Car seat question.

[rugbywife]

Situation: car seat was manufactured October 16 2009. Expires in 6 years. Does it expire on October 16 2015, end of October 2015 or Dec 31st 2015?

I have heard all three options.

[rugbywife]

It's a 2009 Britax Marathon. I didn't know it varies by brand. It probably varies by country too. . I will check the bottom of the seat this weekend

[penguingrrl]

Britax seats have an expiration date of 6 years from date of manufacture, not end of month or end of year.

[rugbywife]

Sept 24, 2015 8:17:52 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Britax seats have an expiration date of 6 years from date of manufacture, not end of month or end of year.

Ok. This makes sense. Thanks...we are switching her this weekend anyways (too tall) but I wanted to know if DS could use it before the end of the year.

[thebreakfastclub]

I think it will be perfectly safe on 10/15 and a death trap on 10/17.

Just kidding.

[anna7602]

I got rid of our old car seat as soon as I realized it would expire well before the end of the time period we'd need it. There didn't seem to be a point in using it for half a second if I was going to need a new one anyway.

[rugbywife]

Sept 24, 2015 8:19:16 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

I think it will be perfectly safe on 10/15 and a death trap on 10/17.

Just kidding.

Lol. Totally not why I was asking!

[penguingrrl]

Sept 24, 2015 8:19:07 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:17:52 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Britax seats have an expiration date of 6 years from date of manufacture, not end of month or end of year.

Ok. This makes sense. Thanks...we are switching her this weekend anyways (too tall) but I wanted to know if DS could use it before the end of the year.

Sorry it won't get you longer use for DS!

[thebreakfastclub]

Sept 24, 2015 8:23:50 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:19:16 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

I think it will be perfectly safe on 10/15 and a death trap on 10/17.

Just kidding.

Lol. Totally not why I was asking!

My point being, I would kind of stretch it out.  A lot of people will flame me on that, but I just can't get into the arbitrary never again expiration date.  

[VillainV]

Sept 24, 2015 8:26:07 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:23:50 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Lol. Totally not why I was asking!

My point being, I would kind of stretch it out.  A lot of people will flame me on that, but I just can't get into the arbitrary never again expiration date.  

I totally get this. The only thing that would worry me is whether my insurance would cover any injuries sustained in an expired car seat IF I was unlucky enough to be involved in an accident.

[momin2013]

Sept 24, 2015 8:29:49 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:26:07 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

My point being, I would kind of stretch it out.  A lot of people will flame me on that, but I just can't get into the arbitrary never again expiration date.  

I totally get this. The only thing that would worry me is whether my insurance would cover any injuries sustained in an expired car seat IF I was unlucky enough to be involved in an accident.

I was going to say the same; that would be my worry, too.

[penguingrrl]

Sept 24, 2015 8:29:49 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:26:07 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

My point being, I would kind of stretch it out.  A lot of people will flame me on that, but I just can't get into the arbitrary never again expiration date.  

I totally get this. The only thing that would worry me is whether my insurance would cover any injuries sustained in an expired car seat IF I was unlucky enough to be involved in an accident.

That's exactly why I won't risk it. My understand is that insurance companies will use that as an excuse not to cover injuries, not that I think a seat is suddenly unsafe on that exact date. I've seen insurance companies weasel out of covering things too often to risk it.

[rugbywife]

Sept 24, 2015 9:02:55 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

Sept 24, 2015 8:04:58 GMT -5 rugbywife said:

Situation: car seat was manufactured October 16 2009. Expires in 6 years. Does it expire on October 16 2015, end of October 2015 or Dec 31st 2015?

I have heard all three options.

I know you got the answer to your question, but here is the Britax CA page with the info - www.britax.ca/support

Their newer convertibles (post-2012) have a 7-year life, but the older ones are 6 - I'm assuming yours is from 2009.  (These are the lifespans from the Canadian page, but I think they are similar for the US).  But it is always easier to check the sticker/imprint.

I think Graco now has standardized it to "do not use after x month, y year", but for a while they had some seats that expired at the end of the year (12/31) and some that expired x years later (in a specific month).  And some seats expired in 6 years, 7 years, 10 years, etc.  So it's all a hot mess and it's just easier to check the sticker/seat, LOL.  

The sticker I could see gave me the date of manufacture. Usually there is a spot on the bottom that says when not to use it after. Another one I have just says a year, which is why I asked. Thanks!