How old is too old for a tire?

Most drivers judge a tire by how much tread is left. On a daily driver that works, because the tread usually wears out first. On a classic, a weekend car, a trailer or a spare, the tire often gets too old long before it gets too worn.

How to read the date

Every tire has its build date on the sidewall. Find the letters DOT and look at the last four digits of the code that follows. The first two are the week and the last two are the year, so 1822 means the 18th week of 2022.

If the code ends in only three digits, the tire was made before 2000. Replace it.

How long tires last

Many vehicle makers recommend replacing tires at six years old, whatever the tread depth. Tire makers generally set ten years from the build date as the absolute limit.

As rubber ages it dries out and stiffens. A stiff tire cannot shape itself to the road, so it loses grip. Old rubber also cracks, inside and out, and in the worst case the tread can separate from the belts underneath.

At the counter, the team’s working guide is five to seven years from the build date under good conditions, with at least 6/32" of tread for winter use and 4/32" for summer. Past five years, have the tires looked at regularly for weathering and cracks.

The shop rule

Tire Capital will not install or service a tire that is more than 10 years old, whatever condition it appears to be in. A tire can look fine and still be unsafe.

Heat, sun and storage

Heat and sunlight speed up aging. Store off-season tires somewhere cool, dry and dark, and use tire bags to keep the light off. If an RV or trailer sits for months, cover the tires.

Storage slows aging but does not stop it. A tire that has sat for years still needs its date checked before it goes back on the road.