Car seats with expiration dates

[Cindy S.]

I have a dilemma whether or not to use a carseat that is past the expiration date for
my grandson.
Does anyone know WHY carseats have expiration dates and if it's legal to still use them?
It kills me that tree huggers will say plastic takes thousands of years to decompose and
yet a carseat will?

[Walker]

It is not illegal to use a car seat past its expiration date, but the manufacturers did put a date on there for a reason. Most seats expire 5-6 yrs past manufacture date and it is pretty likely that a seat that old is pretty well worn.

Think about it, most major parts are made out of plastic. For 5 yrs the plastic has been exposed to extreme temperature highs and lows (depending on where you live). I live in PA. In the summer the temperature of a car can easily reach 100F, the winter it will easily fall to freezing. The plastic will deteriorate in these conditions and become brittle. Cheaper models use cheaper plastic and will become less safe quicker. Check the system all over for any cracks or worn spots.

To be on the safe side, I would have it looked at and installed by your local fire department or police department. Around here they do free inspections and make sure the seats are installed correctly because most people will do it wrong. CHOP inspected ours before we took our son home and made some adjustments which we needed to repeat for the other car.

Our car seat system is three years old. We bought one that will grow with him, it converts from infant to toddler to booster. We needed an infant seat for a very small baby, ours can be used from 5-120 lbs. Because we bought a better model, it actually won't "expire" for 7 more years.

[Cindy S.]

It is not illegal to use a car seat past its expiration date, but the manufacturers did put a date on there for a reason. Most seats expire 5-6 yrs past manufacture date and it is pretty likely that a seat that old is pretty well worn.

Think about it, most major parts are made out of plastic. For 5 yrs the plastic has been exposed to extreme temperature highs and lows (depending on where you live). I live in PA. In the summer the temperature of a car can easily reach 100F, the winter it will easily fall to freezing. The plastic will deteriorate in these conditions and become brittle. Cheaper models use cheaper plastic and will become less safe quicker. Check the system all over for any cracks or worn spots.

To be on the safe side, I would have it looked at and installed by your local fire department or police department. Around here they do free inspections and make sure the seats are installed correctly because most people will do it wrong. CHOP inspected ours before we took our son home and made some adjustments which we needed to repeat for the other car.

Our car seat system is three years old. We bought one that will grow with him, it converts from infant to toddler to booster. We needed an infant seat for a very small baby, ours can be used from 5-120 lbs. Because we bought a better model, it actually won't "expire" for 7 more years.

Good idea to go over it with a fine tooth comb.

[Wally]

UV light makes many plastics break down. They become brittle.

Heat and constant exposure to sunlight will effect plastics without UV inhibitors. Likely the cheaper ones.

As a building material wholesaler, this is a selling point of our siding and shutters.


I would suggest a wrap with a hammer. If brittle, you'll know quickly and save a child - and it will be time for a new seat regardless.

[Robinbobbin]

Depending on how expired it is, you actually could be fined pretty significantly for it.

But, as a previous poster stated, the reason for the expiration is the plastic fatigue. Cars heat up dramatically during the summer months, exposing the car seat to extreme temperatures. then, during the winter, temperatures drop... all of this causes plastic fatigue which causes the plastic brittle making it less effective as a protective device for the child over time. Most have expiration dates of 5 years for this reason.

Likewise, any car seat that has been through an accident needs to be tossed. The car insurance company should pay replacement value.

My rule of thumb with my kids is if I know its expired, I take it to the Babies R Us trade in event, get my 20% off coupon and replace it with a new seat. If we were in an accident and they were injured because the seat was unsafe, I'd never forgive myself for something that could have been prevented with adequate precaution.

In your shoes, I'd replace it. If you go on Amazon or Walmart.com you can get a feel for the cost - some models can be picked up for very reasonable prices. If your Grandson is over 20 months, I'd go with a Graco Nautilus as you'll be able to use it through the Booster stage once he doesn't need the 5 point harness anymore. you should be able to pick up a new one for about $140.

Hope this helps.

[Acts5:41]

Here's a twist:

How much would you pay to keep him out of a wheelchair for the rest of his life?

[Robinbobbin]

Here's the Graco Nautilus. It is one of Consumer Reports highest rated car seats.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-Naut...-Bravo/8112222

Buy this and take it to a fire station to have properly installed with your grandson with you. They'll help you adjust the car seat so it fits his body properly and they'll install it with the latch and anchor system.

[Cindy S.]

Here's a twist:

How much would you pay to keep him out of a wheelchair for the rest of his life?

I guess I'm too old school for my own good.
As a kid we never even wore seat belts and babies always sat on my mom's lap.
We were fine.

[Cindy S.]

I guess I'm too old school for my own good.
As a kid we never even wore seat belts and babies always sat on my mom's lap.
We were fine.

I am not a fan of the gov't telling me what to do either, adding laws upon laws every year.

[Alex]

UV light makes many plastics break down. They become brittle.

Heat and constant exposure to sunlight will effect plastics without UV inhibitors. Likely the cheaper ones.

As a building material wholesaler, this is a selling point of our siding and shutters.


I would suggest a wrap with a hammer. If brittle, you'll know quickly and save a child - and it will be time for a new seat regardless.

I have boy in seat and hammer in hand, where should I hit it at?

[Robinbobbin]

I guess I'm too old school for my own good.
As a kid we never even wore seat belts and babies always sat on my mom's lap.
We were fine.

Yes, but cars were made out of good old American Steele then as opposed to plastic and for the most part, people had their drivers licenses on the road and weren't talking on the phone while behind the wheele. Now with the road rage incidents, idiots texting while driving and people who are just reckless on the road, it would be wreckless not to put a child in the safest seat one could.

[Cindy S.]

Yes, but cars were made out of good old American Steele then as opposed to plastic and for the most part, people had their drivers licenses on the road and weren't talking on the phone while behind the wheele. Now with the road rage incidents, idiots texting while driving and people who are just reckless on the road, it would be wreckless not to put a child in the safest seat one could.

Oh, believe me I won't put my grandson in danger but it just really bothers me that $100.00 carseats
are a throwaway item. People don't have money growing on trees!
There are so many opinions on plastic, it degrades, it doesn't degrade in landfills.....yada yada.
Reminds me of eggs, they are good for you, they aren't, they are, they aren't.
My head is spinning.

[Acts5:41]

Yes, but cars were made out of good old American Steele then as opposed to plastic and for the most part, people had their drivers licenses on the road and weren't talking on the phone while behind the wheele. Now with the road rage incidents, idiots texting while driving and people who are just reckless on the road, it would be wreckless not to put a child in the safest seat one could.

That.

I wish you could meet a quadriplegic. It would really get you rethinking the safety issue. You would do ANYTHING to prevent that from happening to your loved one.

Or, I could introduce you to my husband, who is paralyzed on one side because of a reckless driver. Nothing safer than walking to work, until some nit runs a red light at 40 mph.

It is so awful to stand over a loved one in ICU. They're so still. Tubes are coming and going everywhere, a big sack of bloody urine hanging by the bed (everyone in trauma ICU has some kind of kidney damage), waiting and wondering and praying. Wondering if they'll wake up, when, and if they will be the same person.

Will they be able to take care of their own needs, or are you doing it for the rest of their life? It's ghastly.

Do whatever it takes to prevent that. Carseats are always a good item.

[icebear]

i'm on the side of safety first in any way possible.

[JoyJoyJoy]

I guess I'm too old school for my own good.
As a kid we never even wore seat belts and babies always sat on my mom's lap.
We were fine.

This was my first thought to the OP. Of course, we have to be safe. But good grief, an expiring car seat??? I did use them when mine were little, but I dont think they expired back then. Of course, I remember riding my daughter around in my arms while driving. That was before any laws were passed to forbid it. Everything seems so much more dangerous now than it use to be. I have a car seat, too, for my grandson.

[Robinbobbin]

Here are some youtube videos that illustrate what happens to a child in a car seat when rear facing (up to age 2), forward facing (beyond age two to 4 and 40 lbs -- MINIMUM) and once in a booster vs the child that is just in a seat belt. You will never again question the laws regarding child safety seats and why they are so much safer for children. Also, the American Academy or Pediatrics is now recommending children remain in a 5 pt harness until 1st grade because of the variance in size of children at different ages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=...ture=endscreen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNGT9eBL_gg

Additionally, it is imperative that the car seat is properly installed. That means use the latch system and the tether whenever possible (even if it is not convenient) or if using the seat belt to install the car seat, cinch that sucker in as tightly as humanly possible, leaning on it with your knee and pulling until it's not moving no matter how hard you jerk it around. If its loose, it won't provide the necessary protection for the child and the seat will jerk around injuring the child in a collision. Likewise, if the straps are not tight, the child is not protected. In a 5 point harness, the front chest latch should be at the child's nipples and firmly against the chest. Not down by the stomach.

We are keeping our 4 year old 37 lb DD in a 5 pt harness Graco Nautilus and Britax Boulevard as long as possible. She would be ejected from a car given her size if she was in a booster at this stage. Our 19 month old 26 lb son is rear facing and we hope to keep him rear facing until age 2. Is it convenient? No. But it is worth it to keep my children as safe as possible. I trust God implicitly, but I absolutely do NOT trust other drivers. Example, I was almost broadsided a few days ago by someone who decided she needed to cross 3 lanes while applying makeup.

[Acts5:41]

Yeah.

In my city, we have terrible drivers. I was never able to drive, and I thank God. It's like that movie "Death Race". People are driving mean, and they don't care who they hurt.

I only ride public transit, thank God, which I hear is up to 170 times safer than riding in a car.

I even see car seats on the bus.

[Cindy S.]

That.

I wish you could meet a quadriplegic. It would really get you rethinking the safety issue. You would do ANYTHING to prevent that from happening to your loved one.

Or, I could introduce you to my husband, who is paralyzed on one side because of a reckless driver. Nothing safer than walking to work, until some nit runs a red light at 40 mph.

It is so awful to stand over a loved one in ICU. They're so still. Tubes are coming and going everywhere, a big sack of bloody urine hanging by the bed (everyone in trauma ICU has some kind of kidney damage), waiting and wondering and praying. Wondering if they'll wake up, when, and if they will be the same person.

Will they be able to take care of their own needs, or are you doing it for the rest of their life? It's ghastly.

Do whatever it takes to prevent that. Carseats are always a good item.

Oh, don't worry.
My grandson will never ride without a carseat.
I just wish they would make them to last.
I bought a new one for my daughters car, I found a really nice one at Goodwill for my car and they check it over, check the dates and check the recall list.
I'm currently checking the local Goodwill's for a 3rd seat so my sister can use it when she watches him.

[Robinbobbin]

Oh, don't worry.
My grandson will never ride without a carseat.
I just wish they would make them to last.
I bought a new one for my daughters car, I found a really nice one at Goodwill for my car and they check it over, check the dates and check the recall list.
I'm currently checking the local Goodwill's for a 3rd seat so my sister can use it when she watches him.

Be careful buying them second hand. The reason being, once a car seat has been in an accident, its compromised. It's meant to give that way one time only. Insurance will pay for a replacement, even in a fender bender for that reason. But, a lot of people do not know what to do with the compromised ones so they give them to Goodwill. Often they look fine. I have no problem with a hand me down from someone who can tell you the car seat's history, but be careful with a second hand one you don't know the history of.

[Walker]

Be careful buying them second hand. The reason being, once a car seat has been in an accident, its compromised. It's meant to give that way one time only. Insurance will pay for a replacement, even in a fender bender for that reason. But, a lot of people do not know what to do with the compromised ones so they give them to Goodwill. Often they look fine. I have no problem with a hand me down from someone who can tell you the car seat's history, but be careful with a second hand one you don't know the history of.

The manufacturer of our seat will replace the car seat if it is in an accident.