baby gear
Is a Used Car Seat Ever OK? A Checklist From AAP and Safe Kids
Both child-safety groups say a used car seat is only acceptable if you know its full history. The crash, date, label and recall checks to run first.
By DealsDMV Team · · 4 min read
A used car seat is acceptable only if you know its full history, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to avoid a used seat if you don't know where it has been. If you are not certain about the crash history, the date and the recall status, the answer is no. This is general safety information from those two organizations, not a substitute for the instructions that came with your seat or advice from a certified technician.
A car seat is built to protect once. If you can't prove it never had its one moment, don't count on it.
Safe Kids puts the reason in a sentence: restraints are designed to perform one time in a crash situation. Here are the checks both groups describe.
The three conditions Safe Kids sets
Safe Kids says a secondhand seat is acceptable only if all three are true:
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| Crash history | You know the full history and are certain it was never in a crash. Damage can be hidden even when the seat looks fine |
| Expiration | The seat has not passed its expiration date. Expiration is set at least six years after manufacture, and the date is stamped on the seat |
| Recalls | The labels are present, so you can check the date and model number against recall records |
Without labels, Safe Kids says recall status can't be confirmed and the expiration date can't be determined either.
The AAP's longer list
The AAP's family page adds more checks, any one of which can rule a seat out.
- Crash. Don't use any seat that was in a moderate or severe crash. Some manufacturers advise replacing a seat after any crash, even a minor one. The AAP says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers a crash minor only if all of the following are true: the vehicle could be driven away, the door closest to the seat was undamaged, no one in the vehicle was hurt, the airbags did not deploy and the seat shows no visible damage.
- Age. Check the label for the manufacture date and confirm with the manufacturer how long the seat should be used.
- Labels. Don't use a seat without a label showing the manufacture date and model number. Without them you can't check recalls, and the AAP notes a missing label can indicate a counterfeit seat.
- Recalls. Check with the manufacturer or NHTSA, whose recall line is 888/327-4236 and whose website is safercar.gov. Don't use a recalled seat.
- Cracks. Don't use a seat with visible cracks.
- Missing parts. Used seats often lack important parts. Contact the manufacturer to confirm you can get the correct replacements.
- Missing instructions. Don't use a seat without instructions. Find them on the manufacturer's website or ask the manufacturer.
How I would use this at a handover
These steps are my own way of running the list above.
- Ask the seller before you go. "Has it ever been in a crash, even a small one? When was it made?" If the seller hesitates, that is your answer.
- Look at the seat in daylight. Turn it over, find the label and read the date and model number out loud.
- Check the label yourself, not a photo of it.
- Check the straps and buckle. Frayed, twisted or sticky straps are a reason to walk away. This one is my addition, so use the manufacturer's manual for the details.
- Do a recall search on the spot. It takes minutes. Our five-minute recall test shows how.
- Be wary of anything that sounds too convenient. A seat from a stranger with no history, no label and no instructions is a no-go.
If anything fails, buy a new seat. A new one costs money, but you know its history and it comes with instructions, parts and a warranty card to register.
Why a date is on the seat
Safe Kids says expiration is set at least six years after manufacture and stamped on the seat. If you can't find it, it says to contact the manufacturer with the manufacture date and model number. The AAP says the same: check the label and confirm with the maker. The rule is a bit like the dates on other safety gear: we covered the others in five dates to check on anything secondhand.
What to do with an expired or unsafe seat
Neither source I opened goes into disposal in detail, so I won't make up rules for it. Check the manufacturer's instructions and your local waste program. We list the local rules for bulky items in getting rid of old furniture in DC and Fairfax.
The bottom line
A used car seat passes only if you can verify the crash history, the date, the label and the recall status, and only if it is whole, uncracked and comes with instructions. If you can't tick every box, the safest answer is a new seat.
If a friend is about to take a free car seat from a neighbor, send them this checklist.
Sources
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