i bought a used car seat on craigs list?

Question

I am 31 weeks and started to get ready for my baby. I just bought a used travel pack on craigs list. It looks brand new and of course i took off all the fabric and washed it in hot water 2x. I as the lady and she said the car seat has never been in any accidents or anything and i looked at the seat in its base and it is pretty sturdy. what other things should i look in to to make sure its safe.

the car seat is only a year old. i feel sooo bad now and worried out of my mind. i guess this is a lesson learned out of many that will come while being a parent

Answer 1

It's actually against the law to sell used car seats but once assembled if it feels sturdy and strong, you're set. You can also go to the police station and they will ensure that your car seats are installed properly. Good luck!

Answer 2

i hope you didn't wash the straps! That can cause the fabric to weaken and become unsafe.

First make sure there are no recalls on your model and serial number. car seats get recalled all the time.

Go to the seat manufacturers website and look up the instruction book if you don't have it. You will need it to make sure you use the seat exaclty right.

Also, did you get a look at the expiration date stamped on the underside of the seat?

The reason there are warnings against used seats is because you cannot tell by visual inspection if the plastic is still sound and secure.

Answer 3

that's not probably the straps and belts that are the difficulty, that's the plastic base and the plastic on the unquestionably toddler seat that reason problems. it could crack if that's ever been in an twist of fate (and in case you do not know the guy then you definately do not know in the event that they are mendacity or not) and it could crack by way of the years by using fact the seat and base are uncovered to severe temperatures (chilly interior the iciness and warmth interior the summertime). cracks can take place deep interior the plastic and you merely would be unable to be certain them so in case you probably did ever get in an twist of fate, it would desire to be risky. I merely does not have confidence everybody i did not know to sell me a seat by using fact i could not be valuable on the background. do you recognize everybody with a toddler? in line with probability you're able to desire to apply their seat, a minimum of then you definately might desire to be valuable on the background of it. you additionally can placed funds right into a convertible seat and then they might use that single seat from start till 50 or 60 lbs so it may well be a authentic investment (as against an toddler seat which they might develop out of by ability of four or 5 or 6 months). we used our toddler seat for 5 months merely and that i want we'd have offered our convertible seat interior the initiating -- there are some large ones for about $a hundred or $a hundred and fifty and you will merely have that seat till your toddler is 5 or 6 years previous.

Answer 4

It should have either a manufacturing date or an expiration date. Plastic becomes brittle with age so the max is 10 years after manufacturing, some seats recommend less.

Call the manufacturer to make sure it hasn't been recalled.

Answer 5

Check these websites:
www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm and
www.automotive.com/car-seat-recalls

But you can't put a price on safety or the life or your child-invest in a new car seat