Checking a hand-me-down crib or car seat for recalls

Recall notices go to whoever registered a product with its maker, so a used crib or car seat has to be checked by hand. You can't tell by looking at a crib whether it meets the federal requirements that began June 28, 2011, and cribs in use before December 2010 are unlikely to meet them.

Cribs

• Check the crib against the recall listSearch SaferProducts.gov for the maker and model, and sign up for CPSC recall emails.
• Look for the date it was madeCribs sold in the U.S. since June 28, 2011 have stronger wood slats, more durable mattress supports, anti-loosening hardware and no traditional drop side, and are tested more rigorously.
• Don't use a drop sideIf a crib has a drop-side rail, stop using the drop-side function. A recalled drop-side crib may come with a free immobilizer from the maker or retailer.
• Check every partMake sure all the hardware is tight and nothing is loose, missing or broken.
• Use only a fitted sheetKeep pillows, blankets, bumpers and sleep positioners out of the crib. Many young babies can't lift their heads to pull away from soft objects.
• Take apart a crib that doesn't meet the 2011 requirementsDon't sell, donate or give it away, and dismantle it before throwing it out.

Other sleep and play gear

• Check bassinets, play yards and bedside sleepers for recalls tooUse only products made for infant sleep. Rockers, gliders, soothers and swings inclined more than 10 degrees are never for sleep.
• Check used safety gates for V-shaped openingsOlder gates can have V shapes large enough to trap a child's head and neck. A gate should be hard for a child to dislodge but easy for an adult to open and close.

Car seats

• Ask what the car seat has been throughNever use a car seat that's been in a moderate or severe crash. A seat doesn't have to be replaced after a minor crash.
• Check the crash was minor by every measureA minor crash is one where the vehicle could be driven away, the door nearest the seat wasn't damaged, nobody was hurt, the air bags didn't deploy and the seat shows no visible damage.
• Search nhtsa.gov/recalls for the seatSearching by the car seat's brand and model shows recalls, investigations and complaints.
• Register it with the manufacturerRegistered owners get the recall notices. NHTSA also offers recall alerts by email and through its free SaferCar app.
• Check car seat recalls twice a year

For fitting a car seat to a child, see Car seats by age and installation. For the rest of the sleep space, see Safe sleep for babies.