DOT stamp shows age of tires, I did not know my tires were 13 years old Options

[Michael N]

So I am watching Motorweek on the Speed Channel and during the Goss' Garage section they are talking tires. They covered the when to change old tires etc.....

I did not know you could tell the week and year a tire was produced by looking at the dot stamp on the sidewall of the tire. So I go and check my tires and find they are 13 years old (second week of 1993). I think it might be time to change them for safety reasons. I don't want to be going 100MPH and have one blow out due to the age, although the tires have alot of tread left and don't seem to be cracking. Are they just helping to sell more tires or would you change?



A typical Pre -1999 DOT number GJHV234319

GJ= Manufacturing plant code
HV234= other production information
319= date code 31st week of 1999 (9=1999)

A typical 2000 up DOT number BTFR872001

BT= Manufacturing plant code
FR87 other production information
2001 = 20th week of 2001 (01= 2001)