Evenflo Car seat made in 2000 with no expiration date?

Question

I'm going to be the mommy of one in Sept. And my mom just got me 3 CARSEATS lol for free!! It sucks because the one with the tavel system expires on Dec. 31st of this year. The other expires in 2010 and the one im asking about has no date at all... All of the seats are free from defects :) but im still curious should i get rid of the one with out the expiration date? I have no idea what to do this is my first child. So i guess im really asking should i get rid of all the seats and get a brand new one or just use them?

Answer 1

Car seats have a suggested life span of six years.

With the changes in legislation, automobiles and technology, I suggest that a car seat be replaced upon its sixth year from the date of manufacture.

Also not knowing anything about the history of a car-seat, it is always best to stay away from them....

Answer 2

Short answer: get rid of them ALL, you need a new one.

Explanation: Not all car seats have a printed expiration date, but ALL have a printed date of manufacture, as you found, and Evenflo Car seats expire 6 years after date of manufacture. So it is expired and no longer safe to use. Here's what Evenflo has to say about the lifespan of their seats: https://plweb.evenflo.com/faq_detail.asp...

And on a second issue - you need a NEW Car seat for your baby. Its actually unsafe to get a used car seat unless it is coming from a trusted friend or relative and you are 100% positive:

1)it has never been in any wreck

2)it has all the original pieces, including manual

3)it has never been dropped, which means never been checked as luggage at the airport, either, since this frequently happens when checked or gate checked .

4)it is less than 6 years old

5)the straps have never been completely submerged or washed with anything other than mild soap(it messes up the flame retardent treatment)



If you wouldn't trust the seller with your child's life, don't buy a car seat from them. For $40 you can get a Cosco Scenera from Walmart. It rear faces to a whopping 35lbs, which is important b/c kids should stay rear facing as long as possible, the American Academy of Pediatrics says keep them rear facing preferably for their first 2 years of life. Then it goes to 40lbs front facing. It won't last child as long forward facing as some others, but for $40, its a great deal. Or, call your local police station and ask about car seats. Most have programs in place to give free/inexpensive car seat to families that need them.

If you're looking to save money, skip the infant carrier stage altogether. IT is NOT  a required stage in car seats - newborns can go home from the hospital in a rear facing convertible car seat that fits newborns. (not all of them fit newborns well.) Infant carriers only fit babies for 4-7 months and then you're out shopping again. An Evenflo Triumph Advance would fit baby from birth and last 4-5 years for the average sized child.

after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.

Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "

Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.

Answer 3

Carseats expire 6-8 years from date of manufacture.  If there is nothing on the seat, then call the manufacturer.

You should NEVER use a used carseat unless you completely trust that person with your child's life.  There is no way to know if it was cleaned properly, in an accident, etc.

Please get rid of those seats and purchase a new one.  Carseats are not the place to save money.