howoldisthat

How old are those tires?

Type the DOT code from the sidewall, or just its last four digits. You’ll see the week the tire was made and which factory built it.

Scan insteadWhere is the label?

Example

DOT1M3ABCDEF2219
  • DOTDOT: meets U.S. safety standards
  • 1M3Plant: 1M3 = Michelin North America, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, United States
  • ABCDEFManufacturer's code
  • 22Week: 22 (June)
  • 19Year: 19 = 2019

Built Week 22 of 2019 (around May)

7 years, 5 months old

In replacement window. Inside the usual 6 to 10 year lifespan, so replacement could come any time. Worth budgeting for it.

What to do now

  • Have the tires inspected every year from here on, including the spare.
  • Look closely at the sidewalls for fine cracks. Rubber ages even on tires that are rarely driven.
  • When buying tires, check the DOT date before mounting. New tires can sit in storage for a year or more.
How this was read
  1. "DOT" means the tire meets U.S. federal safety standards. The tire identification number follows it.
  2. The first three symbols, 1M3, are the plant code. NHTSA lists it as Michelin North America, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, United States.
  3. The plant list names the company that runs the factory. It may build tires sold under other brands.
  4. The next 6 symbols are the manufacturer's own code for size and type. They are not part of the date.
  5. The last four digits, 2219, are the date code.
  6. The first two, 22, are the week. The last two, 19, are the year: 2019.
  7. Week 22 of 2019 runs from Sunday, June 2, 2019 to Saturday, June 8, 2019.

Format: DOT date code, week and year. Sources: 49 CFR 574.5, tire identification requirements (eCFR), NHTSA: Tires (how to find the tire age), Federal Register, 2015 rule on three-symbol plant codes, NHTSA vPIC tire plant code list.

Good to know

Where is the date on a tire?

At the end of the DOT code, a string of letters and digits that starts with "DOT" on the sidewall. The last four digits are the week and year. The full code is only required on one side, so check the other side if you only see a partial code.

What about tires from before 2000?

They end in three digits: the week and the last digit of the year. Tires from the 1990s often have a small triangle after the code. Without it, the code fits two decades.

Do tires expire even with good tread?

Rubber hardens and cracks with age. NHTSA notes that tire makers recommend replacing tires at 6 to 10 years regardless of tread, so the date matters as much as the depth.