Kids tore up the styrofoam - can I still use the seat?

[BabbyO]

Our sitter is out of town this week so our former sitter is watching the boys. On Friday, we pulled the carseats out of the sitter's car so that we could install in Sitter B's car on Monday night.

Saturday morning, I was sorting laundry and I heard the kids playing in the dining room...but it didn't dawn on me that I should be concerned about the carseats.

Anyway, DH walked in and found styrofoam pieces ALL OVER the floor. This was in our classic MA. Basically they pulled the cover up right at the base of the seat (where their knees hang over when FF) and they broke out about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of the styrofoam. Can I use this seat now? I'd take a picture, but I dropped (and broke) our camera on Thursday.

The piece the kids tore up is actually shown in the manual - I'm attaching it, and I circled it in green. Instead of being flush or nearly flush with the plastic shell, it is about 1/2 an inch back from the shell. Hopefully that makes sense.

[Joolsplus2]

You can use the seat, and call Britax for a replacement foam (people used to always throw these out by accident!)

[BabbyO]

You can use the seat, and call Britax for a replacement foam (people used to always throw these out by accident!)

Thanks Jools! I thought that might be the case. I was actually laughing (and cringing) when it happened, because I was pretty sure that I remembered hearing that people threw them out pretty often.

Of all the things to happen to our seats I could have NEVER predicted that! I even put them against the wall so that if the kids sat in them they wouldn't tip over....

[Joolsplus2]

I always sort of chuckle at the 'do not let kids play on the carseat in the house' warnings in the manuals, but then things like this always seem to happen. Sigh. Kids.

[BabbyO]

I always sort of chuckle at the 'do not let kids play on the carseat in the house' warnings in the manuals, but then things like this always seem to happen. Sigh. Kids.

Yeah - the irony is that Peanut has been resisting the carseat at all costs lately - so I thought there was no way he'd want to play with it, but he was the initiator - maybe he was trying to get back at the seat for holding him down in the car!

I spoke to Britax yesterday and they sent me an email so I could get them pics and my info. They'll be replacing the broken piece.

[Joolsplus2]

maybe he was trying to get back at the seat for holding him down in the car!

I spoke to Britax yesterday and they sent me an email so I could get them pics and my info. They'll be replacing the broken piece.

Glad they are taking care of things

[Binkandabee]

The same thing happened to one of DD#1's Frontiers. I had taken it out to wash the cover and put back into harness mode prior to selling on Craigslist. I called Britax and they shipped a new piece out. They knew which piece based on model # and manufacture date. They waived the shipping, but the piece itself costs $13.00 I believe.

[BabbyO]

The same thing happened to one of DD#1's Frontiers. I had taken it out to wash the cover and put back into harness mode prior to selling on Craigslist. I called Britax and they shipped a new piece out. They knew which piece based on model # and manufacture date. They waived the shipping, but the piece itself costs $13.00 I believe.

Wow, this surprises me. I asked if there was a charge and the CS rep said as long as the seat hadn't expired they'll send it free of charge. They took my info - asked for shipping address, model #, batch, and DOM, and a photo of the damage/piece and said I'd be receiving a new one shortly.