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For buyers

Second-hand car seats: what to check

How to choose a second-hand car seat: the weight or height group, the approval label, the year it was made, accidents, missing parts and ISOFIX.

See car seats on Rekid

With a car seat, looking fine is not enough. It protects your child in a crash, and some damage cannot be seen. A second-hand seat can be a good choice, but only if you know for sure where it has been. Here is what to check. Most important of all: read the label on the seat and the manufacturer's manual. They have the final word.

Groups: which weight or height

A car seat is chosen by the child's weight or height, not only by age. The label on the seat says which weight (in kilograms) or which height (in centimeters) it is made for.

  • Infant carrier (0–13 kg). For babies, fitted facing the back of the car. You can lift it out of the car with the baby in it. Browse Infant car seats.
  • 9–18 kg seats are for children who have outgrown the infant carrier.
  • 15–36 kg seats and boosters are for older children, held in by the car's own seat belt.
  • Seats that “grow with the child” (0–18 kg, 0–36 kg, 9–36 kg) cover several groups. They are handy, but read the manual carefully on how the fitting changes from one group to the next.

You will find them all under Car seats.

The approval label

An approved car seat has a label, usually orange, sewn or stuck onto it. On it you will see:

  • the letter “E” in a circle with a number: the country where it was approved;
  • the standard it was tested to: “R44/04”, the older one, by weight, or “R129”, also called “i-Size”, the newer one, by height;
  • the weight or height of the child it is made for.

If the label is missing or can no longer be read, do not buy the seat. There is no way to know who it is made for or which standard it was tested to.

Year of manufacture and lifespan

Plastic ages, even when the seat has been kept indoors. That is why manufacturers say how long a seat may be used. You will find it in the manual or on a label on the seat. The year of manufacture is printed on a label or stamped into the plastic, usually underneath or on the back.

  • Ask the seller for a photo of the year of manufacture.
  • Look in the manual, or on the manufacturer's website, for how many years the model can be used.
  • If you can find neither the year nor the lifespan, choose another seat.

On Rekid, anyone who lists a car seat has to give the year of manufacture. You will see it in the listing.

Never a seat that has been in a crash

A seat that was in the car during a crash can have cracks you cannot see. Do not use it again, even if it looks new. Many manufacturers ask for the seat to be replaced even after a minor crash. Your model's manual says what its manufacturer recommends.

On Rekid, the seller of a car seat confirms when listing it that the seat has not been in an accident. That is the seller's statement, not a check made by Rekid. So ask the seller yourself, plainly: “Was the seat in the car during a crash, even a small one?” If they do not know the seat's history, for example because someone gave it to them, it is better to walk away.

What to check on the seat

  • The shell. Look for cracks, chips or white stress marks in the plastic, especially underneath and where the belt or the ISOFIX arms attach.
  • The harness. The straps should be whole, with no cuts, frayed threads or knots, and should tighten and loosen easily.
  • The buckle. Close and open it a few times. It should lock firmly with a click and open only when you press the button.
  • The parts. The newborn insert, side protection, cover, base (if the model has one) and the manual should all be there. A missing part can change how the seat holds your child.
  • Recalls. Look the model up on the manufacturer's website. Manufacturers sometimes recall a model because of a fault. Recalled seats cannot be sold on Rekid.

ISOFIX

ISOFIX means two metal arms that fix the seat directly to the car, at special points between the backrest and the seat cushion. With ISOFIX, the seat is simpler to fit and harder to fit wrongly.

  • Check that your car has ISOFIX points. The car's manual will say.
  • Check that the seat fits your car. Many manufacturers publish a list of suitable cars for each model on their website.
  • The ISOFIX arms should click into place. Many seats have a green indicator that shows they are fixed properly.
  • Some infant carriers click onto a separate base. You will find bases under Isofix bases.

Fit the seat exactly as the manual says. If it is missing, you can usually find it on the manufacturer's website.

What to ask the seller

  • Which model is it, and what year was it made?
  • Has it ever been in the car during a crash?
  • Where did you get it: did you buy it new or second-hand?
  • Do you have all the parts and the manual?
  • How was the cover washed?

You can ask through Rekid messages before you meet. When you meet, look at the label, the year and the harness yourself.

If in doubt, buy new

A second-hand car seat is only a good buy if you know three things for certain: it has not been in a crash, its lifespan has not run out, and it has all its parts. If you cannot find out any one of them, buy a new seat. The money you save is not worth the risk.

For meeting up and paying, also read How to buy safely on Rekid.