Tonight A Current Affair exposed a secret the tyre industry did not want to become publicly known - the TIN or Tyre Identification Number! In fact A Current Affair has done the Australian public a good deal of service by publicly exposing the risky practice of tyre sellers knowingly selling outdated tyres well past their used by date. The information is readily out there for people who ask about it/look it up on the internet, but who actually has???
On each tyre is a 3 or 4 digit code that looks like some sort of stamping or manufacture batch number... it doesnt really mean anything to anyone really.... well not anymore.
If you have a 3 digit number on your tyre it means it was made before the year 2000. i.e. if your tyre has the code "248" on it, it means it was made in the 24th week of 1998.
If your tyre has the code "1803" on it, it means it was made in the 18th week of 2003.
Now get this, the industry standard is not to sell tyres more than 6 years old as the rubber in tyres decomposes and dries out over time. It also makes the tyre perform substandard and increases the risk of failure (i.e blow out etc) which is a major safety risk on our roads.
The tyre professionals state that you should not buy a tyre more than 4 years old ideally, but A Current Affair visited several tyre companies (big names too) and they were selling tyres 6 to 8 years old, and most of them willingly knowing they are selling a tyre well past its used by date!
In fact, your local mechanic should be checking this code on all your tyres every pink slip/roadworthy and advise you to change the tyre if it is 6 years old or more.
The tyre industry isnt breaking any rules as its not a mandatory requirement.... yet.
So next time you go to buy a tyre check for the code on the tyre to let you know when it was made. If it is more than 4 years old, DONT BUY IT!!!!
Below are pics to show you exactly what code to look out for.
:x
CODE 4806 = manufactured in the 48th Week of 2006
CODE 0100 = manufactured in the 1st Week of 2000
CODE 375 = manufactured in the 37th Week of 1995
CODE 1204 = manufactured in the 12th Week of 2004
On each tyre is a 3 or 4 digit code that looks like some sort of stamping or manufacture batch number... it doesnt really mean anything to anyone really.... well not anymore.
If you have a 3 digit number on your tyre it means it was made before the year 2000. i.e. if your tyre has the code "248" on it, it means it was made in the 24th week of 1998.
If your tyre has the code "1803" on it, it means it was made in the 18th week of 2003.
Now get this, the industry standard is not to sell tyres more than 6 years old as the rubber in tyres decomposes and dries out over time. It also makes the tyre perform substandard and increases the risk of failure (i.e blow out etc) which is a major safety risk on our roads.
The tyre professionals state that you should not buy a tyre more than 4 years old ideally, but A Current Affair visited several tyre companies (big names too) and they were selling tyres 6 to 8 years old, and most of them willingly knowing they are selling a tyre well past its used by date!
In fact, your local mechanic should be checking this code on all your tyres every pink slip/roadworthy and advise you to change the tyre if it is 6 years old or more.
The tyre industry isnt breaking any rules as its not a mandatory requirement.... yet.
So next time you go to buy a tyre check for the code on the tyre to let you know when it was made. If it is more than 4 years old, DONT BUY IT!!!!
Below are pics to show you exactly what code to look out for.
:x
CODE 4806 = manufactured in the 48th Week of 2006
CODE 0100 = manufactured in the 1st Week of 2000
CODE 375 = manufactured in the 37th Week of 1995
CODE 1204 = manufactured in the 12th Week of 2004
