Carseat Expiration Dates

[newyearsmom]

I have seen a lot of posts on this board about carseats expiring. When does this happen? I think I read somewhere that it is 6 years... Is this 6 years from the manufacture date printed on the seat? My oldest seats are from 2003, so I think I have a ways to go, but I want to be sure.

And just out of curiosity, why do seats expire? Are they not safe anymore even if they have never been in an accident?

Thank you!

[mariza]

I'm sure one of the techs will provide more information, but since DD has had me up since 5am, I'll share what I have learned from this board in the past.
The average expiration date is 6 years, but you should check with the manufacture to be sure, it could be 5 years for some.
The seats expire because after a period of time the integrity of the plastic begins to break down, therefor making it more susceptible to failure in a crash. I think that the plastic becomes less pliable and instead of absorbing the impact it could just snap or break. I'm sure Julie or Deb can explain it better.

[Joolsplus2]

Yup, plastic really does break down...and safety standards change..and they run out of parts...and bits and pieces get lost... There's a paragraph in the Britax FAQ about it, too.

Some seats are good for even 7 or 8 years, if they aren't too funky by then, lol (and covers don't expire...they do lose their anti-flammability coating I bet, but that's not a real big deal if you don't smoke in the car... and some really cute covers can earn like $80 on ebay...crazy!)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx