I can't find Expiration on Britax Boulevard

[candice12]

Does anyone know where I can find this?? I have looked everywhere!
Thanks so much!

 

[sunnymw]

Mine is towards the top of the shell and I have to move the cover a little to see the sticker

 

[joolsplus3]

And it's only the Date of Manufacture...the expiration date will be 6 years after that

 

[candice12]

ok thanks for your post! Is it an actual expiration date or just the date it was manufactured? I found where it has a serial #, etc. and it has a Man date of 7/24/07 but no expire, I can't find it anywhere! How long can you usually have these seats?? How many years does it take for them to expire?

 

[candice12]

Thanks for the info! Also another question... The wings on the boulevard... are they supposed to move around freely or are they supposed to be snug and fitted tight so they don't move? This is really a question for someone who has a Boulevard themselves. Thanks so much!

 

[joolsplus3]

The manual will specify that you have 6 years from Date of Manufacture till it expires... that'll be 7/24/13.

 

[Unregistered]

Sorry Julia, You answered right after sunnymw did and I had already asked the question reguarding what you posted before you answered the first time. Thanks for the information!

 

[joolsplus3]

No problemo! I hope someone has some advice about the headwings (I think they are somewhat wobbly in general...if yours are just totally floppy compared to say, the floor model at a store, then you might have an issue, though).

 

[candice12]

No problemo! I hope someone has some advice about the headwings (I think they are somewhat wobbly in general...if yours are just totally floppy compared to say, the floor model at a store, then you might have an issue, though).

They are wobbly, but this just seems a bit too wobbly to me. I just don't see how that could be very safe. After spending over $300 on this carseat I would just hope that it would be working correctly. We shall see... maybe I will call Britax tonight after I get off work.

If anyone else has any input on this it would be appreciated!

 

[sunnymw]

yes mine come forward and wiggle quite a bit. They're not supposed to be rock solid... or at least I've never heard of one actually being rock solid!

 

[candice12]

ok... so maybe that is just how it's supposed to be then!? I sure hope so!

 

[Unregistered]

yes mine come forward and wiggle quite a bit. They're not supposed to be rock solid... or at least I've never heard of one actually being rock solid!

You can get them rock solid. I kneel in my son's and tighten the top strap and then yank the bottom straps tight and then run the seat belt. I guess my weight pushing the extra slack helps when I am done and get out of the car I can grap the car seat and shake it and it doesn't move but the car will. So I think that is the only way to get it rock solid.

 

[wendytthomas]

You can get them rock solid. I kneel in my son's and tighten the top strap and then yank the bottom straps tight and then run the seat belt. I guess my weight pushing the extra slack helps when I am done and get out of the car I can grap the car seat and shake it and it doesn't move but the car will. So I think that is the only way to get it rock solid.

Glad you're here!

As techs we're taught to not tell parents to kneel in the seat. Not for fear that it'll hurt the seat, but because we don't want to intimidate the parents into thinking they can't do it themselves. However, there's no harm, and on seats like Britaxes where there are two straps, I like to do it simply so I can use both hands at once.

However, it sounds like you're installing the seat incorrectly. First, the top tether should be done last, not first. It's not an installation point, but a way to reduce head excursion. And if you do that first you can put undue strain on it, or not have the lower connection done properly. So if you read your manual you'll see that that's the last step in putting in your seat, not the first.

Second, if you have an older Britax, make sure you flipped your LATCH connectors over to forward facing, and you're not exceeding either Britax's LATCH limit of 48 pounds, or your car's if it's lower.

Third, you cannot use LATCH and the seatbelt together. Again, read your manual. You'll find directions for each, but you should never use both. No carseat manufacturer approves it. Given that it's a big NO across the board, my guess is that it fails testing, rather than giving the backup parents are looking for. I would think someone has tested it, but maybe not. If no one has tested it, then you're using your child to find out if it will fail. And it may. You'd think two outfielders running to the ball would guarantee that it'll get caught, but it doesn't always, right? Both the LATCH and the seatbelt straps are expecting to take the full crash forces and stretch. If they're both engaged, then neither may take the forces and neither may stretch. The stretching slows down the crash for your child. So if the crash forces aren't slowed down by the installation (either LATCH or the seatbelt) then where do they go? Into the seat and child. It could place undue strain on the carseat, breaking it, or it could put too much force on your child, breaking them.

So let us know in what car and in what position you're installing it, and we can make sure about the LATCH limits, if there's LATCH in that position (many cars don't allow center LATCH), and any other questions you have. But please read your manual, or go to britaxusa.com and download another copy, and reread the installation section.

Also, know that up to 1" of movement is acceptable. I can usually get a Britax in rock solid more easily than I can with any movement, but I also stress to parents that 1" at the belt path is completely normal and acceptable. There is zero need to go to great lengths to get a seat without movement. In fact, I've had several parents go so zanely on their installations that it was then impossible, or close to, to remove the seat again from the car.

Wendy