Product Warranty

15
THE DOT
The “DOT” symbol certifies tire manufacturer’s compliance with U.S.
Department of Transportation 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, e.g.: 1995, 1985, etc.) 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 consult a qualified tire technician
to determine the year and decade 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.
It is impossible to predict when tires should be replaced based on their
calendar age alone . However, the older a tire the greater the chance that
it will need to be replaced due to the service-related evolution or other
conditions found upon inspection or detected during use.
While most tires will need replacement before they achieve 10 years, it is
recommended that any tires in service 10 years or more from the date of
manufacture, including spare tires, be replaced with new tires as a simple
precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they have not
reached the legal wear limit.
For tires that were on an original equipment vehicle (i.e., acquired by
the consumer on a new vehicle), follow the vehicle manufacturer’s tire
replacement recommendations, when specified (but not to exceed
10 years).
The date when a tire was manufactured is located on the sidewall of each
tire. Consumers should locate the Department of Transportation or DOT
code on the tire which begins with DOT and ends with the week and year of
manufacture. For example, a DOT code ending with “2204” indicates a tire
made in the 22nd week (May) of 2004.