How to tell the age of a tyre

Friday 13th November 2020

Wondering how you can tell the age of your tyre? And how long tyres last for? Our handy guide has you covered.

Tyre age – how old are my tyres?

Each tyre is imprinted with a coded date on the sidewall of the tyre, which indicates the tyre manufacturing date. This 4-digit code allows you to understand how old your tyres are – the first 2 digits of the code represent the week of production during the year (from 1 to 52). The second two digits of the code represent the year of manufacture.

For example, if your tyre was manufactured in the first week of January in 2019, the 4-digit code printed on the sidewall would read 0119.

However, the coded date on the tyre sidewall may sometimes only have 3 digits. This would indicate that it was manufactured before 2000 – and should be replaced as soon as possible.

How long do tyres last?

On average, the life of tyres ranges from between 3 – 5 years – which equates to around 30,000 to 60,000 miles. It’s important to know when to replace tyres, as they will begin to show signs of age in the form of tyre wear – which can impact performance of your vehicle on the road.

However, there are certain things you can do to improve tyre life – such as checking your tyre pressure, ensuring your wheels are aligned correctly and removing any unnecessary weight from your car. Find out more information on how to prolong your tyre life from our guide on how many miles tyres last.

In need of replacement tyres? Buy new tyres online today. Locate your nearest Formula One Autocentre now, or get in touch with a member of our team for more information on tyre age.