Are you concerned about the age of your tires?
This quick guide will help you find the manufacture date of your tire and understand how Tires Easy handles tire age based on the DOT Code. Keeping a record of your tires and understanding their age will help you save money on repairs and take proper care of your vehicle.
To find your tires’ age, you need to locate the DOT Date Code on the tire. This symbol indicates the tire manufacturer’s compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety standards. It tells you who manufactured the tire, where it was made, and other tracking information. Plus, it indicates that the tire has passed the Department of Transportation’s testing and NHTSA manufacturer requirements.
The raised numbers of the DOT Code are placed together and often enclosed in a raised oval. The first two numbers are the week the tire was manufactured. In the example below, 35 stands for “week 35.” The second two numbers are the year the tire was manufactured. In the image below, we see the 07, indicating the tire was build in 2007. This particular tire was made in the 35th week of 2007.
On tires that were manufactured in 2000 and after, the last four digits indicate the week and year the tire was produced. The first two digits identify the week and the second two identify the year.
It’s not always easy to find the tire DOT code. There aren’t regulations on where the manufacturer has to place the information, so you may need to look at multiple sides of your tires before you can find the numbers. However, the identification information is usually on the inner sidewall of tires.
At Tires Easy, we believe that the tire warranty should begin from the date of purchase, not the DOT Code.
If you purchase new tires today, and the DOT Code was a year ago, your warranty will still begin on the purchase date, not the manufacture date of the tire.
If for any reason you are uncomfortable with the age of your tires after looking at the DOT Date code, please call us and we can quickly provide you with a return under our 45 day return policy.
Just because you buy “new” tires doesn’t mean they were actually made recently. It can take a while for tires to reach tire retailers after being shipped from the manufacturer. Checking your tires’ DOT Date Code will tell you when they were made and how long they may have been stored. It is important to know that tires are often for months or years at a time, so your tire’s DOT code might not be in the same year you bought the tires, and that’s not a concern.
At Tires Easy, we take tire protection VERY seriously. Once the tires reach us, they are moved into Tires Easy’s industrial tire warehouses to ensure proper storage and prevent exposure to seasonal weather conditions.
Our storage locations are cool, climate-controlled, and dry, preventing any premature aging or damage. Tire aging can be rapidly accelerated by poor storage conditions, so you should be sure the tires you purchase have been properly stored.
A general consensus from various tire industry associations around the world is that tires have a useful service life of six to ten years. As technology changes, there are more materials, and combinations of comounds, to extend tire life and extend wear. At Tires Easy, we like to err on the side of caution and only sell tires that are seven years old and under. If you consider that the average driver travels 15,000 miles per year, most tires need to be replaced in 4 years. If your tires were a few years old when purchasing, you would still be well within the accepted tire age range. This is especially true if the tires receive the proper amount of care and maintenance over the course of their lifetime.
Legally, you must replace your tires when the tread depth falls below 1.
6 mm. Additionally, it’s recommended that you change summer tires at 3 mm and winter tires at 4 mm tread depth. This keeps your tires at optimal levels of safety.
When your tires reach seven years of age, we recommend that you consider replacing them. Even if the tires look new, it is best to have them inspected by a professional tire installer, so they can properly advise on the safety of the tires moving forward. Spare tires should be checked and replaced as well.
No matter how old the tires are when you buy them, the most important aspect of tire safety is regular maintenance and inspection. According to the The Rubber Manufacturer’s Association of America and the Tire & Rubber Association of Canada.
“Since service and storage conditions vary widely, accurately predicting the service life of any specific tire based on calendar age is not possible.”
For this reason, there is no specific limitation on the age of the tire when it is sold based on its DOT Code.
1. In terms of the DOT Date Code, some might assume that the number states when the tire was approved. On the contrary, the DOT symbol by itself simply indicates that the tire is approved by the Department of Transportation to be legally used on the road. The Date Code is when the tire was manufactured (not when it was approved).
2. You might also have heard that you should only buy tires that have a DOT code within the current year. As we mentioned earlier, this is often not the case with many tires simply because it takes time for the tire to reach the United States from the manufacturer. As long as the tires have been stored properly, they will be in excellent condition, even if the DOT Date code is a couple of years old.
When stored properly and protected from the elements, tires age quite slowly. The Rubber Manufacturers Association has said there’s no way to put a date on when tires actually “expire.
” There are too many factors that impact the true age of a tire.
To help prolong the life of a tire, tire retailers will:
While these are the main contributors to excessive tire aging, it would still take years of exposure in the hottest, wettest, and driest climates for the first signs of tire aging to appear. Tires are durable, and if they’re showing signs of damage within the first few years, it’s a sign of poor quality. Whitening of the rubber and shallow hairline cracks in the upper or lower sidewall may be an indication of UV and heat damage, but these symptoms aren’t issues you commonly see in new tires.
Sidewall cracking due to UV rays
Yes, the rubber gets hard over time as the tire loses its elasticity.
This happens regardless of how much you use your tires over the course of the years.
Every tire has a birthday, and many tires will not be sold 7 years later. However, since some tires don’t technically become unsafe until a decade after they’re produced, the best advice is to have your tire checked by a professional to make sure they are safe for continued driving.
If you have any questions about your tire’s DOT Code or tire age in general, get in contact and let us assist you!
Check out our specially priced tire selection in limited quantities and period of time
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) number stamped on the tire’s sidewall contains a date code that identifies the age of your tires. This DOT number (also called the Tire Identification Number or TIN) is contained in a sequence of up to 12 letters and numbers that signify the tire size, the manufacturer, the specific plant where it was built and when it was built.
In the event of a recall, tiremakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration use the DOT number to identify which defective tires are in the campaign. The date code used on tires is not a typical representation used for dates and can be easily missed by the untrained eye.
To determine the age of your tires, check the last four digits of the U.S.
Tires built from 2000 to the present use the last four-digits of the DOT number to identify the week and year of manufacture. For example, a DOT number with 4116 at the end of the sequence would mean that the tire was manufactured in the 41st week of 2016, or sometime in the mid-October.
While it is increasingly rare to find a tire made before 2000, these tires use only three digits in the date code for the week and year. A tire with a three-digit date code like 416 means that the tire was made in the 41st week of 1996.
Tire DOT Numbers Include a Date Code
(Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Be aware that the complete tire DOT number is not required to be molded on both sides of the tire.
While some tire makers include the full DOT number on both sides, the date code on your tires may only be contained on one side. If the DOT number is only eight characters, you’ll need to look on the other side of the tire to find the full number with the date code.
Why is it important to understand your tire’s age? Manufacturers have known for decades that exposure to heat and oxygen weakens rubber over time. Today’s tires are highly engineered products, with anti-aging chemicals mixed in the rubber compounds, along with others to make the rubber softer and more flexible. But, over time, the rubber and component materials within the tire changes and becomes more prone to failure. In most instances this loss of strength is invisible – and the material degradation is present regardless of tread depth and even in tires that have never even been put on a vehicle
Aged tires are more susceptible to catastrophic tread separations, which occurs when the tire’s outer layer separates from the tire body or casing.
This type of failure can be much more dangerous for drivers to manage than a flat tire or blow out, particularly in trucks, SUVs and vans – particularly 15-passenger vans – because they are more prone to handling and stability problems.
While tread separations caused by manufacturing defects can occur in new tires, tires older than six years – especially those on vehicles located in hot-weather states such as if such as Arizona or Florida – are more prone to suffer a catastrophic tread separation.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “Most vehicle owners can easily overlook tire aging, increasing their risk of a crash.”
Based on research showing that the rate of tire failures increases after six years, nearly all vehicle manufacturers recommend owners replace tires after six years, regardless of tread depth. Most tire manufacturers recommend replacement at 10 years or that owners follow the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines.
Tire makers continue to insist that expiration dates are not necessary, yet, nearly all passenger and light truck tire warranties expire at six years. Some tire retailers have also adopted the tire age recommendations and will not service vehicles with tires that are beyond the manufacturers age recommendation.
Consumers should also check the DOT code when buying new replacement tires. Some retailers will sell a “new” tire that has actually been sitting in their inventory for years. That tire could have been improperly stored in a warehouse or outdoors exposed to high temperatures that reduce a tire’s robustness and useful life.
Consumers should insist on replacement tires manufactured within months of the purchase date. And, regardless of tread depth, vehicle owners should replace their tires six years and older.
Call us if you believe a defective tire caused your accident. The team at Newsome Melton can review the facts of your case and determine if we believe you have a valid claim for compensation.
If we feel you have a strong defective tire case against the manufacturer, we can navigate the claims process on your behalf and potentially recover compensation to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repair or replacement, or other losses.
Call us today at 888-221-5316 or contact us through our online chat. We offer free reviews and handle many of these claims on a contingency fee basis. This means we do not recover compensation unless you do.
Contents
When purchasing a set of tires, it is important for every driver to make sure that he is purchasing a tire of the current year.
Wheel wear is influenced by a number of factors, including the quality of rubber, the nature of driving a car, the condition of the road surface, etc. But the quality of purchased wheels is also affected by their storage in the warehouse of a car dealer.
The date of manufacture is indicated by the manufacturer on the side of the tire. It represents the marking in the form of numbers in an oval frame. The number of digits depends on the year the tires were manufactured: a three-digit number indicates that the wheel was released from production before the year 2000, and a four-digit number after.
Let's see what these numbers mean:
For example, if the combination of numbers “2407” is indicated on the side of the tire in the oval, this means that the tire was produced on the 24th week (in June) 2007.
Some automotive sites offer calculators for calculating the date of manufacture of wheels. They are easy to handle.
You must enter the number that is indicated on your tire into the empty box in order to see the instantly determined date of tire production in the adjacent field.
The Department of Transportation, which is responsible for certifying automobile tires for their further consumption in the domestic market of Russia, has obliged manufacturers to put the date of manufacture on tires. All leading manufacturers of automobile wheels follow this regulation, regardless of where the tires are manufactured and sold.
Pre-2000 tires are marked with a three-digit code on the tire sidewall. Its decoding method is similar to the four-digit one with a slight correction:
That is, the combination of numbers "248" may mean that the car wheel was produced in June 1988 or 1998. The exact decade of tire production can be determined by the presence of a space or triangle after the three-digit code. If there is no space, then the car tire was produced in 1988, if there is a gap (or triangle), then in 1998.
This feature is explained by the fact that the manufacturers of that century had no hope that their product could serve drivers for more than a decade.
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Determining the date of manufacture of a car tire is an important point in determining how long a product can be used without risk to road users. You can find out the year of manufacture of rubber by special markings on the side of the product. This indicator should influence the final choice of the consumer when buying tires, while also taking into account the country of manufacture.
80% of retail outlets, when asked if tire age matters, answer no. However, this is 100% fraud. According to research by manufacturers Hankook, Continental and other global brands, a tire can be stored in proper conditions for up to 5 years from the date of production. Therefore, when asked whether this index is important, the correct answer is yes.
There are differences in terms of service life and storage of different models. For example, tires "Bridgestone-Blizak" or "Ice-Cruiser-7000" with proper storage retain their properties for up to 5 years, and summer models can be stored for no more than 120 months.
Buying a fresh product, the motorist guarantees himself the necessary margin of time, in which the rubber will retain optimal elasticity, strength and tenacity. If the age of the tire is 3-4 years or more, the probability of cracking increases critically, and traction is lost. Winter options can completely lose their properties and become coarse, which is fraught with an increase in the braking distance at times.
Recently, other manufacturers have joined the general standards:
The following is a more accurate determination of the production time of tires from popular manufacturers.
Department of Transportation regulations require all tire manufacturers to affix production date markings on their products.
The code should be separated from other designations, which makes it stand out for better identification.
The requirements of the organization say that for this index it is necessary to choose a place on the side of the rubber, in a place visible to the buyer, therefore, the index must be viewed on the sides.
However, the exact location is not specified, brands have the right to place indexes at their discretion.
For models made by manufacturers such as Goodyear, Michelin, Nokian, the location of the encoding in a separate oval is relevant. The index consists of 4 digits, which makes it easy to find and decipher.
For example, we can take Nokian Hakapelita tires 7/5/8 generations.
In this case, it is clear that the index is highlighted with a rubber oval, the numbers stand out among the general designations.
Also on the market you can find products with strange indexes like YYY 2015/2117 and others.
You can find it on the side of the tire.
These are typical Yakohama brand qualifiers.
From Goodyear you can find the following designation:
As you can see from the photo, the code numbers are not surrounded by rubber circles or squares, but are simply written during vulcanization.
As of 2021, there is a generally accepted marking of the date of manufacture of automobile tires according to the DOT code. At the same time, for cars, trucks and buses, the rules are the same.
Side parts on tires of brands Bridgestone, Michelin, Toyo, Kama contain the so-called DOT coding. The index itself consists of several characters, but in this case, the buyer should be interested in the last 4 digits.
The weekly distribution is taken into account in accordance with the ISO 8601 regulation, where weekly calendar deductions are strictly broken down.
Also on some modifications of rubber, you can find the type designation "YYY2018" and similar. This is especially often indicated on Yokohama brand products. Having met this marking, you should not be afraid. The first three letters are not taken into account, the numbers are interesting - 2018 tells the buyer that the product was released from the assembly line on the 20th week of 2018.
“In the bins” of some unique stores, you can still find wheels with three-digit indexes like 125 or 129. This is a standard marking for parts manufactured before 2000. At the same time, there is no distribution of winter or summer tires.
This also defines the week and year of manufacture. To accurately understand the situation, you need to pay attention to the place after the extreme figure. For example, if there is a space or a triangular character after the code, this determines 90s, and in the absence of extraneous marks, the model was released in the 80s.
For example, we can take a standard European brand tire. Here you can determine the production time in this way.
Specific dates depend on the quality of the material, storage conditions. For example, the ideal storage environment is a dry shop where there are no temperature fluctuations, minimal dampness and no direct sunlight. Subject to all parameters, it is allowed to store the product for 7-8 and 4-5 years for summer and winter tires, respectively.
More precise studies were carried out by MICHELIN, Continental and others. Artificial tests confirmed these results and showed that a tire that has been in storage for 2-3 years practically does not differ from a fresh one in terms of characteristics. In 2021, you can take products released after 2014-15. And for products of 2012, the critical moment of decommissioning has already come.
At the same time, the data is relevant only for branded products such as Blizzak Spike 01, Goodyear, Hankook and analogues of Japanese or European production.
For simple modifications, it is necessary to revise the terms downward. This makes it difficult to determine that cheap tires may not be equipped with dates. Therefore, such factors need to be carefully considered.
If all parameters are met, the wheel can be driven.
Specialization : Graduated from the State Automobile University, worked for 20 years on a GAZ-56, now I drive a Zhiguli.
Source
Everything has an expiration date, car tires are no exception. How long can they be used? Can you ride tires that are many years old, but they look quite working? Is it worth saving on tires by buying products that have not yet been used, but have been stored in a warehouse for 5-7 years?
Date of release is an important parameter when choosing car tires
These questions at least once arose before the majority of motorists.
We answer them - in detail and in detail.
The production date of a tire is always stamped on the sidewall in an oval stamp.
When a tire was manufactured is printed on the side of the tire. You will easily notice an oval stamp with four numbers inside - for example, 1118.
So, we have a tire that was released in January 2003.
The department of transport is responsible for certification of car tires for sale on the Russian market. Tires without age marking, and in a strictly prescribed form, will not receive a quality certificate. This rule is the same for all tire manufacturers.
Drivers change their cars at least twice a year. As a rule, rubber is operated for several years, and then new tires are bought. At the same time, the tread pattern, raw materials, radius are taken into account, but they rarely pay attention to the release date of the product. But it is this information that helps to better understand the condition of the tires and how long they will last.
You can determine for yourself whether the tires have begun to age. To do this, pay attention to their side. Did you see small cracks here? This is the first sign of aging. Over the years, these scratches will become deeper, and the tire itself will begin to change color, acquiring a whitish tint on the originally black rubber.
Black rubber becomes whitish as it ages
Have you noticed similar symptoms on your car tires? So, it's time to change them - you should not pull further, even if the tread does not look worn out. It is dangerous to drive a car with such tires.
The tire is a mixture of chemical compounds. It is influenced by a number of factors:
Tires can experience different loads, so they have a different life, and it is impossible to accurately predict it.
Pay enough attention to the wheels - pay attention to the condition of the tires yourself, and also stop by the service centers.
After five years of operation, tire diagnostics should be performed at least once a year.
The aging process is accelerated by three main factors:
It is important to properly store summer and winter tires, protecting them from threatening external factors. By observing the storage conditions, you prolong the "life" of tires - their elasticity remains at an acceptable level for a long time.
Tires are quite picky about storage conditions: in order for them to retain their original properties for a long time, they must be stored properly.
Proper storage is the key to maintaining tire performance
Storing tires according to the rules is a task that requires control. Therefore, the longer tires lie in stock, the higher the risk that their properties and resources are no longer at that high level.
The properties of tires, their durability and wear resistance largely depend on the quality of rubber.
Accordingly, they depend on the manufacturer, who selects raw materials for products manufactured under his brand.
Choose tires from trusted and well-known manufacturers
The largest companies invest huge amounts of money in the development of unique compounds - they are added to rubber, making it as resistant to aging as possible.
Giving preference to tires from world manufacturers - for example, Nokian, Goodyear or Michelin, you choose high quality, confirmed by time and expert reviews. Under the right conditions of storage and operation, these tires will serve much more than 5 years - their warranty period.
Carefully inspect each tire. Tires should not have any white coating, no scratches, no burrs. Then it is worth checking the products by touch in order to make sure that they are elastic.
Does the appearance of the tires cause any complaints? This suggests that they were stored correctly, therefore, the performance properties are at the proper level.
If you have tires that show signs of aging, it's not worth the risk. Such tires will not last long, and you will waste your money.
There are two sets of tires - both from trusted brands, each looking good? Then choose the one that is "younger". In this case, the guarantee of proper storage is higher.
Don't get too hung up on the age of your tires. For example, tires that have just "knocked" two years, show themselves no worse than products that have just entered the market. But! They must initially be of good quality, that is, from manufacturers whose reputation is beyond doubt. Should inspire confidence and appearance - without cracks and whitish coating. Well, you have the right to ask for a discount on two-year-old tires.
Expert advice will help you choose the right tires and keep them in good working condition for a long time.
Choose quality tires, observe their storage and maintenance conditions - and then they will not let you down.
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New tires for a car are expensive. Therefore, the buyer naturally wants to purchase high quality products. Data on technical characteristics are given in the marking, among them is the date of manufacture of the tire, one of the parameters that is worth focusing on.
Most tire manufacturers guarantee the stability of their technical characteristics for five years. This means that during this period the rubber withstands the impact of external adverse factors well. Provides optimum road grip and machine stability without cracking. After the expiration of the stated shelf life, the likelihood of defects increases many times over. Therefore the production date of the tire primarily affects the duration of their operation.
Tire aging has a negative impact on vehicle handling and increases the likelihood of traffic accidents.
The date of issue of tires must be recognized immediately at the stage of purchase. This will save you from purchasing products that will not last as long as you would like.
However, the quality of tires is affected not only by the date of their manufacture, but also by the peculiarities of rubber storage in factories and warehouses. Failure to comply with the parameters of temperature, humidity, degree of illumination worsens the properties of the material. Rubber loses its elasticity and factory strength, becomes more brittle. The susceptibility of tires to loads increases.
The production date of the tire is of course important. Definitely not worth considering the purchase of products that have lain for more than 5 years in the store. Long-term storage, even with strict adherence to all recommendations specified by the manufacturer, leads to a weakening of intermolecular bonds in the material.
As a result, small cracks form on the surface of the rubber, which will gradually diverge during driving.
Date of manufacture of the tire
Determination of the exact date of manufacture of the tire allows you to choose the most "fresh products". This naturally extends the duration of trouble-free driving. But car owners should not forget that the resource of tires depends on the nature of driving. To extend it as much as possible, it is necessary to ensure uniform pressure in the chambers. Avoid overloading the vehicle and aggressive driving. Tires should be selected taking into account the characteristics of the operation of the car and change them depending on the season of the year.
Where can I see the period of manufacture on tires? The digital designation of the date of manufacture is written on the side surface of the product in one line with another marking of the goods.
All car tires produced after 2000 are marked with four adjacent numbers.
where to see the date of manufacture of the tire
Finding out the real year of the tire is quite easy. Knocked out 4 The numbers indicate the week the product rolled off the assembly line and the year it was produced. However, sometimes tires come across, the release date of which is indicated by three digits. This clearly indicates that the product was made before 2000 .
Two of the three digits at the beginning indicate the week of production, the last indicates the year.
For example, there is such a marking * 117 *. Here 11 is the week of release, and 7 stands for 1987 Products manufactured in 1997 will be marked differently - * 117 *.
That is, after the number 7 they have a space or some kind of sign, and only after that an asterisk.
Car tires with a three-digit production date stamped are not worth buying. Surely the rubber of such tires has hardened and cracked. For at least 10 years, it is hardly possible to withstand all the storage conditions recommended by the manufacturer.
To understand the production date of a tire manufactured by a European manufacturer ( Nokian, Michelin, Toyo ), you need to find the DOT marking. To do this, you need:
How to determine the year of manufacture, for example, with the designation 0815 . The number 08 indicates the week 8 , which is approximately the month of February. The number 15 means that the tires left the factory at 2015 .
Such products are considered relatively new. And if they were stored correctly, then they can be safely bought.
production time
Most auto parts companies don't think you should only buy tires that are no more than 5 years old. Products made of high-quality rubber cannot quickly deteriorate under the conditions of their transportation and storage.
The French company Michelin carried out several tests (strength under increased loads, rolling resistance). On the basis of which it was reliably established that there is no difference between a completely new product and 3 released a year ago. Tires begin to undergo active wear from the moment they are used. Therefore, this period is more important than when they were produced.
Colleagues' conclusions are also supported by tire manufacturers tires bridgestone , nokian .
What's more, many of the established companies believe that quality tires, made to the highest technical standards, can last 10 years or more.
How close should the tire production date be to the date of purchase? Rubber importers assure that you should not strive to necessarily look for a product manufactured 1-2 years ago. It is quite possible to purchase wheels produced by 3 and 4 years ago, usually these are the products that most stores sell.
It is usually difficult to find all 4 wheels from one lot. Moreover, this does not affect the characteristics of the product. Usually, those who sell such products do not seek to pick up a kit that is identical by date of production. That is, you can buy tires with different production times, which may differ by several months, and this is quite normal.
tire production year - 2016
Tires should be inspected before purchase.
Rubber aging is indicated by:
Tires with such structural changes and defects should not be bought. They will not last long, which will force you to spend money again. If possible, it is worth looking at how the products are stored in the warehouse.
Tires must be on racks in a standing position. The room should be well ventilated with a temperature of 10-20 degrees of heat. Exposure to direct sunlight is unacceptable. Once a quarter, warehouse workers are required to turn tires over, changing their point of support. Be sure to look at the presence of flammable liquids and auto chemical goods near. In their presence, rubber deteriorates faster.
The life of rubber can be extended if it is properly cared for:
0117 5 years. In 2021 , it is already worth buying tires that were released no earlier than 2016 .
tire storage
For 15 years I have been repairing various types of cars, including brands such as VAZ, UAZ, Chevrolet, Mazda, Kia and many others.
Everything related to the box, engine or chassis. You can write me your question below in the comments and I will try to answer it in detail.
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✅😥 WHY YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE DATE OF PRODUCTION OF TIRES (RUBBER) IN 2019!
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IF IT IS NOT INDICATED ON THE TIRES, IT IS A FAKE!
How to find out the date of manufacture of a car tire
Do not know how old your tires are, and do not know where to look for the date of manufacture of tires? Don't worry - this is a common problem.
We can show you the date of manufacture of a tire and teach you how to quickly find out the date of manufacture of your tires.
You can find out the year of manufacture of rubber on the sidewall of the tire in an oval stamp in the form of 4 digits, for example: 1612. The first two digits indicate the week of manufacture, the last two indicate the year. In our case, week 16 is April 2012.
If you look closely at each of your tires, you will see a bunch of letters and numbers. While this may just look like confusion, it's actually useful information. Look for a number that begins with the letters "DOT" followed by a series of 10-12 characters. This code, which is required by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and applies worldwide, will tell you a few things:
The date of manufacture is the last four digits of the DOT code.
The first two digits are the week of manufacture and the last two digits are the year. For example, if the last four digits of the DOT code are 0203, this means that the car tire was manufactured during the second week of 2003. Pretty simple, right? However, if your tires were made before 2000, things get a little more complicated.
The date of issue is the last three digits of the code. The first two digits refer to the week in that year. For example, if the last 3 digits are 022, this means that the car tire was produced in the second week of the year, and the year is the second year of the decade. Here's where it gets confusing - there's no universal identifier that specifies which decade, so in this example, the tire could have been made in 1982 or 1992. Some tires have a small triangle following the DOT code to indicate 1990s.
If you look at the sidewall of the tires and see a DOT number that seems incomplete, it's because current DOT regulations require the entire number to be on only one sidewall, while only the first few digits are on the opposite sidewall.
To see the entire DOT number, just look at the other side wall.
After five years of storage, tires lose their performance, regardless of whether the storage conditions were observed or not. Therefore, it is not recommended to use car tires with a manufacturing date older than five years.
The average shelf life of tires, declared by the manufacturer, is 7-10 years, depending on seasonality - harder summer tires on a car last longer than soft winter ones.
Amtel, Barum, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Cordiant, Dayton, Debica, Goodyear, Dunlop, Falken, Firestone, Fulda, General, Gislaved, Hankook, Kama, Kelly, Kleber, Kormoran, Kumho, Marshal, Matador, Maxxis, Michelin, Nitto, Nokian, Pirelli, Sava, Semperit, Tigar, Triangle, Toyo, Uniroyal, Yokohama.
However, don't pay too much attention to the age of the tires when buying, especially if they are less than two years old.
