Analog
Lifer
Major U.S. tire manufacturers have a new warning for consumers and dealers: Any tire made before 1996 should be swinging from a tree.
Michelin USA and Continental Tire North America Inc. have become the latest manufacturers to issue technical bulletins to dealers calling for the replacement of all tires 10 years or older.
Some automakers -- including Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG -- advise owners that tires be replaced after six years.
Industry and safety experts agree that most tires are replaced long before any unofficial expiration date.
But some tire and safety experts say there is no concrete evidence showing tires aren't safe after a certain age.
Safety advocates, however, contend that tires degrade over time and can become dangerous even if they look new.
"It's an invisible hazard," said Sean Kane, president of Safety Research and Strategies, which tracks auto safety issues.
The latest warnings -- Bridgestone Firestone issued a service bulletin in October, while Michelin and Continental sent advisories this month -- suggest a turning point for the tire makers, Kane said.
"The manufacturers signify that there is an issue and they have to address it," Kane said. "It's just the beginning. Consumers still don't know."
But are they at risk?
Seasonal and recreational vehicles, as well as their trailers, may hit the highways only a few weeks a year, allowing tires to age long past the time it could be safe, experts said.
Spare tires, in particular, pose a problem because they may still appear new six years after they were manufactured.
However, the latest service bulletins issued by the tire makers do not address tire degradation.
All of the warnings echo Bridgestone Firestone's inspection guidelines: "Although (Bridgestone Firestone) is not aware of technical data that supports a specific tire service life, the replacement of tires 10 years after the date of production is an important consideration," the company told dealers in a bulletin last October.http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/AUTO01/602230368/1148
Michelin USA and Continental Tire North America Inc. have become the latest manufacturers to issue technical bulletins to dealers calling for the replacement of all tires 10 years or older.
Some automakers -- including Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG -- advise owners that tires be replaced after six years.
Industry and safety experts agree that most tires are replaced long before any unofficial expiration date.
But some tire and safety experts say there is no concrete evidence showing tires aren't safe after a certain age.
Safety advocates, however, contend that tires degrade over time and can become dangerous even if they look new.
"It's an invisible hazard," said Sean Kane, president of Safety Research and Strategies, which tracks auto safety issues.
The latest warnings -- Bridgestone Firestone issued a service bulletin in October, while Michelin and Continental sent advisories this month -- suggest a turning point for the tire makers, Kane said.
"The manufacturers signify that there is an issue and they have to address it," Kane said. "It's just the beginning. Consumers still don't know."
But are they at risk?
Seasonal and recreational vehicles, as well as their trailers, may hit the highways only a few weeks a year, allowing tires to age long past the time it could be safe, experts said.
Spare tires, in particular, pose a problem because they may still appear new six years after they were manufactured.
However, the latest service bulletins issued by the tire makers do not address tire degradation.
All of the warnings echo Bridgestone Firestone's inspection guidelines: "Although (Bridgestone Firestone) is not aware of technical data that supports a specific tire service life, the replacement of tires 10 years after the date of production is an important consideration," the company told dealers in a bulletin last October.http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/AUTO01/602230368/1148
