Car Seat Expiration

abarry90 · Jan 18, 2008

Found this New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/11/business/11shortcuts.ready.html?_r=1&oref=slogin which I thought was interesting and confirms my thoughts on expiration dates on car seats. As I suspected, the 6-8 year expiration is a conservative number and most manufacturers agree that based on age alone (absent any other significant stress like an accident or safety design changes) a car seat is unlikely to become unsafe from age alone until it hits about 10 years.

"It's not as if you'll hit the expiration date and the plastic will become weak," he said. "The plastic is good for at least 10 years. But regulations and standards are constantly changing."...

...Also, Mr. Galambos said, as the car seat ages, "some of the history gets lost, such as whether it was in an accident or not."

"Replacement parts get harder to find," he said. "Webbing and such start falling apart."

scatterbunny · Jan 18, 2008

I think a carseat is one product that I'll GLADLY accept a hefty buffer zone.

I don't want to risk having one that is very near the point of the plastic weakening. Seats are only crash-tested at 30 miles per hour; in a crash of 60 miles per hour, how do we know that seat being used past the expiration isn't going to fall apart? I have seen one crash test video of a 10 year old Britax carseat (nothing else is wrong with the seat aside from age) and when the dummy flies forward and stress is placed on the straps, the plastic around the straps breaks and the dummy is ejected.

I have plastic containers that I will occasionally re-use, and after a pretty short time they begin to feel more brittle, more weak, easier to bend and break.

I do agree that 5-6 years is probably a conservative estimate, but who really wants to push it with a life-or-death child safety item? Certainly not me.

classicseats · Jan 18, 2008

I have had a few old seats where the plastic cracks just from handling. Granted, they are way past there prime.

Mama! · Jan 18, 2008

abarry90 said:
Found this New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/11/business/11shortcuts.ready.html?_r=1&oref=slogin which I thought was interesting and confirms my thoughts on expiration dates on car seats. As I suspected, the 6-8 year expiration is a conservative number and most manufacturers agree that based on age alone (absent any other significant stress like an accident or safety design changes) a car seat is unlikely to become unsafe from age alone until it hits about 10 years.

ARe you really willing to make YOUR BABY the crash test dummy?

I'm not.

Suzibeck · Jan 18, 2008

After seeing the crash test video of a 10 yo seat failing, I won't risk it with my child. I'd link it but it doesn't appear to be working at the moment. I do not think a seat suddenly becomes unsafe the day it expires, but I personally wouldn't push the expiration by much. At some point between 6 and 10 years it does become unsafe, at what point, we don't know. I don't care to make my child into a crash dummy to test when that happens.

Starlight · Jan 18, 2008

I wish I had the link to the video of the 10 yr old Britax seat falling apart.

As stated, my child is NOT a crash dummy. I'll gladly follow the 6 years as recommended, ESPECIALLY in hot climates such as AZ, CA, etc.

MomToEliEm · Jan 18, 2008

I think carseat expiration is due to several reasons, not just plastic degrading. Here are my reasons on why I think carseat expiration dates are valid. I would be willing to allow expiration to 8 years, but not much after that.

1. Plastic does degrade over time. It doesn't magically happen at 6 years, but it is a good date guideline, especially if a carseat has been used in a hot car or stored in a hot garage.

2. Manufacturers make safety upgrades to seats all the time. They want to get older seats that might not meet the new safety guidelines out of the market. Seats made 10 years ago, often had a 20-22 pound rear facing limit on them (this was for convertable seats, not just infant seats). Now, those convertable seats rear face to 30-35 pounds, and are much safer. Older seats used 3 point harnesses or shields to protect a child, and now more seats are using safer 5 point harnesses on seats.

3. After a certain period of time, seats loose manuals, stickers wear off, harnesses get frayed. It is hard to get replacement parts for older carseats. Without good working parts or a good manual, carseats may not be used correctly.

4. Manufacturers are except from lawsuits from an injury that might happen to a child in an older carseat. If a seat fails after it is expired, you were the one who took the risks of the plastic degrading or possibly having a seat that fails newer safety regulations. You cannot blame the manufacturer for using an expired seat when they told you not to use it.

azgirl71 · Jan 18, 2008

Here is the video Susan is talking about. I would not risk my child life to save a few bucks. :twocents:

Jeanum · Jan 18, 2008

As mentioned by previous posters, here's the Crash test video of a 10 year old Britax seat

Britax 6-year expiration FAQ which addresses deterioration/degradation over time, from http://www.britaxusa.com/support/faqs.aspx:

Q. How long can my child seat be used?

A. Britax recommends that the use of a child seat be discontinued after six years or if the seat has been involved in a severe crash. After six years, technology has changed, components degrade from the environment (depending on how and where stored), parts get lost or installed incorrectly, or instructions and labels may not be available or not legible. The child seat may be unsafe and should be destroyed.

Graco's carseat lifespan FAQ, which essentially agrees with 6 year/6 calendar year expiration from date of manufacture stamped on most Graco seats and in effect at the time the NYT article was published several years ago:

http://www.gracobaby.com/customerservice/faq_category.aspx?catID=1#144

JerseyGirl'sMama · Jan 18, 2008

I would not chance it either, ever. Car-safety is one area where it is ok to 'splurge' if you will.

However, I appreciate somebody bringing new information to this forum. Always gets a discussion going.

Starlight · Jan 18, 2008

hehe, this is not new info, jersey girl. It's something we've discussed atleast once or twice. lol Maybe not in the last 3 months... but we have discussed it before!

Jewels · Jan 18, 2008

Why would you risk it? It is in the manual not to use after 6yrs because components degrade and what not I am not willing to use my child as the crash test dummy to see how far/long a seat can really be used. If 6 years is in the manual and is what's considered safe then I will not use it more then 6 years. It isn't a matter of cost of a seat or re-selling a seat this is a life we are talking about. Lives are precious.

I remember hearing of children being injured or killed in car collisions due to improper carseat usuage and not following the manufacturers instructions and the parents being charged. In this sue happy world why would you even put yourself through that? Little lone being sued for injuries you child had or if they died you would feel terrible and to be charged with having a role in that . . . why? How does it make it worth it? :twocents:

bake1856 · Jan 18, 2008

I'd really want to have it in writing that the car seat company accepts the liability. I'd bet they'd back down on their statement since there is no way to know the history of each seat. I'm surprised they allowed themselves to be quoted publicly.

This for me is another one of those parenting decisions. Having been negatively affected multiple times by automobile accidents I'd prefer to go with conservative guidelines. In the end though we all just choose what we thinks best for our families.

I think if you do a search of the site you'll find other discussions of this article.

karen

tl01 · Jan 19, 2008

If the plastic is good for 10 years.. then why did the Britax seat fail at 10 years in the video. I'm not going to take this writer's word for it that my seat is good until 10 years. I'd much rather replace it to be safe. My son is not going to be the one in the seat risking his life to see if the seat works at 10 years.

natysr · Jan 19, 2008

I agree with the others, My son will not be the crash test dummy for any expired seat.

My britax has a 6 year life from the DOM. Even at the non-sale price of $270 for the marathon, that divides down to being 12.5 cents per day to keep my son safe. That is more than worth it. Heck, I feel like I am the one ripping Britax off. I would gladly replace the seat after it expires for either him, or a younger sibling.

USmominOz · Jan 19, 2008

I just can't see how our SafenSound your(britax) can be made differently. Would there be that much difference in the plastic being used? Our car seats have a 10 yr lifespan. The weather here is also so much hotter

.

Patriot201 · Jan 19, 2008

~ Am I going to freak out about using a seat that is right *at* its expiration, if I have no other choice than to use that seat? NO.
(You can bet heavily that I wouldn't make the choice to use this seat if I *had* a choice, though).

~ Am I *intentionally* going to use a seat that is over its expiration? NO WAY.

~ Am I going to think it is okay to use a seat that 5 years, 364 days old but NOT one that is 6 years old? Of course not. It isn't as if something "magical" happens that day of expiration.

I am not willing to make a child I love a crash test dummy. Perhaps the seat would function just fine. I am not willing to take that chance, though.

Car Seat Expiration

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