How to check the age of a tyre
Have you ever wondered exactly how old your tyres are? Knowing the age of your tyres is important - as aged tyres can cause a myriad of problems. Worn out tyres can cause road handling issues, braking accidents and even contribute to failing your MOT.
In our helpful blog, we discuss the key signs of tyre ageing, as well as how to know how old your tyres are.
Tyre age
You will find the date of birth of your tyre on the tyre sidewall - look for the letters DOT, this stands for ?Department of Transportation?. These initials should also be followed by a set of numbers. The numbers are the tyre production code, which will tell you the week of manufacture and the year they were made. For example:
- If your code is 2315, this means that your tyres were made in the 23rd week of 2015
Tyres manufactured after 2000 will have a four-digit code, whereas tyres made before 2000 will have a 3-digit code and should be replaced as soon as possible.
Signs of tyre ageing
Due to general wear and tear, you may find that your tyres have worn out prematurely. Some key signs to look out for include:
- Cracking on the sidewalls
- Low tread depth - always make sure your tread depth abides to the legal requirement of 1.6mm or above. If your tread depth is below this measurement then you could face legal fines and, you will fail your MOT.
- Your car vibrating when your drive
- Weird noises coming from your tyre
How long do tyres last?
There is no set time that your tyres last for - however, some manufacturers recommend replacing your tyres every five to six years. For others, they advise replacing your tyres every 10 years. However, there are many things which can affect the ageing of your tyres - for instance, your tyres could be ageing prematurely due to:
- Weather conditions
- Your driving style
- The way you store your tyre
If your tyres are in need of repair, or replacing altogether, contact our helpful team for more information.
Why not pop into a local garage near you? We offer a range of tyre services and would be happy to help.
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