carseat expiration question

iamheidi28

Im 21 weeks with our first child!! Someone gave us thier graco carseat with the base. It "expired" December 2011. The car seat is in amazing condition and I was so happy that it will go with our graco stroller!! Now I feel paraniod that the base AND the carseat are no good when they both look like amazing condition. Its so silly to me that carseats expire!! Anyways I am a total newbie and want to know what you guys think. Its 6 months expired but looks totally new and safe (it was stored in a garage for a while). Will they let me leave the hospital with it??

Thanks for your help!!

lindsey913

Do NOT use an expired carseat. It is absolutely not worth risking the safety of your baby. Materials wear out--plastic stresses and warps, fabric straps don't hold up, technology and safety guidelines change. I don't care how good they look, it is not OK to use.

denise_m

A car seat is made out of mostly plastic.  Overtime, the plastic degrades.  Regardless of how amazing it looks, the manufacturer can no longer stand behind the safety of it.

They may let you leave the hospital with it, but it would mean that you are putting your baby at risk from the moment you first get into the car.  I wouldn't even consider risking it. 

hoan0203

My cousin just recently had their third child. They were planning to use the same car seat they had with the first two but it had expired the month before the baby was born. The hospital would not let them take the baby home in that car seat because it had expiredq, even though it was in great condition. I would get a new one. There is an expiration date for a reason. 

jillychris

lindsey913:

Do NOT use an expired carseat. It is absolutely not worth risking the safety of your baby. Materials wear out--plastic stresses and warps, fabric straps don't hold up, technology and safety guidelines change. I don't care how good they look, it is not OK to use.

This!!!!

turtlerun

Are you saying it is expired by the date engraved in it?  If you look on the back of the seat in plastic or on a tag it should say the manufacture date.  Usually the expiration date is 6 years from that date.  If it truely is expired do not use it.  The plastic is not safe after that time frame.

Mrs.DeliaMarieP

Not worth the risks, buy a new one.

If you think about it, it makes sense because carseats go through every extreme of temperatures, not to mention wear and tear. Plastics do wear out over time, like anything, and regardless of how cheap it was, it's not worth risking it breaking in an accident.

6fsn

A graco carseat is about $100.  Is it really worth risking your child's life for that?  If money is an issue I'm sure you can cut $100 somewhere.  I've scrimped on a lot of things over the years, but safety was never one of them.

sschwege

Find some where else in your budget to cut, not your child's safety!

Some hospitals will stop you, others aren't allowed to give any advice other than to check that you have a car seat.  So it just depends on the hospital, but really it's not worth the risk! 

WaitingOnTwoPinkLines

Scout2005:

I'm sorry OP, but this isn't even a question. Get a new car seat.

Exactly, for all the reasons PPs have already stated. 

orinjuse

Totally not worth saving a few bucks and risking your child's safety. Infant seat regulations change often, so you do not want something out of date and not meeting safety requirements.

Also, once a car seat has been in an accident, it is no longer useable, since some materials may have been compromised. In many cases the damage is internal and invisible to the naked eye, making the seat dangerous to reuse.

iamheidi28

Okay Thanks you guys... I feel kinda dumb now for asking. I just never heard that they expired until a little bit ago. I'm getting a BRAND NEW ONE cause I want my little guy safe!! Thanks moms for your help!!

iamheidi28

I feel kinda dumb for asking....I didn't even know they expired till a little bit ago!! I'm going to get my little guy a brand new one!! Thanks moms for your help;)