidents are the leading cause of death in children- even those in car seats since most car seats in use on any given day are used incorrectly with many mistakes per seat.
And for the poster who is worried about what seats are made of- there are seats out there now that do have longer life spans- they’re called Raidan 65 or 80 and made by Sunshine Kids.
Sure it’s great to be critical of “experts”, but let’s be real. When many experts agree that car seats expire in an average of 6 years than maybe, just maybe, that is the case. I will never put my kids in a seat that is expired- and I am proud to admit that my kids rear faced till at least age 3, and are in harnessed car seats till about age 9. Maybe you all call that over-protective, but whatever. I know they are safe in their seats and have a better chance of walking away from an accident than those of you who are so critical of this factual article.
I am a grandparent and need a question answered. I have an unexpired car seat. Can I sell or donate it to another person?
I’m currently using a used seat -which is more than 6 years old (approx 8 years) - expired according the manufacturer. But they say that the degradation is caused by sun exposurer -my seat has been in storage (in a windowless cupboard inside the house) for 4+ years … so I guess it should be safe…but I’m getting a new one any way…
I would quite happily get a used (but not very old) one from Freecycle -the person giving it has nothing to gain by passing it on and so should be honest about its history.
(I will probably have to get new because only a few models will fit in my car.)
Perhaps if the car seat manufacturers were forced to pay a tax on the disposal of their seats they would be more inclined to reduce landfill. I do think that car seats could be made to last longer and could have some kind of built in indicator of having been in an accident/plastic degradation. Here in the UK one of the major problems is that car seats are not correctly fitted. Isofix goes some way to solving this problem - but we currently have three different types - this should be the responsibility of car manufacturers. Also we have no comprehensive database of which seats should fit in which cars - meaning that you can only buy with confidence from a limited number of suppliers who fit the seat for you but of course charge a premium (and usually don’t stock cheaper seats).
BTW If 10 years is the maximum life for a seat why can you get seats that are suitable from 9 months to 11yr+
I agree with Chad, I bought my 200$ Britax in 2002, and I never wrecked my car with it, and its in fine condition. I think the “expiration date” was designed to make sure people don’t buy just one seat for several kids. My brother-in law just told me he didn’t was the seat for his new baby because it expired….thats fine! Ill keep it for my next kiddo.
Sorry, I had said much more but, alas email didn’t take… Ugh! Need a new comp. Here it is, go to www.ctsafekids.org for the latest on carseat safety and locations of clinics/workshops in your area. You can get FREE new carseats! So, if money is your issue… However most of you wouldn’t hesaitate to buy the latest (fill in the blank) Your children ARE the future! YOU decide there fate! Workshops are very informative even for seasoned parents. I attended myself and received a carseat. I’m a mother of 4 (26mo.- 13yrs.)You can still learn. Think of how quickly technology has changed. And they’re always improving. Could you look at yourself in the mirror if something fatal happened to one of your kids, nieces,nephews, grandkids,siblings, etc. knowing you could have prevented it. Play it safe. Good luck and God Bless!
You can’t compare it to a toy left outside. That toy degrades b/c of its exposure to UV light. Cars windows filter most of the UV light so its not an equal senario. As for the heat and cold, that does degrade plastic but not in 5 years. Think about all the plastic cups/bottles/pitchers you put in your dishwasher (with bleach!). Is it weak after 5 years? i think not. The manufacturers are using our fears to make more money.
Well when I had my daughter two years ago the hospital told me that I wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital with my child unless I had a current carseat. Thank goodness the one that I had used with my son wasn’t expired yet(6 years). Personally I think that it should be illegal to sell used carseats. It is said that if you are in a car accident with the seat then you are supposed to throw it out. How am I supposed to know if the used carseat I buy hasn’t been in an accident? If you buy a carseat and then return it to the store it is illegal for them to sell it. They have to claim it as damaged goods. That is the law. I think people have to use their best judgement but there are things that I think shouldn’t be done like selling used carseats. If it is a law for retail stores to not resale them then maybe there is something to it. IMO
*****Wow, April, That’s harsh! And as far as a sell by date, or expiration date on car seats, Here is the real deal:
1. If you wash your seat at least 5 times a year, the foam no longer can do it’s job of cushioning IMPACTS or COMFORT FOR YOUR KIDS!
If your like me, you wash it around once a month and sometimes more. INSPECT THE DAM THING!
2. The belts loose there elastic properties, become ruff. The lock mechanisms become worn after repeated use. (in as little as 1 year) And Milk is corrosive to the some of the parts used in the lock and fasteners. Also, the acids like from spit up can weaken a belt. HOWEVER! it should still be able to cope with a 20 lb kid for at least 7 years IN THE WORSE POSSIBLE CONDITIONS! (Hence the USE BY DATe)
3. The plastic is not going to wear out on you. IT’S your kid wearing out the plastic anchor points! Some of these points are as little as 2mm think NEW! Why so thin? to act as a “spring” or “cushion” for the impact or sudden deceleration. look for white stressed plastics at anchor points, and bright areas that look new from the uniformed faded areas in the belt. this could mean broken seams or stitches. (Again, not the end of the world, but i would think about replacement)
4. these are the most important. The seat belt Adjusters. The spring in the unit and the teeth (Jaws that clamp to the belt) become loose, worn and nonoperational. they may work okay around town. But when the force of a sudden stop becomes into play, The strap will fail and your kid might (MIGHT like might hit the front seat or roll out entirely after the crash) experience extra injury in the event of a crash. THESE ARE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT items TO WORRY ABOUT! Why? You can’t tell when one of these are going to fail. (Hence the lawyer inspired use by date)
A car seat WILL last 30 years of operation as long as you follow the PMS card. And so will a 1981 Volvo seat. But even after 1 year of operation in a new car, you can feel the difference between new and old. So it also comes down to a comfort issue.
My kids ass is worth me shelling it out for a new one every year.
I am not good at upholstery’s. So I think I will leave that to some Pro (kid in china!) sewing the thing for my son.
As for used seats in general, We really are forgetting that some crack whore mom only uses the best of the free seats out there. Sad, but true… So without a constant supply of cheap high quality seats, allot if kids would be in danger out there with seats that do not fit them, or have to deal with no seat at all. Yea, the worlds kids are not mine, But it still tugs at my heart strings when there is some kid that sits in a car seat that’s so filthy it makes me want to cry
Thanks for posting the NHTSA info. I am a certified tech and it is true that you should replace the seats after 6 years and also after a car crash. The structural integrity of the plastic wears down over time.
Lisa is correct about searching safe kids. I am part of windham safe kids (in ct)so you will see my name in the NHTSA techs. We do offer car seats clinics and have seats available. Only thing is that SO many people think we give the seats free. If there are people that come and have financial issues, we may give them a seat. Most times we ask for donations. It kills me when repeat people come to clinics looking for free seats and not the safety of their kids. NEVER buy a second hand car seat. You never know if it was in a crash and may not be able to tell just by looking.