Find the date among the sidewall markings
- Find the DOT marking on the sidewall. Its last four digits give the manufacturing week and year.
- If the date is missing from the side you can see, check the other side or ask a tire service professional to read it.
- Count age from manufacture, then compare the advice for your tire and vehicle.
- Stop using a tire with worn-out tread, cuts, cracks, bulges or irregular wear, whatever its age.
A sidewall has plenty of numbers, and the date can get lost among the size and rating markings. We'd find the DOT Tire Identification Number first, because its final four digits are the ones that tell you when the tire was made. Once you've found them, you can leave the other markings alone while you work out the age.
That's the Tire Identification Number, or TIN. Look on both sides if the side facing you hasn't given you the date, since the TIN may not appear on both sides. Tire-age guidance (opens in a new tab) shows where to look.
Read the week first, then the year
The date-reading process is the same for a clear four-digit DOT ending on any tire. Write down the code before working out the age.
- Find the DOT marking and read its final four digits. If you can't find them, check the other sidewall. If that side is inaccessible or the code is unclear, ask a tire service professional to read it.
- Split those four digits into two pairs. The first pair is the manufacturing week; the second is the year. For example, 0308 means the third week of 2008.
- Count forward from the manufacturing week to today. Subtract the manufacturing year, then check whether that week has passed this year. Keep the manufacturing date as your reference even if you bought or fitted the tire later.
A clear reading gives you a manufacturing week, not an exact calendar day. Keep the fitting date separately if you know it, because time in service can matter for inspections.
Match a code to its manufacturing date
These examples show how the two pairs work. Read the year pair first when comparing tires made in different years.
| Final four digits | Manufacturing date |
|---|---|
| 0308 | Third week of 2008 |
| 4714 | 47th week of 2014 |
| 1119 | 11th week of 2019 |
| 3520 | 35th week of 2020 |
| 2524 | 25th week of 2024 |
As of October 2026, a tire marked 1119 is about seven and a half years old. When buying a used vehicle or checking tires that have been in storage, read the date on each tire you're assessing. Write each code beside its decoded week and year so you have the manufacturing dates ready when discussing inspection or replacement.
If replacement is the next step, check your tire size as a separate job. Your owner's manual or the Tire and Loading Information Label on the driver's side door edge or post gives the correct size for your car or truck.
Low mileage doesn't stop a tire aging
A tire can see little use while plenty of time passes. Low annual mileage and infrequently driven vehicles deserve attention to tire age, including collector cars, recreational vehicles and 15-passenger vans. Stored tires need their manufacturing dates checked too.
Aging happens as rubber and other tire components change over time under service, storage and environmental conditions. Sunlight, warmer climates, poor storage and poor maintenance all contribute. Aging is a greater concern in the more southern parts of the Sun Belt states.
Heat cycles, UV exposure and ozone can degrade rubber in ways you won't see on the surface. You can't judge aging simply by looking at a tire. Put the manufacturing date alongside tread wear, condition and any change in performance when deciding what needs attention.
Limited use can still leave you with tires whose materials have degraded, potentially affecting durability and performance.
Use the advice for your tire and vehicle
Some vehicle and tire manufacturers recommend replacement at six to ten years old, regardless of treadwear. That range reflects different recommendations, so compare the guidance for your tire with your specific vehicle owner's manual. If the tires came with the car, follow the vehicle maker's replacement advice.
These are examples of why the limits differ. The Ford entry comes from the 2020 Ford Transit owner's manual. Check the manual for your own model and year.
| Source | Replacement advice |
|---|---|
| 2020 Ford Transit owner's manual | In general, replace tires after six years regardless of tread wear. |
| Continental tires | Replace tires made more than ten years ago, including spares. |
| Michelin tires | Replace ten years after manufacture, including spares, regardless of tread or apparent condition. |
For a Michelin tire marked 3520, the ten-year point falls in the 35th week of 2030. As tires age, they become more prone to failure. Remaining tread is one part of the decision, alongside age, overall condition and performance.
Tire lifespan also depends on design, driving habits, climate, road conditions and maintenance. When you discuss an older tire with a professional, bring its manufacturing date and what you know about its use and storage.
Check inspection timing at five years
For Michelin passenger vehicle tires, arrange a thorough inspection by a trained tire professional at least once a year after five years of service. These checks can find signs of aging or damage that aren't immediately visible. Check the inspection advice (opens in a new tab) if that's the tire you're checking.
We'd book the first Michelin inspection five years after the manufacture date, because that's the earlier of the two starting points Michelin uses, and then go yearly. Don't postpone an inspection already due under either wording. On Yokohama tires in use for five or more years, spare included, have a qualified tire professional check them at least once a year to decide whether they can stay in service.
Include the spare in the age check
A spare ages even if you've never driven on it. For Michelin passenger vehicle tires, that includes an unused compact spare, whose age still runs from the manufacturing date in its DOT code. Check the spare's pressure with your other tires at least once a month, and inspect it for cracking or damage at least once a year.
Before checking pressure, find the recommended tire pressure for the tire you're checking. Keep the pressure check and the age check separate, since the date code tells you when the tire was made.
Don't use a spare as a routine replacement for worn tires. A full-size spare has an emergency exception, such as replacing a flat tire. Spares deserve their own age check because they age and seldom get replaced.
Act on wear, damage or changes you notice
Wear or damage can mean a tire needs to come out of use before its age-based replacement point. Check the tire in front of you as well as the date you wrote down. A newer manufacturing year doesn't change the stop-use conditions.
On Michelin passenger vehicle tires, built-in treadwear indicators sit within the tread grooves. When the tread surface is level with those indicators, it has reached the minimum depth of 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) and the tire should be replaced.
If a tire fails to maintain proper inflation pressure, makes noise or causes vibration, contact a tire service professional. Ask them to inspect the DOT date, condition and spare, and ask what the inspection will cost before it starts. Tell them which tire is affected, the date you read, its time in service if known, and the change you've noticed.
If you want to make a warranty claim, check the terms for your tire. For Yokohama's standard limited warranty, bring the claim tire and the vehicle it ran on to an authorized Yokohama dealer. An eligible Goodyear tire under its limited warranty may be replaced free or for a prorated amount.
Questions that come up while checking the date
The date is worth checking on each tire you plan to keep using, including the spare. These answers cover codes and tires that need a closer look.
Why doesn't the DOT marking I can see end in four date digits?
Check the other sidewall. The full number or date may be on that side.
What if the dated side faces inward and I can't read it?
Ask a tire service professional to read it. You don't need to move the vehicle or reach underneath to finish the age check.
What if the code is worn, unclear or ends in three date digits?
A three-digit date code means the tire was made before 2000, which is past every replacement age above. Have a tire professional confirm it. If the code is worn or unclear, have a qualified tire service professional read it. Use a confirmed manufacturing date before applying an age recommendation.
Does an unused spare still need an age check?
Yes. Read its DOT date and include it when applying the replacement advice for your tire and vehicle.
Does storage change the tire's manufacturing age?
No. Read the manufacturing date on stored tires too, then consider their storage conditions and inspect their condition before use.
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