How old is too old for car tyres, and how do you read a tyre's age?

The short answer

Both Michelin and Continental say to replace a tyre 10 years after its date of manufacture, even if the tread still looks fine. Michelin also recommends having tyres checked by a professional at least once a year once they have five years of use. The date is stamped on the sidewall, so you can check it in a minute without any tools.

How to read the date on the tyre

Look on the sidewall for the letters DOT followed by a string of characters. The last four digits are the date of manufacture. The first two are the week and the last two are the year. Continental's example: a tyre marked DOT XXXXXXX4521 was made in the 45th week of 2021. Michelin gives the same rule, with a code ending in the 47th week of 2014 as its example.

Continental adds that the date stamp usually, but not always, follows the DOT marking, so read the last four digits of the whole string.

What each manufacturer says

• Michelin: if tyres have not been replaced 10 years after manufacture, Michelin recommends replacing them as a precaution. This also applies to spare tyres. Michelin also says that after 5 years of use you should have them checked by a professional at least once a year.
• Continental: it recommends replacing all tyres that are over 10 years old, as shown on the date stamp.

Michelin's explanation for the 5-year checkpoint is practical: over that time a tyre will probably have run over many surfaces and may have suffered shocks. Michelin's Singapore site also notes that, when stored properly, most tyres keep the same performance and durability for up to 5 years.

Age is not the only reason to replace

Michelin points out that legislation requires a tyre to be changed when the tread is below 1.6 mm, and that the wear indicators moulded into the tread show when you have reached it. A young tyre can still need replacing for wear or damage. The 10 years is a ceiling, not a target.

Buying new tyres

Continental says a properly stored, unused tyre up to 5 years old can be sold as new where local rules allow, and that the warranty period starts on the purchase date, not the manufacture date. Checking the date stamp before you buy tells you how old the tyres already are.

Before you rely on this

These are the manufacturers' own recommendations, not a Greek or EU legal limit, and this guide does not claim a legal maximum age. If your car's handbook or your tyre brand gives a different figure, that one applies to you.

Track it in Epimeleia

Add each car as an item, note the manufacture date of its tyres (and the spare), and set two reminders: a yearly professional check from the fifth year, and a replacement review for the year the tyres reach 10. Attach the tyre receipt so the purchase date is on file if you ever need to claim.