CODED Expiration Dates on all automobile tires. Did you know?

[beefsteak]

This recent ABC news story just came to my attention this evening.

Bullet points:

*Industry standard for brand new tire safety is newer than 6 years.

*After 6 years, even if tire has never been driven a single mile, it is drying out and unsafe.

*British Auto Consumers are advised of this 6year mximum tire life recommendation. As a rule, USA consumers aren't.

*Mfg date code is molded on INSIDE OF MOUNTED TIRE where consumer has difficulty seeing it without crawling under the car with a flashlight in hand.

*Molded in Date code is either a 3 or 4 numbers' series...
first 2 numbers= week of mfg year, last number in a 3 number series = year.
OR
last 2 numbers in a 4 number series = year of manufacture

For example:
molded number reads: (413) Deciphered that is 41 week of 1993 is mfg date.
molded number reads: (4103) Deciphered, this is 41 week of 2003 mfg date.

Here's link...if someone can embed... please do:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

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So, as part of WTSHTF preparedness planning, what are other GSUS'ers tire rotational plans look like?

Am I the last to know about this tire expiration date code dataset?


beefsteak

[gunDriller]

Am I the last to know about this tire expiration date code dataset?

beefsteak

second to last maybe. you heard about it before i did ! :)

i think all of my vehicles are in violation of this rule-of-thumb.

so far, so good - knock on wood.

[Half Sense]

I've got the original tires from 2002 on my car. Almost 70k miles on 'em and still some tread left.

My problem is, the tire store is right next to the gun shop, and I can get a good gun for less than a set of good tires.