When do car seats expire?

[mamakaikai]

how do you know when the seats expire? I have a maxi-cosi mico from 2008...how many years do these seats last? Should I hold on to it for a future baby (just had one this summer) or pass it along to someone else before it expires?

I don't have the user manual...had a look at the online one but did not find anything about expiration dates.

TIA

[leighi123]

You have at least 3yrs left on it

[sunnymw]

You'll want to find the Date of Manufacture on the car seat itself. Most seats are good 6 years from the DOM (NOT the purchase date). Some are only 5 years and some are 7 or 8 years.

PDF of your manual:

http://www.elitecarseats.com/assets/product_files/instructions/Maxi-Cosi/MaxiCosi_Mico_manual.pdf

Since it is made by Dorel (same people that make Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, etc) it will probably have a stamp somewhere with a "DO NOT USE AFTER" date. Embossed into the plastic, not an actual sticker.

[mamakaikai]

Thank you!

You are absolutely right. I have 3 years left and there is a big stamp in the plastic that says do not use after 2014. That gives this car seat a life of about 6 years.