Tire date codes, how to read them

[WallyWest]

This is on my other Jeep, but a universal topic.

The guides I see online show the line starting with DOT, and the last two numbers in that group being the year it was made.

Mine look like this. DOT OJ 22 HC1

Obviously no date code in there. A little behind the DOT part is a very tiny string of letters and numbers that looks like this.

JB45 PB.002.399 03

Nothing else on the tire looks anything like a date code. I'm thinking this means these tires were made in 2003? Which is interesting since I bought it (used) in 2015 and the dealer had just put "new" tires on it.
Some brand I've never heard of, BCT. Tread is getting down but still plenty left, but I was checking because I expected them to be maybe 7 years old or so and I'd probably just replace them at that point.

Would you say I'm reading that right and these are 18 year old tires?

 

[CodaMan]

Codes are done by week and year. In this example the tire was produced in the 21st week of 2018

 

[WallyWest]

Like I said, mine has no such code in that location. There is no standalone 4 digit number anywhere on it.

 

[twistedlv]

Should be a four number code after that fist DOT string.
https://www.tireamerica.com/resource/tire-date-code

 

[WallyWest]

And then I looked at my TJ. Rear spare is a Goodyear Wrangler. There is no DOT code at all. The little ovals are there, where the numbers usually go, empty. And no it's not rubbed off, I don't think it's ever been used. The "Goodyear Wrangler" lettering is still white.

And the other tires were supposedly new when I bought it a little over a year ago. Those are General Grabber A/Tx 30 inch. I see nothing on them that looks like a date code either.

 

[WallyWest]

Guys, forget the DOT string. On both my WK and TJ there is no date code at the end of that string. I'm REALLY sure.

 

[pagrey]

Date codes are designed to track manufacturing defects and not so consumers know when to replace tires. That's why the date is not clearly written like the one on your milk carton. By all means do what you feel is safe but if the tires look fine they are fine. Tire date codes are for recalls due to defects. NTSB tracks vehicle accidents and the cause if there are fatalities, incorrect tire pressure often shows up, tire age does not. That's why states that have inspections do not check date codes in any state.

 

[CodaMan]

Like I said, mine has no such code in that location. There is no standalone 4 digit number anywhere on it.

I've haven't seen a tire without a date code in that format in decades

 

[WallyWest]

I've haven't seen a tire without a date code in that format in decades

First pic my GC tire.

Second my TJ, General Grabbers.

Third my Goodyear spare. There's the little ovals where the DOT codes are, nothing in them.

Las pic is what I think may be the date code on my GC.

 

[WallyWest]

Date codes are designed to track manufacturing defects and not so consumers know when to replace tires. That's why the date is not clearly written like the one on your milk carton. By all means do what you feel is safe but if the tires look fine they are fine. Tire date codes are for recalls due to defects. NTSB tracks vehicle accidents and the cause if there are fatalities, incorrect tire pressure often shows up, tire age does not. That's why states that have inspections do not check date codes in any state.

Hard disagree. When you drive as little as I do appearance is not a good indication of when to replace tires. Traction is reduced as they age, even just sitting on a shelf somewhere. I have personally come very close to a major accident due to tire age. I won't be repeating that.

And state inspections have nothing to do with safety, there are all sorts of important stuff they don't check.

 

[jeepins]

You checked the backsides? My understanding (for what it's worth) is the date code only needs to be on one side of the tire so could very well be on the back side of these.

 

[pagrey]

I have personally come very close to a major accident due to tire age

Yes officer, it was my old tires, honest.

 

[5632]

Date codes are designed to track manufacturing defects and not so consumers know when to replace tires.

Discount Tire has a completely different option. They will not even put air in them if the code is over 5 years old.

 

[WallyWest]

Yes officer, it was my old tires, honest.

12 year old tires. Valve stem decided it had better places to be. Instant flat on the highway. Replaced valve stem.

Same thing happened to a different tire a few weeks later, at 70mph. Ended up in the ditch and almost rolled it. Took it to my mechanic who had inspected the car a few months before. He said "yeah, they're old, probably should replace them regardless of tread left". I asked why the hell he didn't tell me that when he inspected the damn thing. He said...

inspections do not check date codes

So you tell me, would that have happened with 2 year old tires?

 

[WallyWest]

You checked the backsides? My understanding (for what it's worth) is the date code only needs to be on one side of the tire so could very well be on the back side of these.

I'll check, never had to do that before. Seems odd that nine tires on two different vehicles are all mounted with the code on the inside.

 

[Hunter_TJ]

Discount Tire has a completely different option. They will not even put air in them if the code is over 5 years old.

Discount tire tech here, we will put air into tires and work on them until they are 10 years old, that's when they are definitely unsafe to drive on. Although we recommend new tires after 6 years or 4/32 tread depth due to safety reasons.

 

[jeepins]

I'll check, never had to do that before. Seems odd that nine tires on two different vehicles are all mounted with the code on the inside.

We're probably talking about the same thing but just in case not inside the tire itself, just the other side mounted opposite the rim. Black lettering side as opposed to white lettering side.

 

[WallyWest]

We're probably talking about the same thing but just in case not inside the tire itself, just the other side mounted opposite the rim. Black lettering side as opposed to white lettering side.

LOL, yeah I'm not going to try and take it off the rim.

FWIW black lettering is facing out on everything except my Goodyear spare.

 

[Mudflat]

Date codes are designed to track manufacturing defects and not so consumers know when to replace tires. That's why the date is not clearly written like the one on your milk carton. By all means do what you feel is safe but if the tires look fine they are fine. Tire date codes are for recalls due to defects. NTSB tracks vehicle accidents and the cause if there are fatalities, incorrect tire pressure often shows up, tire age does not. That's why states that have inspections do not check date codes in any state.

I’ll have to disagree to some extent. I learned by being an RVer that you will never wear out the tread on trailer tires before they fail due to age. ‘Usually by about 7 or 8 years even if there is no sign of cracking or dry rot. Our Jeeps are very much the same way if they aren’t daily drivers. My personal tolerance for this risk is 6 years. Short wheelbase lifted vehicles like ours wouldn’t do well with a blowout at highway speeds. Do what you want, but a set of tires is cheap compared to what could happen with a tire failure.

 

[P1W]

I’ll have to disagree to some extent. I learned by being an RVer that you will never wear out the tread on trailer tires before they fail due to age. ‘Usually by about 7 or 8 years even if there is no sign of cracking or dry rot. Our Jeeps are very much the same way if they aren’t daily drivers. My personal tolerance for this risk is 6 years. Short wheelbase lifted vehicles like ours wouldn’t do well with a blowout at highway speeds. Do what you want, but a set of tires is cheap compared to what could happen with a tire failure.

View attachment 259007

After reading this post I went out and looked at my tires. They are six years old. Less than 15,000 miles on them and lots of tread left. I took some pics and see some cracking. I was looking for an excuse to get new tires/rims. My current rims are as 17s (tires are Load E). I think I just found a legitimate reason to purchase those 15 inch rims. Anyone disagree?