It’s no secret that we love cars. We love the way they look, the way they feel, and the way they make us feel. And one thing we love even more is knowing when our car was manufactured. Fortunately, most cars have a manufacture date stamped on them somewhere. This number tells you a lot about your car—from the year it was made to the model and even the assembly plant where it was made. But what do you do if you don’t know your manufacture date? Check out our guide to reading manufacture date on car seats to find out!
The Basics of Car Seats
The manufacture date is stamped on the back of car seats to indicate when the seat was manufactured. The date usually starts with “MDC,” which stands for “manufacture date code.” It’s important to know the date because it can help you determine when your car seat was made and whether or not it’s still safe to use.
Some car seats have a two- or three-digit number followed by a letter, like MDC 0412. The first digit tells you how many months are in the year (01 through 12), and the second tells you what month it is (01 through 12). So, MDC 0412 means the seat was manufactured in December of 2004. The last two digits show the year exactly, so 0412 would be 2004.
If your car seat has a safety rating, it will also have a sticker that says something like “SRS for Seats With Air Bags” or “LATCH for Seats Using Lower Anchors and Tethers.” This information will tell you if your car seat meets specific safety requirements.
What To Look For On The Manufacturer Date
When purchasing car seats for your child, it is important to be aware of the manufacture date. This information is printed on the car seat’s label and will give you an indication of when the seat was made. The date can be used as a guideline for when the car seat should be replaced.
The manufacture date is typically located on one of the following locations:
1) The bottom of the car seat back where it joins the base
2) On one side of the car seat near where it attaches to the vehicle
3) On a sticker located on or near the car seat’s harness connection point
How to Read the Manufacture Date
If you’re looking to buy a car seat, the first thing you’ll need to do is determine the make and model of your vehicle. You can find this information on your car’s dashboard or in the owner’s manual. Once you have this information, you can use it to determine which car seat model is compatible with your vehicle.
To figure out which car seat model is compatible with your vehicle, first locate the year of your vehicle on the chart below. The corresponding car seat model will be listed below that year.
Car Seat Year Chart:
2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
Conclusion
Sometimes, knowing when a car seat was manufactured can be helpful in determining whether it is still safe to use. The manufacture date is usually found on the product itself or on the packaging. Once you have determined the manufacture date, you can compare that information to safety recalls to see if there are any current warnings or issues with the seat. Be sure to always follow safety guidelines when using a car seat and consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual for more specific information.