All car seats have an Expiration Date. The materials that make up car seats change over time. Plastics becomes brittle, belt webbing and harnesses become weak, and metal components rust. The constant fluctuations in temperature and moisture that the seat is exposed to over the years adds to these changes. 

An expired seat will not be able to perform properly in a crash. It is never safe for any child to ride in an expired car seat! 

Most seats expire 6 years from the date of manufacture, others just a few years longer. 

Check car seat labels, stickers and plastic shell for the following: 
  1. Date of Manufacture, and/or
  2. Date of Expiration 
Sometimes this information is stamped into the plastic shell making them tricky to find. Tags that are sewn into the harness straps with a date on them, are not the date of manufacture for the car seat. An Expiration Date can either be printed on a sticker, stamped in the plastic, or mentioned in the manual - in some cases the manufacturer needs to be contacted for clarification.

Visit www.HowToSafety.com for more information.