The most common storage problem for tires are potential dangers caused by an “aged tire.” Tires that are improperly stored can be designed and manufactured properly, but, as a result of pre-installation storage, they become unfit for use prior to the time they are installed. An aged tire is one that was perfectly acceptable when it was designed and manufactured, but sits in a warehouse for too many years before it is put into use. Although a tire manufactured eight (8) years ago looks and is sold as “new,” the rubber in that tire is still 8 years old. During that lengthy storage period the chemical composition of the tire changes. Over time, the rubber in tires dries out, becomes brittle, and loses its ability to operate as a tire under normal driving conditions. Although a tire that has been stored for several years appears “new” and is sold to the unsuspecting consumer as “new” because it has never been in service before, in reality the rubber in that tire is well past it’s shelf life and that tire is unfit for use. NHTSA reports that tires that are stored in warmer environments age more quickly than the same tires age in cooler climates, and that exposure to coastal salty air, sunlight, and coastal climates accelerate a tire’s aging.
So, how can you tell if your tire is too old? Fortunately, every tire permitted to be sold and used in the United States must be stamped with a DOT Code, located on the tire’s sidewall. This DOT Code will begin with the letters “DOT,” and then contain a series of numbers. The last four numbers indicate the week and year that the tire was manufactured. The first two numbers of the last four numbers indicates the week of the year that the tire was made, while the last two digits indicate the year in which the tire was made. For example, a DOT Code that ends in “5212,” means that the tire was manufactured in the 52nd – or last – week of 2012, and a DOT Code ending in “0200” would indicate the tire was made during the second week of 2000.
Written by:
Karleigh Zolinski
Approved by Francisco Guerra, IV
Watts Guerra LLP
4 Dominion Drive, Bldg 3, Suite 100
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Phone (210) 447-0500
© Watts Guerra LLP 2015
