3.5 yr expiration date

pj2rc · May 31, 2010

I have read most of you on here saying seats usually expire about 6-7 yrs out. I got wondering because I knew I didn't buy my seat that long ago. Thought maybe I got one w/ an old DOM .... just looked today. My Evenflo Titan was made July 2006 and do not use after Dec 31, 2010 .... so it had a 3.5 yr lifespan ...I feel like I got jipped. Anyone else run into this?

skitle1802 · May 31, 2010

That's 4.5 years. Going out to check mine...
ETA: Mine is July 2007, Do Not Use After December 2013 So 6 years.

pj2rc · May 31, 2010

:yeahthat: .. guess I need to go back to school!

TechnoGranola · May 31, 2010

Call Evenlfo. Maybe the stamp guys were drunk and flipped the stamper to the wrong date.

DahliaRW · May 31, 2010

Personally, I'd go by 6 years from the DOM in that case. But that's my personal opinion. I have a SS1 that was mis-stamped and I wouldn't have an issue using it that 6th year.

Mae · May 31, 2010

DahliaRW said:
Personally, I'd go by 6 years from the DOM in that case. But that's my personal opinion. I have a SS1 that was mis-stamped and I wouldn't have an issue using it that 6th year.

While it may be mis-stamped, what if it was the DOM that's wrong? What if the expiration date is right? While it may say that it was manu'd in July '06, what if it was made in July '04? That would explain why it has such a short life.

I'd call Evenflo.

What model is your seat? The Evenflo Titan Elite wasn't made until '07, but the Evenflo Titan Deluxe/Titan 5/Vangaurd 5 was first manufactured back in '02. Therefore I doubt you have the Elite, but probably have the Deluxe?

skitle1802 · May 31, 2010

Check for the month/year on your seat's cover, harness straps and the side stickers. If all those were manufactured a few months before the sticker DOM then I would go with that date. If the cover, harness and side stickers (the warning labels, weight guidelines for forward anf rear facing, proper belt routing) are significantly older, I would check with Evenflo to confirm how long you should be using the seat.

For example, my DOM sticker says 05Jul2007, the cover, harness and stickers have 05/07 (May 2007).

pj2rc · May 31, 2010

I just emailed them ? why such a short shelf life and if the dates were correct. I have 3 of them, all 3 say the same thing. Of course the same drunk could have labeled them all if they were in the same lot... lol.

ETA -- It's just "Titan" on the manual. No deluxe or elite mentioned.

ntrenary · May 31, 2010

Let us know what you find out.

TechnoGranola · May 31, 2010

pj2rc said:
I just emailed them ? why such a short shelf life and if the dates were correct. I have 3 of them, all 3 say the same thing. Of course the same drunk could have labeled them all if they were in the same lot... lol.

Ya, if their stamper was set wrong that day, every seat made until they (someone?) noticed would get the wrong date.

lorismurph · May 31, 2010

I've had this problem with a couple of Evenflo seats. They told me to go to December of the 6th year. Mine was the same, 4 years (but until December of the 4th year). Crazy that SO many of their seats are mis-stamped.

Pixels · May 31, 2010

skitle1802 said:
Check for the month/year on your seat's cover, harness straps and the side stickers. If all those were manufactured a few months before the sticker DOM then I would go with that date. If the cover, harness and side stickers (the warning labels, weight guidelines for forward anf rear facing, proper belt routing) are significantly older, I would check with Evenflo to confirm how long you should be using the seat.

For example, my DOM sticker says 05Jul2007, the cover, harness and stickers have 05/07 (May 2007).

The dates on the stickers are not date of manufacture (other than the one that is specifically DOM, of course) but rather the date they were last changed. You could have a sticker on your seat with a date of several years before manufacture. Of course, you couldn't have a sticker date later than the actual DOM. So it will give you some additional info, but not necessarily anything conclusive.

swtgi1982 · May 31, 2010

either my maestro or my symphony were the same way. The manual states do not use past Dec of the x-year and the Date stamped on the back of the seat would be off by a year.

Ok got the info my maestro says DOM 1-7-2010 Do not use after Dec 2017, but manual says 8yr expiry

I bet some drunk forgot to change the stamp after new years.

My Symphony made in Dec 2009 is correct for 8 years with the Dec 2017 stamp as well.

So all my seats expire Dec 2017 or before, except my maestro. WOW! (My youngest will me 8 then so heck, no big deal for me)

wvmommy007 · Jun 1, 2010

swtgi1982 said:
either my maestro or my symphony were the same way. The manual states do not use past Dec of the x-year and the Date stamped on the back of the seat would be off by a year.

Ok got the info my maestro says DOM 1-7-2010 Do not use after Dec 2017, but manual says 8yr expiry

I bet some drunk forgot to change the stamp after new years.

My Symphony made in Dec 2009 is correct for 8 years with the Dec 2017 stamp as well.

So all my seats expire Dec 2017 or before, except my maestro. WOW! (My youngest will me 8 then so heck, no big deal for me)

I'm confused. Wouldn't the Maestro's life be 7 years, 11 months based on the DOM and "Do not use after" dates? That's pretty close to the manual's 8 year expiry, right? Or am I misunderstanding something?

pj2rc · Jun 2, 2010

I got a response to my email ---
"Evenflo and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend a 6-year life span from the date of manufacture for all car seats and boosters. This is because of changing safety standards. I apologize that the expiration date from you seat shell is incorrect."

It's not going to do me much good though since my daughter is about to hit the 30 lb RF wt limit. I asked just to make sure that was correct ... unfortunately, it is.

I do find it interesting the reason they gave for expiration is due to changing safety standards, not due to it not being safe anymore. Someone else mentioned that recently on a different thread. Therefore I find it a bit odd. As long as I am using the seat correctly and I know it is still a safe seat (hasn't been recalled, etc) why would I have to stop using it.

3.5 yr expiration date

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