If you are a new parent or grandparent, you may not know that car seats, like many other products, have expiration dates. This article will help you understand more about Britax Marathon expiration dates and the laws regarding their use.

Britax Marathon Car Seats

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Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat | 1 Layer Impact...

• Easy installation: patented click tight makes car seat installation as simple as buckling a seat belt
• No rethreading, ever: 14 position harness, 2 position buckle for a comfortable Fit as your child grows. Child seated...
• Relax and recline: 7 recline positions ensure comfort and the best vehicle installation angle

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Britax creates several different styles of car seats including infant, convertible and booster to accommodate different sizes of children. An infant car seat is only rear-facing and can fit children up to 35 pounds or 32 inches. The Marathon style has been on the market for many years and is strictly a convertible car seat, which means that it can change from rear-facing to front-facing as your child grows.

However, the car seat only accommodates children up to 65 pounds in weight or 49 inches in height. Beyond this, you will want to move your child into a booster seat. Britax has two newer convertible designs called Emblem and Allegiance that have similar functions but a new design and some more enhanced safety.

Britax Car Seat Model Expiration Dates

All Britax car seats come with expiration dates displayed on the seat back or side. Different seats have slightly different life expectancy dates. For instance, their infant car seats and belt-positioning booster seats have an expiration date of six years. Their convertible car seats expire approximately seven years after creation. The Harness-2-Booster and Click-Tight convertible seats have expiration dates of nine and 10 years, respectively.

Why Have Expiration Dates on Car Seats?

There are several situations in which people may decide to give you a car seat. You are having your first baby, and some friends want to gift you with their old car seat to save you some money. You had a baby many years ago and are now having a second or third, and you have saved all of your baby gear for the next child. Your parents will be driving your child around, and they need a dedicated car seat so that you are not constantly shifting the car seat between cars. These situations may be perfect opportunities to save money on a used or older car seat, but you will want to make sure that the car seat is not expired.

While many people think that car seat expiration dates are a ploy by manufacturers to create an artificially small life span for these big plastic buckets with cushions, there are several very important and lifesaving reasons for car seats to expire routinely.

Upgraded Safety Features

As mentioned earlier, the Marathon car seat has been in production for many years. While it has received upgrades over these years, the model itself has not changed much. Companies continually learn more about how to keep children safe during accidents. They then apply this knowledge to newer car seat models. The newer seats may have slightly different padding or harness mechanisms that keep children even safer than the previous models. In fact, Britax has just released two new convertible car seat models with the latest technology available. They boast similar but upgraded technology:

Safety Cell – this transfers energy away from the child in case of an impact.

Stabilizing Steel Frame – provides more seat stability and the ability to absorb crash energy.

Impact-Absorbing Base – designed to compress in the event of an accident and redirect crash energy away from the child.

V-Shaped Tether – intended to reduce the rotation of the seat in the event of an impact and also slows any forward movement of the seat.

Recalls

Due to the constant influx of data through crash testing in both real-life situations and during crash tests, the company continually monitors the safety of models that are currently on the market. They will recall any seat or part that is deemed unsafe within the expiration date of the model. Even the best seats occasionally have recalls. In 2007, Marathon seats had a recall for the safety clip on the harness. The company provided new clips to anyone who needed them. However, companies cannot be responsible for recalls on their products indefinitely, especially considering how much safety technology changes over time. The seats of the 1990s and early 2000s are much less safe than the ones today but were deemed to be suitable for their time.

Replacement Parts

Similar to recalls, companies cannot continually produce parts for seat models that they no longer build. By having an expiration date approximately six to 10 years after manufacture, companies can mitigate the number of replacement parts that they must always have on hand for older models.

Unknown History

While used car seats may seem like a great deal, unless you know the history of the seat you may be gambling with safety. Car seats that have been in accidents may find their way back to the marketplace. Any seat that has been in an accident should be immediately discarded since there could be unseen damage.

Unseen Damage

As was discussed earlier, car seats that have unknown histories can have unseen damage. You often do not know how these seats were used or stored. For instance, after the other person’s child became too big for the seat, it could have sat in a garage or carport for an extended period. While not directly exposed to the weather, it could have been exposed to extremes in temperature.

In addition, car seats undergo extreme temperature shifts by remaining in a vehicle for extended periods of time, up to years. Consider the fact that during the summer, temperatures in vehicles can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is enough to kill a person or animal. It is also enough to cause plastic fatigue since the car seat will then cool off once the driver gets in and turns on the air conditioning. In the winter, there are similar dips in temperature. These constant hot and cold temperature shifts can cause unseen damage to the plastic base. While car seat manufacturers admit that they normally do not see this kind of material fatigue for at least a decade after manufacture, the point is still an important one to consider.

The Law

There are no laws that state that you cannot use an expired car seat. Laws are written in much more general terms than that. These laws allow police officers to interpret and apply the law as necessary. While a police officer will most likely not stop your car to check the expiration date on a car seat, he or she may check the seat if your car is involved in an accident. The laws in many areas say that all car equipment must be used within the safety regulations set forth in the owner’s manual. A car seat owner’s manual will have the expiration date listed; therefore, if you have an expired car seat in your car, you are using the equipment in an unsafe manner and can be cited for its use.

Car Seat Disposal

Similar to using the car seat correctly, the seat must also be decommissioned properly as well. Once the car seat is beyond the expiration date, it cannot be sold or used. One way to properly dispose of the seat is to take it to a retailer during one of their baby equipment buyback events. This will prevent you from having to disassemble the seat, and you will get some discount on new equipment. The other way to dispose of the seat is to disassemble it completely. You should remove the harness straps and seat cover.

Unless you have a non-car-seat use for them, you can cut them so no one else may use them and place them in the trash. Next, you should remove any metal hardware using a screwdriver. These pieces can be recycled in metal recycling. Finally, you should check with your local plastic recycler to see if the seat can be placed in the recycle bin. If not, write the word “expired” in large print with a permanent marker and place the entire seat in the trash can. By taking these extra steps, you can ensure the safety of other people’s children so they are not inadvertently using an expired car seat.

Conclusion

Car seats are an important safety barrier between children and car collisions. The Britax Marathon expiration date is an important part of this safety feature. The company does not want consumers using outdated or unsafe seats. While we don’t often want to think about the worst-case scenario, we can feel more confident about safety if children are buckled up correctly in a non-expired car seat.

Unlike food expiration dates where we can assess the freshness and quality of the item, car seats cannot be visually assessed for material fatigue and unseen damage. Also, the law requires that children be seated in car seats that match their height and weight and that the car seat is used within the guidelines of the user manual. For all these reasons, be sure to check the expiration date of any car seat that you obtain or purchase.

Placing your child in a vehicle already presents inherent risk despite how safely you might drive. In a sense, you are putting your child’s life in the hands of complete strangers. To bring you the most ease in this kind of situation, the best choice you can make is to ensure that you are familiar with the current car seat laws and standards. It’s also important to make sure that your chosen car seat is up to par and certainly not past its expiration date.

Depending on the model of car seat, expiration dates can range from six to 10 years. For example, Eddie Bauer car seat expiration dates can vary depending on the date of manufacture. If the car seat was created before December 2013, your warranty might only be valid for six years, while newer models made after January 2014 likely range from eight to 10 years. To be absolutely certain, you can refer to the sticker that you can find on the seat itself, the owner’s manual, or you can give the manufacturer a call and ask them.Purchase Date Vs. Manufacture Date

Purchasing a product that has the ability to expire presents a risk in and of itself. It seems logical to assume that the product will expire from the date you purchase it; however, the real expiration date is based on when the product was produced. This can be an especially tricky situation if you plan on buying a model from the previous year. However, if your child is going to outgrow the car seat before it expires, this doesn’t pose as much of a possible liability, but if your family’s expanding, or you intend on your child using the car seat for years to come, you will likely benefit most from purchasing a newer model.

5 Reasons To Replace a Car Seat When It Expires

It can be a common thought process that some manufacturers develop warranties and expiration dates as a tactic to guarantee that they will consistently be making money, particularly when it comes to putting out new models of their products. Though this can be true in some cases, when it comes to car seats (like car parts), newer models are a matter of restoring security and safety as much as possible when facing unpredictable situations on the road.

Some people might argue that years ago, children didn’t have car seats and seemed to manage just fine. What most people probably don’t realize is that since 1975, it’s been noted that the number of kids killed in car accidents has dropped 80 percent, even though there’s been a five percent boost in the total number of kids riding in cars.

1) Overall Weathering of Materials

As with most plastic-based objects, exposure to extreme temperatures degrades the integrity of both the function and the appearance of the object. When this object is primarily responsible for the protection of a human life, it should be of great importance to guarantee that the materials are able to operate to their full capacity. The belts for the car seat can also become less taut over time, which can be especially detrimental in the unfortunate case of a car accident.

2) Potential of Recalls

Unless you register your car seat (either with your car seat’s manufacturer or the registration card that comes with your car seat), you will not be notified if the car seat gets recalled for any reason. As with car parts, this isn’t typically something that a person thinks to look at on their own. The best way to prevent any mishaps with the state of your car seat is to register your car seat as soon as you buy it and to refrain from purchasing used car seats regardless of how tempting and cost-effective it might seem.

3) Technological Advances and Higher Standards

When it comes to the development of new automobiles, companies consider data gathered from crash tests as well as the general progress of the materials used to make the car seat. The design and creation of the end product are not to be taken for granted either. Unfortunately, the convenience of purchasing a used car seat can outweigh this fact for some people, or perhaps they aren’t aware of why car seats expire. Though understandable, it can be risky considering that, if the car seat is older, it might not contain crucial elements of car seats today.

4) Limited Safety Guarantee

Like most products, car seats have a set amount of time that they’re promised to deliver their intended outcomes (otherwise known as a warranty). The issue with keeping a car seat that’s expired is not only that you’re putting your child’s well-being in jeopardy but also that you aren’t able to hold the company accountable for any potential mishaps. To eliminate this possibility altogether, make sure that the car seat you’re using is in line with the current standards and isn’t expired.

5) Inability To Replace Parts

As car seats improve both in the materials used and various advances in functionality, it’s likely that manufacturers will rid their inventory of older parts. If you decide to hold onto a car seat that’s expired and one of the parts ends up needing to be replaced, it’s possible that the likelihood of you tracking down a place to purchase that part will be reduced. In fact, as time passes, it’s more than likely that you’ll need to buy a new car seat anyway.

Different Types of Car Seats and Their Laws

Though car seat laws tend to differ by state, and can often be inadequate, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) frequently updates their standards based on updated information and research. To choose the best car seat for your child, you will have to consider both their age and size.

1) Rear-Facing Car Seats

Your infant or toddler is required to remain in a rear-facing car seat until they are two years old or reach the weight and height limits located on the car seat. There are two choices of rear-facing car seats: infant-only and convertible. Convertible car seats offer a higher weight and height limit, but there are infant-only car seats that have weight limits up to 35 pounds.

2) Forward-Facing Car Seats

The transition to a forward-facing car seat will typically happen when your child turns two years old or outgrows their rear-facing car seat. They will, however, need to wear harness straps until they meet the height and weight requirements on their new car seat. These requirements typically fall between 65 to 80 pounds.

3) Booster Seat

Once your child reaches the limits of the forward-facing car seat with the harness straps, they are able to shift to a belt-positioning booster seat. All that’s left before moving to a seat belt is meeting the final height and weight requirements.

4) Seat Belt

Kids are able to move to a seat belt when they are old enough and meet the requirements of the seat belt. These requirements often involve being at least 4’9” (or 57 inches tall) and being between the ages of eight and 12 years old. The reasoning for the specificity of these requirements is that it’s important that the lap belt rests on the child’s upper legs and the shoulder belt fits snugly against the chest.

Determining Readiness For a Seatbelt

One of the most important things you can do is making sure that you are familiar with the standards of graduating from a booster seat to a seat belt. Your child won’t be ready to use only a seat belt until their knees remain bent when they sit at the seat’s edge. Their back must be against the seat without slouching. When it comes to the shoulder and lap belt, it’s especially important that these lay in the appropriate positions. The lap belt should rest across your child’s upper thighs, not their stomach, and the shoulder belt should fit snugly against their chest, not their neck.

Proper Tightness Is Optimal

To minimize the potential for injury if an accident were to occur, making sure your child’s car seat or booster seat is secure and connected correctly is crucial. If you are able to move the seat from the bottom more than an inch, it’s not installed tight enough.

Be Aware of Frequent Oversights

It’s not abnormal for a parent to assume they know what’s best for their children in most situations. This isn’t a bad thing or inaccurate by any means, but there are some standards that come from the manufacturing side of things that are important for parents to follow and be aware of. Common mistakes include: harness straps being too loose, the wrong seat being chosen for the child’s size and age, failing to keep rear-facing car seats at a 45-degree angle, and not using a latch when it’s present.

Do Your Research and Guarantee Satisfaction

Be relieved by your child’s first or next car seat by doing a sufficient amount of research and comparing products accordingly. A higher priced car seat won’t make much of a difference when it comes to an expiration date, so it’s wise to choose your child’s car seat based on the usage you intend on getting out of it.