Consumer Law

Aged Tires Being Sold New Are Dangerous

By Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer

An ABC news report reveals that aged tires--some as old as 12 years--are being sold as new at leading retailersl After about 6 years of sitting on the shelf, tires dry out and lose their elasticity. The tread will peel off these tires when put in use causing the car to swerve out of control and crash. These tire failures are killing people yet the Rubber Manufacturers' Association and their member tire manufacturers oppose a ban on the sale of tires more than 6 years old, which auto makers and others are recommending. The federal safety agency, NHTSA just this month issued a vague general guideline to "err on the side of caution if you suspect your tires are over six years old."

The tire's date of manufacture is stated on the tire, but in a code consumers cannot readily decipher. The 3 or 4 digit code, which is at the end of a long string of characters,represents the week of the year it was manufactured and the year. For example, 414, means the tire was manufactured the 41st week of 2004. 4202 means the tire was manufactured the 42d week of 2002. Until recently, the code was on the inside of the tire where no one can see it when the tire is on the car!

ABC investigators, some from Channel 7 in San Francisco, shopped tire retailers such as Sears and found tires 4 years, 6 years, and even older available for sale. What is needed is a ban on the sale of tires old tires.

Full post as published by Lemon Law Blog on June 22, 2008 (boomark / email).