Car Seat: Do Car Seats Expire?

In this article, you will find answers to all your worries, providing you with the peace of mind you need.

Safety technology is the first subject to think about when you’re bringing your precious infant home. safety technology is the first
Source: flickr.com

 

You also need to watch out for when your baby’s car seat expires. Yes, the products expire! Ensure to consult the instruction manual carefully for expiration details.

Car seats are an important product to buy when you are welcoming a new member into your family.

These tiny humans fill our world with so much love and light that we would never let anything happen to them, especially when it comes to ensuring their safety with national highway traffic safety. This means safety technology is the first subject to think about when you’re bringing your precious infant home for the first time. Thus, you need an infant seat that has received a number of peer-reviewed studies so you can double check the feedback and choose your own instead of going for a car seat recall. A seat that has received a 5-star customer rating is ideal to have, as it is sure to have great quality, even with regular wear.

Car Seat Expiration Date

You should be aware of your car seat options before making a purchase to ensure that you invest in something worth your while. A product with numerous customer reviews can assist you in the selection process by allowing you to go through their feedback and ratings. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best-selling Graco car seats on Amazon. It’s worth mentioning that car seats with a significant number of customer reviews are undoubtedly your best option. Let’s also delve into the matter of how and when car seats expire. Be sure to check the serial number for that information.

Graco Extend2Fit Convertible 

  • The Graco’s Exten2Fit Convertible product from Graco is recommended for parents who prefer their child to ride rear-facing. It has a safety surround side impact protection for the baby’s added safety.
  • Graco child car seats like Extend2Fit also allow a 6-position recline to make the seat extra comfy for your children and 10 positions headrest to accommodate their growth spurt.
  • This model has a Graco Premier version that offers enhanced safety with its premier design and materials.

Graco 4Ever DLX 4 in 1

  • The amount that you pay for the 4Ever DLX 4 in 1 product will give you 10 years of wear and tear which makes it a really good investment especially if you are looking for an all-in-one car seat that grows with your child. These expires when their car seats outgrows the child.

Graco Grows4Me 4 in 1 Seat

  • The Graco’s Grows4me 4-in-1 car seat is good for 10 years or until your baby graduates from toddlerhood to preschool – that’s when their car seat expires. This 4-in-1 car seats are practical choice considering how it can be used by your baby.
  • These car seats are great 4-in-1 car seats good as it is durable and complete with safety features that you can rely on in case of unwanted situations.

Graco SlimFit 3 in 1 Convertible Car Seat

  • The Graco SlimFit LX all-in-one convertible car seats are the only ones your baby will need from 5 to 100 pounds. In other words, these 3-in-1 car seats are designed to grow with your baby.
  • This LX 3-in-1 convertible car seat is complete with Graco Protect Plus Engineered and the essential features with a latch system that will make your baby feel secure all the course of time making it a great 3-in-1 car seat to own.

Check Car Seats’ Manufacture Date

Check Car Seats’ Manufacture Date, especially if you want to be in line with national highway traffic safety recommendations.

On every infant certified child passenger safety car seat with plastic reinforced belt paths, whether they’re replacement parts of travel systems or not, there is a manufacture date. This tells you when the car seat product was made. Now, almost all car seat instruction manuals expire between 6 and 10 years after their manufacturing dates, according to the guidelines of the traffic safety administration nhtsa.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do Car Seats Expire?

Is the Expiration Date Printed On The Car Seat?

In some cases, car seat manufacturers do imprint the car seat expiration FAQs into the plastic base the car seat is made of, ensuring adherence to long car seat guidelines. You can find the expiration date of Graco car seats and even other car seat brands, usually on the bottom or at the back of the car seat if this is the case. If the expiration date is not printed on these baby car gear products, you should follow the previously mentioned steps and check for the manufacturing date from many car seat manufacturers. Then, the car seat manufacturer expiration dates typically ensure 6 years from that date. You’ll want to refer to the car seat manual, though, to see what is said about car seat expiration dates in there so you can replace things if you must.

Is Expired Car Seats Illegal?

While it is advised not to use an expired car seat, checking the latest car seat laws is not illegal.  Now depending on specific states, they may have laws in place that will result in legal consequences if your infant is riding in an expired car seat (like a fine).  The federal government, though, has set forth safety regulations for making a car seat, but nothing that will punish a parent for using a car seat recalls.

The reason for the regulations and guidelines is to keep babies and toddlers safe when they’re riding in vehicles. Though regulations change, make sure that you are always knowledgeable about your car seat. You need to know the sign when your baby should be kept in a rear-facing position and when to shift to booster seat mode or to the forward-facing harness stage.

Is It Okay To Buy Used Car Prams?

If you’re going to be purchasing any used infant car seats or you’ll be using one that is being handed down from our previous child, it’s critical for the safety of your baby to look into the safety information that applies to it. Infant car seats are notoriously used for more than one baby.

Whether you’re buying a rear-facing car seat, a seat that’s included in travel systems, or a belt-positioning booster seat, make sure you read the safety information that goes along with it. You need to find the manufacture date and calculate the expiration date so you can keep your baby or young child safe. You also must ensure that your vehicle seat belt can properly secure the used car seat whatever brand it is, in case you are getting one.

Things to know about Booster Car Seats: Things to know about belt-positioning booster car seats.
Source: flickr.com

Why Are Car Seats Expire Or Go Bad?

Expired car seats, even the ones you bought with 5 customer ratings, can go bad because, after so many years, the materials begin to degrade, risking the safety of your child, according to the highway traffic safety administration. The constant sun exposure warps the plastic material with its extreme temperatures and summer heat, the cold air makes the plastic brittle, oxidation causes the metal to rust, and more.  It can cause your child’s car seat to malfunction or become unsafe. It risks your child passenger safety.  Your car seat can break if you were to have a wreck and would not protect your child like it normally should.  This is the main reason that expired car seats are bad even if they are the best or have received 5-star customer ratings from many users. Although it costs more money, buying a brand new car seat is better than an older car seat and used seats.

When To Expire The Graco Car Seats?

Just like the Graco long car seats, the bases that are part of the travel system car seat bases expire as well. Regardless of whether you have one that has received a 5-star customer rating, booster seats expire within 6-10 years, depending on each individual base. Refer to the specific information from child passenger safety technician for the one you have or are considering.  There should be a manufacture date located at the bottom of the base just like the car seats.  You can look up your specific one based on the website I provided earlier in this article. Graco infant seats normally have 4.8 out of 5 ratings on the product review site.

A woman is setting up the car seat base. Graco car seats expire within 6-10 years depending on each individual base.
Source: mcconnell.af.mil

What Else To Know About Car Seat Expiration?

When buying Graco car seats or any other brand of infant car seat, steer away from used car seat’s history. Unless you personally know the person who owned the car seat and they were the original owners, I suggest buying a new one. In case you are getting wear and tear car seat, make sure that it can be secured by your vehicle seat belt. Also, you do not know if any of the materials of the product have been warped, ripped, torn, or weakened.  This can cause the product to malfunction if you were to get in a wreck later on and harm your baby.

Based on a legal policy, a baby or a child can be in a forward-facing harness position once they have reached the 9 kg weight limit or at least 2 yo according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The forward-facing harness position is recommended to ensure they are protected from any potential impact while in the car, remember to secure the harness straps as well. A backless booster seat is for big kids or for those kids who are mature enough to stay in their seats while in the car. Backless booster seats are recommended for kids aged 8 to 12 years old, depending on child’s size.
  • Graco’s Grows4me 4-in-1 car seat – 5-40 lb weight recommendation for rear-facing and 22-65lbs for the forward-facing position.

Most car seats expire after six years. After you buy a brand new car seat, you should check under the seat or on the frame of your model to find the car seat’s expiration date or date of manufacture. Make sure that there are no missing parts during installation and that it can function properly. Also, ensure that it is set up based on government regulation and federal safety standards. Like expired medication, using a car seat past its expiration date will bring you more harm than good, emphasizing the importance of checking for visible damage and ensuring the seat is in good condition.

Any old car seat or expired seat that you have in your car should be replaced when it has passed its expiration date based on what is written, ensuring that the seat is in good condition and has all the original parts. If you experience car accidents, you should change your child’s car seats after that, to ensure safe kids’ travel. Remember: if you see something wrong with the seat using your naked eye, then it is most definitely time to replace the seat.

What’s The Weight Limit For Infant Seat?

The weight limit for infant car seats varies by brand and model. Generally, most infant car seats, including popular brands like Graco, Chicco, Britax, and Evenflo, can accommodate infants weighing between 4 to 35 pounds. It’s important to refer to the specific manufacturer’s guidelines to determine the exact weight limit for your infant car seat, such as the Graco Contender 65.

Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Inma Barquero

DISCLAIMER (IMPORTANT): This information (including all text, images, audio, or other formats on FamilyHype.com) is not intended to be a substitute for informed professional advice, diagnosis, endorsement or treatment. You should not take any action or avoid taking action without consulting a qualified professional.   Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions about medical conditions. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking advice or treatment because of something you have read here a FamilyHype.com.

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