Expired Tires Blamed for Double Fatality

[AutoMechanic]

And you won't run motor oil past 3K miles. I've ran a few sets of tires that were over 6 years old. I've got a set on one of my cars now that's about 10 years old and have less than 15k miles on them. The car sits in the garage most of the time and isn't exposed to sunlight except when I'm driving it. I do check them frequently for signs of dry rot and I don't run them low on air. I check the pressure in them when I check it in my other cars which is usually at least every couple months and more often in times of huge temperature swings like going from summer heat to winter cold.

A couple cycles ago when I went to get my tires rotated on one of my cars they tried to sell me new tires saying the tread was getting low on them. They've been driven about 8k miles since and are still about 3/32nds from the wear indicators. I'm guessing I'll get approximately 15k miles out of them after they said they needed replacing and they probably still won't be down to the treadwear indicators. If I were going to be driving 80-90 MPH on them day in and day out I probably wouldn't run them that long but with most of my driving being in the 40-55 MPH range I feel plenty safe on them until they're near the indicators.

In my state they are trying to make it the car can’t have tires over a certain age or it doesn’t pass. To me it’s ridiculous. All my cars are outside though but I wasn’t aware of that being harmful.

 

[Nick1994]

I won't even have a spare that's 10 years old.

Old tires are dangerous, I live in extreme conditions with heat and whether it's a blowout and being stranded in the heat, or a blowout and crashing, it's not worth it. Tires are cheap.

Back when my grandpa owned my Jeep, he was out on the interstate and the front left tire blew. Being in the automotive industry for 45+ years he knew to not hit the brake. He said he almost lost complete control of it, and being a tiny little toaster it probably would have killed him and my grandma, or seriously injured them.

I replaced the last set of BFG All Terrains at 5 years old due to dry rot. Plenty of tread. The Jeep is now garaged 100% of the time so I'm hoping I can stretch it out to 6 years, but if they start to crack or I feel unsure about them, they're gone.

 

[Breanna]

If your vehicle spends almost all of its life in a garage, that helps slow the aging.
If you must park it outside, at least try shading them some, it helps. I couldn't imagine driving something so little, the tires expire. Maybe 3 years maximum, worn right out. Motorcycle tires, possibly 1 year if you ride gently, and infrequently.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

People drive trucks like they are sports cars. Just because you can go 80+ doesn’t make it safe with 8 hour old tires

 

[CapriRacer]

I've said this before, but it bears repeating.

If you live in a hot climate (AZ, CA, NV, TX, and FL), 6 years seems to be the limit for tires. If you live in a cold climate (MT, ND, MN, WI, and ID), then 10 years seems to be the limit. Places in between are ...... ah ....... in between.

You can't tell by the look of a tire if it is good or not. What is important is the state of the rubber at the edge of the steel belts - and there is no way to see that (unless you have a shearography machine!).

The only gauge the average consumer has is cracks in the rubber. If they are worse than superficial cracks, then the tire is needs to be replaced!!

But little or no cracks doesn't mean the tire is good - because there are rubbers that some tire manufacturers use on the outside that are crack resistant, but the rubber that is used around the belts CAN'T be that kind of rubber. That's where time becomes the deciding factor.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I've said this before, but it bears repeating.

If you live in a hot climate (AZ, CA, NV, TX, and FL), 6 years seems to be the limit for tires. If you live in a cold climate (MT, ND, MN, WI, and ID), then 10 years seems to be the limit. Places in between are ...... ah ....... in between.

You can't tell by the look of a tire if it is good or not. What is important is the state of the rubber at the edge of the steel belts - and there is no way to see that (unless you have a shearography machine!).

The only gauge the average consumer has is cracks in the rubber. If they are worse than superficial cracks, then the tire is needs to be replaced!!

But little or no cracks doesn't mean the tire is good - because there are rubbers that some tire manufacturers use on the outside that are crack resistant, but the rubber that is used around the belts CAN'T be that kind of rubber. That's where time becomes the deciding factor.

Does tire construction matter? LT vs P tires, off road vs highway? I have 6 year old 35” BFG ATs on my truck that only sees weekend use. $1200 every 6 years is a little much. The side walls have zero cracks, tread section looks better than a 2 year old Michelin passenger tire

 

[CapriRacer]

Does tire construction matter? LT vs P tires, off road vs highway? I have 6 year old 35” BFG ATs on my truck that only sees weekend use. $1200 every 6 years is a little much. The side walls have zero cracks, tread section looks better than a 2 year old Michelin passenger tire

No! Not only does the type of tire not matter, but highway tread vs off road tread doesn't matter either. What's important is the rubber right next to the steel. The fact that a tire doesn't have cracks on the outside doesn't mean it is OK. As I said before, some tire manufacturers use types of rubber that aren't prone to cracking on the outside, but deep down where it counts, that type of rubber can not be used - and the type of rubber that has to be used there does age.

 

[krzyss]

Does tire construction matter? LT vs P tires, off road vs highway? I have 6 year old 35” BFG ATs on my truck that only sees weekend use. $1200 every 6 years is a little much. The side walls have zero cracks, tread section looks better than a 2 year old Michelin passenger tire

If these are you vehicles:

2001 F150 5.4L
2013 Nissan Juke Nismo
2000 Honda S2000
1998 BMW 328i

maybe you should downsize if "$1200 every 6 years is a little much"?

Krzyś

 

[edyvw]

Let

No! Not only does the type of tire not matter, but highway tread vs off road tread doesn't matter either. What's important is the rubber right next to the steel. The fact that a tire doesn't have cracks on the outside doesn't mean it is OK. As I said before, some tire manufacturers use types of rubber that aren't prone to cracking on the outside, but deep down where it counts, that type of rubber can not be used - and the type of rubber that has to be used there does age.

Does that create microscopic cracks that let moisture that is part of air and damage steel belts? That was my understanding of one of the issues behind aging.

 

[edyvw]

I won't even have a spare that's 10 years old.

Old tires are dangerous, I live in extreme conditions with heat and whether it's a blowout and being stranded in the heat, or a blowout and crashing, it's not worth it. Tires are cheap.

Back when my grandpa owned my Jeep, he was out on the interstate and the front left tire blew. Being in the automotive industry for 45+ years he knew to not hit the brake. He said he almost lost complete control of it, and being a tiny little toaster it probably would have killed him and my grandma, or seriously injured them.

I replaced the last set of BFG All Terrains at 5 years old due to dry rot. Plenty of tread. The Jeep is now garaged 100% of the time so I'm hoping I can stretch it out to 6 years, but if they start to crack or I feel unsure about them, they're gone.

^This.

 

[Shel_B]

What Age Should Tires Be Replaced at Tire Rack

What Age Should Tires Be Replaced found in: Do Tires Age? - Part 1 | Tire Rack, What Do Tire Manufacturers Say About Tire Age? | Tire Rack, TireRack..

tires.tirerack.com

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

If these are you vehicles:

2001 F150 5.4L
2013 Nissan Juke Nismo
2000 Honda S2000
1998 BMW 328i

maybe you should downsize if "$1200 every 6 years is a little much"?

Krzyś

Just seems wasteful is what I mean. It’s not going to break me. Throwing out a tire with 70% tread doesn’t seem right.

 

[edyvw]

Just seems wasteful is what I mean. It’s not going to break me. Throwing out a tire with 70% tread doesn’t seem right.

Logic, or what humans think is logic, and laws of physics and chemistry do not go often together. I have currently on Tiguan 6yr old Nokain Hakka R2 with 8/32. They are on my wife's car. I also have 4 1/2 and 2 years old in the back seat. Does not seem right to drive them on compromised tires, so next winter, new winter tires.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Logic, or what humans think is logic, and laws of physics and chemistry do not go often together. I have currently on Tiguan 6yr old Nokain Hakka R2 with 8/32. They are on my wife's car. I also have 4 1/2 and 2 years old in the back seat. Does not seem right to drive them on compromised tires, so next winter, new winter tires.

Good to know. I would bet the farm that someone will be running my tires from the used tire shop after I change them though. I’ve been looking at the new BFG mud terrain tires. Now I have a good excuse

 

[zzyzzx]

Sounds to me like an attorney involved is looking for deep pockets—a tire company for the passenger and possibly driver’s death.

Good luck getting the Chinee to pay up!

 

[edyvw]

Good to know. I would bet the farm that someone will be running my tires from the used tire shop after I change them though. I’ve been looking at the new BFG mud terrain tires. Now I have a good excuse

That someone won’t be me. So, does that mean just bcs. someone will, you should?

 

[stangguy]

I have bought lots of used tires over the years, and never had one go bad for me before it was worn out, and I usually run them till nearly bald. Although I never knew how old they really were. The only ones I did have go bad while driving were some almost new tires. they were 3 years old and less than 10000 miles. My 65 Mustang has tires that are at least 12 years old, and look great. Of course it spends 99% of its life in the garage, and never gets driven over about 65 mph when it does get driven.

 

[krzyss]

Just seems wasteful is what I mean. It’s not going to break me. Throwing out a tire with 70% tread doesn’t seem right.

What do you do with spoiled food?
It is wasteful to throw it away too.

Krzyś

PS The best approach it to buy only what you need. Hard to buy tires that one uses occasionally and keeps vehicle outside to not go bad before used up.
I have not heard about tire rental place yet.

 

[CapriRacer]

Let

Does that create microscopic cracks that let moisture that is part of air and damage steel belts? That was my understanding of one of the issues behind aging.

Moisture is not part of the failure mechanism, but the cracking is the result of fatigue that occurs where the stresses are the highest, which is at the rubber/steel interface.

 

[Gimpy1]

Tread separation with no loss of air pressure shouldn't mean you go into the ditch, or am I wrong?
I was a guest at the Bridgestone test track in Texas. One of the demos was a class 8 tractor losing all air in a front tire, at 60 mph. I was the passenger in the tractor. My US folks volunteered the lone Canadian. Fun group. The driver hit the shark fin in the road, there was a massive BANG when the tire lost all the air at 110 psi. The driver brought the rig to a straight stop without much drama. Quite the ride.

That's the difference between a driver that knows what to do during a blow out and someone who has no idea what to do.