Just like other parts of a car, its tires are also important. They help to transmit the load of the car to the ground and technically help in the movement of the car so their importance cannot be overemphasized. Tires are made of rubber and as time passes, the quality of rubber depreciates whether used or not. Car tires after prolonged usage become worn-out especially long after they have expired and just like everything else manufactured, car tires also have an expiration date.

It sounds alarming that most Nigerian car owners don’t know that tires expire and that a good looking tyre may have expired while a worn out tire is still valid or that it is even possible to purchase a brand new tire still in its wrapping but it has expired. Surprising right? Just imagine having a flat tyre or losing a tyre to wear and tear as you drive. Could be catastrophic right?

Expired car tires have frequently caused fatal road accidents leading to loss of lives and properties according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). So the big question remains, how can one tell if one’s tires have attained their expiry dates?

Car tires usually have a four year validity period from their date of manufacture though some safety groups in some countries recommend six years. However, considering the country’s irregular rough driving topography along with the climate, it makes a whole lot of sense to agree with the FRSC officials that recommended four years.

After the tires validity expires, they risk getting blown out while in use most especially during hot weathers. To find out if the car tyres are expired, simply look on the body of the tire for a four-digit code. This code may have an asterisk before it e.g. *2014. Though some tires do not have asterisks before the code, the code is usually standalone with no alphabet before it.

The first two digits of the code stand for the week it was manufactured and the last two digits stand for the year it was manufactured also. For example, let’s assume you found “*2014” on the tyre, it simply means the tire was manufactured on the 20th week in 2014 therefore, the expiry date is on the 20th week of 2018 i.e. four years from the date of manufacture.

So for safety purposes in regard to this information, it is important for us to regularly check the expiration dates of our car tyres including the spares too so that when you find out they are expired you can get a new one as soon as possible. Want to share your opinion? Let’s know in the comment box.

SOURCE >>> https://www.askifa.ng/know-car-tyres-expired/