July 2007
Requested: A use-by date for tires
Do tires need a use-by date, like the milk in your refrigerator? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is being
asked to require tire makers to provide expiration dates. Strategic Safety LLC, a safety research firm, submitted comments
to NHTSA in September 2003, saying it has identified 20 cases in which tires six or more years old failed, resulting in nine
deaths.
NHTSA continues working with tire manufacturers to study how tires actually age, whether lab tests can mimic aging, and whether a tire-endurance and aging test can be developed. The study may show whether a use-by date is feasible, says a NHTSA spokesman.
Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen recommend replacing tires after six years, regardless of tread wear. The British Rubber Manufacturers’ Association said in June 2001 that unused tires more than 6 years old should not be used and that a tire should be replaced 10 years after manufacture. Roadside checks led the U.K.-based Tyre Industry Council to warn that tires can dry with age, leading to tread separation.
Our auto engineers point to some potential problems with “use by” dating: Tires may sit at a dealer for several years before being used. Tires also age differently, depending on how and where they are used, as well as the type of anti-aging compounds they contain.
The bottom line. We believe that most consumers will wear out tires before age becomes an issue. We recommend checking the tires for cracking or damage every time you check air pressure, about once a month.
NHTSA continues working with tire manufacturers to study how tires actually age, whether lab tests can mimic aging, and whether a tire-endurance and aging test can be developed. The study may show whether a use-by date is feasible, says a NHTSA spokesman.
Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen recommend replacing tires after six years, regardless of tread wear. The British Rubber Manufacturers’ Association said in June 2001 that unused tires more than 6 years old should not be used and that a tire should be replaced 10 years after manufacture. Roadside checks led the U.K.-based Tyre Industry Council to warn that tires can dry with age, leading to tread separation.
Our auto engineers point to some potential problems with “use by” dating: Tires may sit at a dealer for several years before being used. Tires also age differently, depending on how and where they are used, as well as the type of anti-aging compounds they contain.
The bottom line. We believe that most consumers will wear out tires before age becomes an issue. We recommend checking the tires for cracking or damage every time you check air pressure, about once a month.
