Iowa Child Passenger Safety Technicians
This site was created for Iowa Child Passenger Safety Technicians to have all their resources in one central location.
Counterfeit Car Seats
Counterfeit car seats are appearing more frequently. Please take some time to learn the red flags of a counterfeit car seat and find out what to do if you spot one in your community!
What is a Counterfeit Car Seat?
A counterfeit car seat is one that does NOT meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in the US. These seats are NOT safe for use. The material these are made of are cheap and do not absorb crash forces appropriately, making it very harmful in a crash. These seats are most commonly mocking the Doona car seat.
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How can I report counterfeit car seats identified in Iowa?
To collect data on the prevalence of Counterfeit car seats in Iowa, the State Program has created a form.
Please report your seats here for data collection.
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You can also report to NHTSA by calling 888-327-4236. Press option 1 for English, Option 2 to submit a Safety Complaint. Be sure to let them know that there is no manufacturer information.
Red Flags!
1. Lack of Chest Clip
Is there a chest clip? Every car seat approved for use in the US has a chest clip (besides booster seats and car beds).
2. Labels
Are labels present? Are there misspelled words or grammatically incorrect language? FMVSS 213 Compliant car seats will not have misspellings or grammatical errors. They will use capitalization appropriately as well.
3. Manufacturer Information
Can you locate manufacturer information on the car seat? Is there a manufacturer website or customer service number?
4. Cost
Did the caregiver find a "great deal"? If the cost seems too good to be true, it probably is. Common places where counterfeits have been purchased include Amazon through 3rd party sellers, Tik Tok Shop, Temu, AlliExpress, Maternity Miracles, etc.
5. Minimum and Maximum Limits
FMVSS 213 compliant car seats will outline a minimum and maximum height and weight limits. An example of counterfeit car seat verbiage: "Birth - 12 months" or "0-12kg".
6. Registration Card Present
All seats should come with a manual and registration card. If it did not, it is likely not FMVSS 213 compliant.
7. Logo
Is the logo on the seat one you are familiar with? Here is a large list of car seat brands/models that are FMVSS 213 compliant.