Tires are expiring, here's how to easily check their age

“Tires are becoming outdated, here’s how to easily check their age”

Car tires have a limited lifespan, but too few motorists know how to know their age.

Did you know ? Like yogurt, car tires have an expiration date. And as you certainly know, tires are very important for road safety. road. Loss of grip, decreased handling, increased braking distance, aquaplaning, increased likelihood of crashing. burst…the degradation of tires can have dramatic consequences on the road. But in fact, when should you change the tires of your vehicle? Every 50,000 kilometers according to specialists if the wheels are shod with premium brand tires, such as those from manufacturers Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Bridgestone and Continental. This distance can be reduced by two for a vehicle equipped with of cheap tires.

For heavy riders, 50,000 kilometers can be covered in two years. But many motorists do not use their car on a daily basis and are mostly content with short journeys. However, the condition of a tire deteriorates over time. small even if it doesn't roll. Besides, in the trade, a tire, even stored in optimal conditions, can no longer be sold as new by a manufacturer if it is more than 5 years old. Over time, the rubber hardens and is more likely to crack. Once on a car, the "expiration date" of a tire, even if there is nothing official about it, is estimated at 10 years. Past this date, and even with a low mileage on the odometer, it is strongly recommended to to change it.

Problem for many motorists: how to know the age of a tire? C&# Yet it’s like Port-Salut, it’s written all over it! Few people know it, but the manufacturing date of a tire is written on one of its sidewalls. Most of the time it follows the inscription "DOT" (department of transport in English) and its alphanumeric sequence. To find out the "date of birth" of the tire, you have to look at the last four digits. The first two indicate the number of the week of manufacture, the last two indicate the year of manufacture. For example, if the last four digits of the sequence following the inscription "DOT" are 3218, then the tire will have been designed in the 32nd week of the year 2018. This is the benchmark that must be followed to know what is happening. be the precise age of a tire. The one cited in example would therefore reach its "expiration date" towards the end of summer 2028.

The average price of a tire from a premium brand intended for &agrav; a city car today costs around 75 euros, you need to count on more than 120 euros for the tire of an SUV whose wheel size is bigger. When replacing the tires of a car – in twos or fours because it is highly recommended. to change both of the same axle at the same time – it is better to plan a small budget. But security is at stake. of the occupants of the car, not to mention that in the event of control by the police, driving with tires that are too smooth is punishable by a fine of # 39;an amount of 135 euros. This is more expensive than the price of a new tire…