On each tire there is the date on which it was produced, a detail that can make us think of the tire’s expiry date. Some retailers charge a premium for newer products. Let’s be clear
Car tires like any food, with an expiration date beyond which they perish? The question is legitimate, given that safety is at stake, and because the production date on the rubber might suggest that there is also a limit. The answer is no, the tires do not expire like any other dairy product, the duration depends both on the correct conservation between the factory and the assembly, and on the use of the vehicle.
NO EXPIRATION
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The clarification came from Assogomma, the association of tire manufacturers, in response to the commercial conduct of a German retailer who asked for a premium for 2021 production tires, implying greater quality and effectiveness than others previously baked. “A request that cannot be justified from any point of view, especially from the technical point of view” – affirms Fabio Bertolotti, Director of Assogomma – “It is understood that the tire is a perishable product like a food and therefore its value can be correlated to the date of its production, that is to its ‘freshness’. A misleading commercial proposal since, in the face of a greater outlay, the consumer does not obtain any technical performance advantage because this plus does not exist “.
ATTENTION TO STORAGE AND USE
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Discarded the parallel with food products, the rubber of a vehicle can more appropriately be compared to a pair of shoes. In both cases, construction quality, correct storage and use on the road influence product life and effectiveness more than the production date. Once produced, a tire must be stored at correct temperatures and humidity, away from sources of heat, light and ultraviolet rays, away from substances such as solvents, hydrocarbons, oils and greases that affect the condition of the product. Once mounted on the vehicle, it is essential to constantly check loads, speed, maintenance of inflation pressures, type and conditions of the roads traveled, impacts due to potholes and sidewalks, exposure to atmospheric agents.
DATE OF MANDATORY PRODUCTION
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The production date of a tire is mandatory information in the European Union to allow the tire manufacturer to track and trace the production batch in case of possible non-compliance. It is information that has no use for the final consumer, nor is it designed to establish the duration of the product. The abbreviation DOT is not a mandatory marking in the EU, but only in the United States and therefore may not even be present on the tire.
August 31, 2022 – 14:22
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED