Owner`s manual

READING THE DOT
DOT XXXX XXXX XXX (prior to August 2000)
DOT XXXX XXXX XXXM (1990-1999)
DOT XXXX XXXX XXXX (after July 2000)
THE DOT
The “DOT” symbol certifies tire manufacturer’s compliance with U.S.
Department of Transportation and Transport Canada tire safety standards.
Next to the symbol is the tire identification or “serial number”. The first
two characters identify the plant where the tire was manufactured. The
next two characters reflect the tire size. The following one to four digits
may be used at the tire manufacturer’s option as a descriptive code. The
last three characters are numbers identifying the week and year of
manufacture. (Example: “O25” means second week of the year of
decade, eg.: 1995, 1985, etc.) For the 1990-1999 decade Michelin brand
tires are marked with a triangle pointing to the last three numeric
characters. Tires produced after July 2000 have an additional digit to
identify a given decade. For example, 2800 means the tire was produced
during the 28th week of 2000; 0201 during the 2nd week of 2001. If the
last digits of your DOT number contain three numeric characters that are
not marked with a triangle, consult a qualified tire technician to determine
the year of manufacture.
SERVICE LIFE FOR PASSENGER CAR AND LIGHT
TRUCK TIRES INCLUDING SPARE TIRES
The following recommendation applies to passenger car and light truck
tires. Tires are composed of various types of material and rubber
compounds, having performance properties essential to the proper
functioning of the tire itself. These component properties evolve over time.
For each tire, this evolution depends upon many factors such as weather,
storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed, inflation pressure,
maintenance etc.) to which the tire is subjected throughout its life. This
service-related evolution varies widely so that accurately predicting the
serviceable life of any specific tire in advance is not possible.
That is why, in addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure
maintenance by consumers, it is recommended to have passenger car and
light truck tires, including spare tires, inspected regularly by a qualified tire
specialist, such as a tire dealer, who will assess the tire's suitability for
continued service. Tires which have been in use for 5 years or more should
continue to be inspected by a specialist at least annually.
Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tires'
visual condition and inflation pressure but also of any change in dynamic
performance such as increased air loss, noise or vibration, which could be
an indication that the tires need to be removed from service to prevent tire
failure.
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