When Do Cosco Car Seats Expire? – Cosco Car Seat Expiration & All Models Expiration Dates
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Do Cosco Car Seats Expire? When do Cosco Car Seats Expire?
The straightforward answer is yes. All car seats expire.
Car seats are made for the intent of absolute safety, given when there is a car crash. The integrity of a car seat has to be at an optimal level to perform this purpose.
However, over time, due to exposure to weather factors, handling, and more, wear and tear will happen, and after a number of years, it cannot be guaranteed that it would serve well in the event of an accident.
While this article is on extensive details on when do Cosco car seats expires and the expiry dates for all models, there’s a general topic on how to check if your car seat is expired I previously wrote which is detailed in its regard. You should also check that. But here will be particularly more extensive on Cosco car seat expiration.
Cosco car seats have a 6-10 years lifespan, depending on the type of car seat. That is, Cosco car seats expires after 6-10 years from the date of manufacture (DOM) depending on the model (Scenera®, Scenera® NEXT, Finale dx, etc.).
What Does Car Seat Expiration Generally Mean and Why Does It Exist?
Understanding why car seat expires keeps you informed and abreast with proper safety measures to always keep your little ones safe.
Manufacturers do not just put expiration dates for marketing purposes to be able to keep selling but rather to ensure that safety first is guaranteed for your child.
When you use a car seat for up to 6 years and more, you should expect that the materials will begin to break down due to exposure to different weather.
Material Degradation from Wear & Tear
Come rain or shine; a car seat will spend the most of its useful life in the car and, as such, will degrade due to exposure to both sunlight during summer and cold during winter.
And guess what? This change in weather will repeat itself for 6 good years and more.
Depending on the material (reinforced plastic or steel), the length of time it will take for a significant wear and tear will differ, hence the range in lifespan.
Improved Safety Features
Car seats are improved upon regularly to include better safety features that enhance your child’s protection.
Changes in Safety Laws and Regulations
Car Safety laws and regulations are updated now and then.
For example, the New York car seat laws were updated as recently as March 4, 2022 (depending on when you are reading this, this was posted March 25).
Recalls Due to Defects
As much as safety tests are carried out on every single car seat manufactured before being released to the market, there is usually the possibility of a recall if a defect or an issue not detected during the test phase is discovered later.
More information on recalls can be found on The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Child Seat Recall Campaign Listing.
Expiration Date on Cosco Car Seat
Cosco expiration is calculated by adding the lifespan to the date of manufacture.
A simple calculation will be as follows:
Date of Manufacture + Lifespan = Expiration Date.
Let’s say a car seat is manufactured on March 25, 2022, and has a lifespan of 10 years; the expiration date will be March 2032.
Where Is the Expiration Date on A Cosco Car Seat
Cosco car seat expiry date is placed on a sticker located on the back of each car seat. Depending on the car seat you buy or the one you already have, you can find the expiration date on the sticker.
A video is attached to each type of car seat at the expiry date section below.
Cosco Car Seat Expiration Dates
Cosco car seat expiration dates vary from car seat to car seat. It ranges from 8-10 years, but one, the topside booster seat, has an expiry date of 6 years.
The following are the expiry dates for Cosco car seats:
Cosco Easy Elite All-In-One Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Easy Elite All-In-One convertible car seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on the DOM label on the side of the car seat.
Cosco Scenera® Next Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Scenera® Next convertible car seat has a lifespan of 8 years. That is, the expiration date is 8 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide –
Cosco Scenera® NEXT Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Scenera® NEXT convertible car seat has a lifespan of 8 years. That is, the expiration date is 8 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide – same as above
Scenera® Next DLX Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Scenera® Next DLX convertible car seat has a lifespan of 8 years. That is, the expiration date is 8 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide – same as above
MightyFit™ 65 DX Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco MightyFit™ 65 DX convertible car seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide –
Cosco Apt 50 Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Apt 50 convertible car seat has a lifespan of 8 years. That is, the expiration date is 8 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on the DOM label on the side of the car seat.
Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 Booster Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Finale DX 2-in-1 Booster seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide –
Cosco Finale 2-in-1 Booster Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Finale 2-in-1 Booster seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide – same as above
Cosco High back Booster Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Highback Booster car seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide –
Topside Booster Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Topside Booster car seat has a lifespan of 10 years. That is, the expiration date is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on a sticker on the back of the car seat.
Video guide –
Cosco Light n Comfy 35 Infant Car Seat Expiration Date
The Cosco Light n Comfy 35 Infant car seat has a lifespan of 8 years. That is, the expiration date is 8 years from the date of manufacture.
The date of manufacture can be found on the DOM label on the side of the car seat.
Is It Safe to Use an Expired Car Seat?
It is not a good practice to use an expired car seat.
Car seats are tested up to the limit of the number of years recommended for them to be used. Beyond these years, safety is no longer guaranteed.
Immediately a car seat reaches the expiry date; you must dispose of it.
How to Dispose of An Expired Car Seat?
Expired car seats are to be disposed of by removing the seat cover, cutting the harness straps, writing “DO NOT USE, EXPIRED” on it, and then putting it in a black garbage bag before taking it to where it is to be recycled.
Different recycling programs encourage the disposal and recycling of expired and damaged car seats.
There is a campaign program run by Target that gives store credit for recycling used and expired seats at Target stores.
Resource to Other Brand Manufacturer's Expiration Dates
While you may still be interested in learning the expiration dates on other brands, I have articles written on the following brands:
Final wrap Up
While you care about the safety of your little one, it begins with a conscious effort and part of it is knowing when your car seat will expire and avoiding using such seat afterwards or a seat involved in an accident.
I believe this Cosco car seat expiration guide has been of help and you can now check your seat expiration date.
Cheers to a great future with your beautiful one.
