polystyrene has snapped. I need to buy a new seat don't I???

[WhimsicalWinnifred]

DD has a britax first class car seat. She is 4 and I purchased it when she was one. Its a birth to four one.

I have had to borrow a little fiat punto and trying to get the seat belt to lock (seems impossible, does anyone know if you can?) I pushed against the side impact part and the whole polystyrene snapped. I can't see an expiration date on it but I don't think it's old enough to be weak!

I have to buy a new one don't I? I could maybe tuck it under the cover but it's not safe is it???

You don't need to buy a whole seat. Contact britax. It cost me about 14 pounds to replace the polystyrene in mine recently. Unless they've been in an accident it's ok.

And they advised me the seats don't have an expiration date. That's a myth.

Yes phone Britax and they'll send you a new bit. I've done it a few times

This. Is. Fanatic. News!!!! I have the number and will call as I leave work! How do you know when they out grow these seats?

I heard the hole the straps come through should always start above their shoulders but they no longer do and are on top setting. She is diddy for her age so I don't know...

I have ordered a new one while waiting for replies (impatient I know) I don't know whether to just wait and throw the old one as the straps seem twisted too. The extendable but isn't right on one strap.

I have a Britax First Class. It's outgrown when she weighs 18kgs or when her eyes become level with the top of the seat.

The straps can be level with her shoulders or slightly above. If they are significantly below her shoulders I should think her eyes must be almost level with the top of the seat and therefore it's time to think about a high backed booster.

Oh and twisted straps are easily fixed. You need to unthread the harness and just check that it's flat all the way along, or if the straps appear twisted near the buckles just do this

That's like magic! I did have that problem but it went away on its own. The black extendable strap is somehow twisted and not around the grey harness part but at the top is above it and the bottom below...

Oops just saw your first post. Great news. Where did you find that? will have to have a look tomorrow. From what I remember the hole is quite a way lower. Possibly three or four fingers. I think her head pops over but not her eyes. I remember looking at her and knowing the smaller rear facing seats are to be changed if their head is higher and wondered if this was the same...

There is a table here that explains when all the different car seat types are outgrown. The Britax First Class is a Group 0+1 combination seat.

By black extendible strap do you mean the chest pad on the harness strap? You should be able to sort this if you unthread the harness strap that is affected and straighten it all out.

You, my dear, are a fountain of knowledge! Thank you so much.

No, not the chest pad. On picture 11 you can see a black strap under a grey strap. It's those straps that appear twisted.

That black bit is the strap that the chest pad is attached to isn't it? You can remove the whole thing by feeding the metal part (at the back of the seat) through the slot to the front of the seat - I've done this before to wash the chest pads in the sink if they've had food/sick on them! Then just straighten up the strap and feed the metal part back through to the back of the seat, giving it a tug to make sure it's gone flat against the back of the seat to stop it getting pulled out again.