Tire safety: How to identify age and when to replace them

Tire safety depends not only on tread depth and pressure but also on the age of the rubber. Even if a tire appears new or has deep treads, the materials degrade over time due to active aging, a process that affects vehicles even when they are rarely driven or kept in a garage.

While there is no legal expiration date, manufacturers generally recommend replacing tires after ten years as a precautionary measure, with some suggesting checks after five years. The rate of deterioration is influenced by factors such as climate, sun exposure, temperature, inflation pressure, load, and driving conditions, as well as how the tires were stored.

To determine a tire's age, drivers should look for the DOT (Department of Transportation) code on the sidewall. This four-digit sequence reveals the production week and year; for example, the code '0824' indicates the tire was manufactured in the eighth week of 2024. It is important to note that the production date may differ from the date of purchase or installation.