Every tire sold in the US has a DOT code on the sidewall ending in 4 digits - the manufacture week and year. A tire reading 2218 was made in week 22 of 2018. Tires over 6 years old are worth a close look regardless of tread.
Most car makers and NHTSA recommend replacing tires 6-10 years from manufacture date even if tread looks good. Rubber compound degrades with age regardless of mileage.
A DOT code ending 2218 means manufactured in week 22 of 2018. A code ending 0524 means week 5 of 2024.
Old code: 3 digits where last digit was the year of decade. Cannot reliably identify year. If you find one, the tire is at least 25 years old - replace.
The full DOT code may be on the inside of the tire when mounted. The outside might show partial. Look on both sides.
When buying new tires, ask the date code. Anything older than 1 year (52 weeks) is shelf stock. Reject anything over 2 years.
Donuts and full-size spares can be the original from new. A 15-year-old spare is unsafe even unused.
| Code Ending | Manufacture Date |
|---|---|
| 2218 | Week 22 of 2018 |
| 0119 | Week 1 of 2019 |
| 5220 | Week 52 of 2020 |
| 1523 | Week 15 of 2023 |
| 0525 | Week 5 of 2025 |
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Find the DOT marking on the sidewall. The last 4 digits are the manufacture date - first two are the week (01-52) and last two are the year. So 2218 = week 22 of 2018.
6 years from manufacture date triggers careful inspection. 10 years is the hard limit - most car makers and NHTSA recommend replacement regardless of tread.
On the sidewall, usually a small oval. It often appears on only one side - the inside when mounted. May require crawling under the car to see.
Department of Transportation - the US agency that regulates tire safety. The DOT code includes the manufacturer plant, tire size, optional codes, and the manufacture date.
Avoid it if possible. Tires age from the day they are made, not the day they are mounted. A 2-year-old new tire already has 2 years of clock time on it. Ask for date code before buying.
Check the DOT code on the spare. If it is over 6 years old, replace it. A spare that fails when needed is no better than no spare at all.