Philips HeartStart OnSite Pads M5071A Replacement: Price, Fit and Interval

Overview

The Philips M5071A adult SMART Pads Cartridge is the only adult pad the HeartStart OnSite (M5066A) and HeartStart Home (M5068A) accept. It costs $99 at AED Leader and Response Ready, the same $99 Philips charges on its own shop (checked 18 September 2026). The cartridge snaps into the front of the AED with the pads already connected, so there is no cable to plug in during a rescue.

Compatible AED Models

Philips HeartStart OnSite (M5066A), HeartStart Home (M5068A) and the HS1 sold outside the US. Not compatible with the FRx (SMART Pads II, part 989803139261) or the FR3 (SMART Pads III). For patients under 8 years or 55 lbs (25 kg) the OnSite needs the separate Infant/Child cartridge M5072A.

How long do Philips HeartStart OnSite pads last?

Two years from the date of manufacture, not from the day you buy them. Philips prints the use-by date on the cartridge label and on the outer box; the OnSite reads the cartridge and flashes its status light and chirps when the pads are expired or missing. Replace the cartridge on that date, immediately after any rescue, or if the seal is damaged. A cartridge that has sat in a distributor warehouse for a year arrives with one year left, which is why the printed date matters more than the invoice date.

Over ten years an OnSite owner buys about five adult cartridges. Our AED pad replacement schedule by brand compares that against ZOLL (5-year pads) and HeartSine (4-year Pad-Pak).

How to replace the OnSite pads cartridge

1. Slide the release latch at the top of the AED to the side; the old cartridge lifts out.
2. Unwrap the new M5071A cartridge. Do not pull the green handle; that opens the pads and is only done during a rescue.
3. Seat the bottom of the new cartridge in the compartment, then press the top until it clicks.
4. Wait for the self-test. The green Ready light should blink; a chirp or a flashing red i-button means the AED did not accept the cartridge.
5. Write the new expiration date on your inspection tag and set a reminder 60 to 90 days before it.

M5071A price check across sellers

Philips sets a floor on this part, so shopping around buys almost nothing. Prices read on 18 September 2026:

Two sellers showed stock problems on the day we checked, which matches the "philips aed pads backorder" searches we see. Buy from a seller that shows stock and a use-by date, and keep one spare cartridge with the AED.

Is there a recall on M5071A pads?

Not a recall that removes them from use. In February 2022 Philips issued a medical device correction for the M5071A and M5072A cartridges: in some pads the gel could fold onto itself and reduce the contact area. Philips told owners to keep the HS1/OnSite/Home in service, follow the voice prompts, and store a spare cartridge with the AED. The earlier FDA Class 2 recall Z-2427-2021 (July 2021) covered mislabelled Infant/Child M5072A pads and was terminated in May 2023. Neither notice affects the adult cartridge sold today; check the use-by date and buy from an authorised seller.

Key Features

• SMART Pad technology senses rescuer actions to adjust device prompts
• Pre-connected cartridge design for tool-free installation
• Adult patients (8 years and over, 55 lbs and over); nominal 150 J into 50 ohms
• Cable 54 in (137 cm); cartridge 6.56 x 4.93 x 1.27 in