Legal Tyre Age

It is the responsibility of the owner or operator of the vehicle to ensure that its tires do not pose a risk to road safety. As already mentioned, it is very unlikely that car tires will be used for more than 10 years. However, if your tires are 10 years old or older, it makes sense to change them, even if they`re still within the legal tread depth of 1.6mm. The tire manufacturer Continental recommends replacing tires that are 10 years old or older. Tires must be removed as soon as they are ten years old, regardless of their appearance, mileage or actual wear. However, most tires need to be replaced before reaching the ten-year mark. That`s why it`s important to keep a close eye on the condition of your tires. How you can recognize the age of your tires, we explain in this article. It`s also worth noting that while it`s not illegal to have tires that are 10 years old or older, if they have significant cracks in the sidewall, they are considered illegal. Retreaded tyres are subject to the same requirements as first-life tyres.

The retread date instead of the date of first manufacture is used to determine the age of the tire. If your tires are only printed with a 3-digit number, it means that your tires were manufactured before the year 2000 and should be replaced as soon as possible. There is no set age limit for tires when you should replace your tires, but once your tires are between 7 and 10 years old, you should closely monitor their condition and consider replacing them. This publication is available under www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-tyres-aged-more-than-10-years-on-goods-vehicles-buses-and-coaches/tyre-age-restrictions-for-good-vehicles-buses-coaches-and-minibuses Damage such as cracks or bulges in the side wall leads to TÜV failure. This is because they can be a sign that the internal structure of the tire is damaged and could be on the verge of collapse. If this happens, there could be a rash or even an accident. In addition to your own regular inspections, we recommend that all tires older than five years be inspected by a qualified expert at least once a year. Our staff can inform you if your tires can be reused safely or not. If the tires are genuine to the vehicle, you should also follow the vehicle manufacturer`s tire change recommendations, if applicable.

Check the age of a tire by looking for the 10- to 12-digit serial identification number on the sidewall of the tire. This identification number is usually preceded by the acronym „DOT“, for example: DOT ELCB DKE 1800. It is legal, but not recommended, to use tires older than 10 years on other axles. Driving with old tires can pose a serious safety risk. If you`re not sure how old your tyres are, visit your local Bridgestone store and ask one of our friendly associates for help. If the tire was manufactured after the year 2000, you can determine its age by looking at the last four digits of this number. These represent the week in which the tire was manufactured, followed by the year. In the case of the serial number used above, „18“ would indicate the 18th week and the „00“ the 2000. Thus, the tire was manufactured in the 18th week of the year 2000. However, if tires are not used, these chemicals remain underwater and cannot do their job properly.

This causes the tire to crack on the surface. When the liquid enters these cracks, it corrodes the metal strips that make up the structure of the tire. The result can be an unexpected puncture or a tire burst. The presence of a tyre more than ten years old in a defined position is classified as a dangerous defect. This leads to the refusal of a roadworthiness certificate during the annual inspection. Premature aging of tires can affect safety and increase the risk of tire failure. For this reason, Kwik Fit recommends riders with tires that are six years old or older have them checked by professionals to make sure they can still be used safely. Don`t forget to check for extra tires such as spare wheels or those mounted on caravans and trailers, as these tires tend to be used less and are more prone to tire aging. Tyres are considered „new“ and can be retailed for up to 5 years from the original production date, with tire manufacturers providing recommended storage recommendations. The date of the production marking of the tyres shall always be legible.

It would be a criminal offence to use a tyre with a damaged or disfigured marking. Tyres are made up of different types of textile, steel and rubber compounds, whose properties change over time. As the rubber of a tire ages and is exposed to the elements, the strength of the connection between the rubber and the steel strips decreases. When an old tire is loaded, cracks begin to form in the rubber. These cracks can appear on the surface of the tire, but they can also appear outside the tire structure. Eventually, the crack can even cause the steel belts to detach from the tread of the rest of the tire. Driving with such a tire is a serious safety risk.