A tyre can still have enough tread and yet be due for replacement. Rubber ages, even when the tyre is hardly used.
Is there a legal maximum age?
No. Belgium has no legal maximum age for car tyres. Tyre manufacturers do give guidelines:
- From 5 years: have your tyres checked every year.
- After 10 years: replace the tyre, even if the tread still looks fine.
How do you know how old your tyre is?
Every tyre has a DOT code on its side. The last four digits tell you when it was made. For example, 2321 means week 23 of 2021.
Only three digits? Then the tyre was made before 2000 and no longer belongs on the road.
Why do tyres age?
Rubber contains substances that keep it flexible. Sunlight, ozone, heat and temperature swings slowly remove them. The rubber hardens and small cracks appear. A hard tyre has less grip, especially on a wet road.
Signs of an old tyre
- Small cracks in the sidewall or between the tread blocks
- Rubber that feels hard and shiny
- Deformations or bulges
Watch out with used tyres and spare wheels
A spare wheel is rarely used and is often very old. Always check the DOT code of used tyres too.
Work out your tyre's age straight away with our DOT code checker.
