Counterfeit Car Seats
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All car seats made in the United States must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to keep children safe in motor vehicles. Counterfeit car seats are often made from cheap materials and do not have key safety features. They do not protect child passengers and can be life threatening in a crash. You should check warning labels, manuals, registration cards, and car seat parts to be sure you are using an authentic car seat.
If you are not sure if your child's car seat is authentic or counterfeit, you can take your car seat to be checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Check Warning Labels
Authentic car seats will have warning labels that say, “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards”. Make sure that:
- Labels are written with correct grammar and provide a United States phone number. Counterfeit car seats will often be missing warning labels or have a label with minimal wording, incorrect grammar and spelling, or an international phone number.
- Labels are white with red and black letters.
- Labels have specific height and weight limits, manufacture date, model number, and serial number.
Check Owner's Manuals and Registration Cards
Authentic car seats are required to have safety manuals and registration cards with information about the seat. Counterfeit car seats do not always include these. Make sure that:
- A manual is included. Manuals should be clearly written and include the manufacturer's logo and contact information.
- Registration cards include car seat serial numbers. Once the seats are registered, these serial numbers are used to send any recall information to the owner.
Check Parts
If any of the key safety features listed below are missing, there’s a good chance the car seat is counterfeit.
- Five-point harness that goes over the child’s hips and shoulders.
- Harness chest clip. Car seats should have a chest clip that can be buckled at the child's armpit level.
- Splitter plate. The splitter plate is located at the back of the seat.
Shop From Reputable Companies
- Research car seat brand names that are manufactured in the U.S. and have company websites that you can purchase car seats from directly.
- Stay away from unfamiliar car seat brand names or companies that are third-party sellers when shopping online for car seats.
- Make sure that the car seat is shipped directly from the manufacturer.
If You Think You Have a Counterfeit Car Seat
- Stop using the seat!
- Replace the seat.
- Find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician near you. They can help you identify if you have a counterfeit car seat.
