How to Tell When Tires Were Made
The manufacture date of automobile tires can have a critical influence on their function and safety. As tires age, the rubber dries out and becomes less elastic. This can heighten the chance of tire failure, especially in tires that are 6 years of age or older. Because tires can sit on store shelves for years before they are purchased, even tires that seem brand new can be dangerous if you don't know the manufacture date. The only way to know the age of a tire is to locate and interpret a set of numbers on the tire's serial code.
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Instructions
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Look at the sidewall of the tire and locate the letters "DOT." Next to the letters will be a 10- to 12-character serial code made up of letters and numbers.
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Locate the last three or four numbers of the serial code. These indicate the tire's manufacture date. The first two numbers indicate the week the tire was manufactured, while the last one or two numbers indicate the year. A four-digit date code indicates a tire that was manufactured during or after the year 2000, while a three-digit code indicates a tire that was manufactured before that year.
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Interpret the date code numbers to learn the age of the tire. For example, a tire with the serial code "DOT MK87 FOWR 4202" was manufactured in the 42nd week of 2002. A tire with the code "DOT EJ8J DFM 408" was manufactured in the 40th week of 1998.
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Look at the tire's other sidewall if you cannot find the complete serial code. Some manufacturers only print the code on one side of the tire.
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Tips & Warnings
Tires that are 6 years old or older can be dangerous to drive on, even if they are previously unused. Always inspect the date code when purchasing tires to avoid buying old tires.
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