Just How Dangerous Are Aging Tires?

I agree that, especially in places where the temperature exceeds 100°F for part of the year, 6 years is pushing it.

Unless your running back and forth to market at under 40MPH.

It seems really odd that the tire industry is trying to block legislation that could potentially induce people to replace tires more frequently.

They might perceive this as bad marketing or

they make more money on selling the attachement to the tyres after it crashes!

I don't think the tire companies are making much of their revenue from selling wheels or any less direct attachments to tires. _{....btw, I do appreciate the humor, it wasn't a fruitless effort.}

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It would also be strange for the industry as a whole to consider inspections and the accompanying documented reminder/notice to car owners that new tires are needed, bad marketing. I suppose if the industry was currently in the habit off overstating mileage/life one could reasonably expect from tires AND the majority of people were not making any effort hold tire companies to the claims made to sell the tires, then it probably would be bad marketing... at least for the execs and companies that have been being less than forthright.

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It seems like tire companies would be very interested in the liability reduction that could be associated with regular inspections. If drivers are told of a deficiency but don't correct it, and the tire fails, the tire company is probably in a much better position than if the driver's knowledge of a problem cannot be documented. Similarly, if a tire fails, but the inspector failed to notice/report a deficiency with the tire, the tire company may be able to leverage that as well.

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Is this tied to commercial truck and trailer tires as well? If so, maybe the retread market has something to do with this odd stance?

I don't consider a tire too old until the belting is coming through the face and even then it's still going to be a spare for a few more years after that.

A 10 year old tyre, CORRECTLY INFLATED FOR THE LOAD, can still be OK provided that there is no hidden previous damage....

(Correctly inflated may actually mean a higher pressure than the car/trailer manufacturer recommends. I test the tyre after 50 miles or so, with the back of my hand, over blood temp and I put some more air in till it runs cool! JUST LIKE ME!)

A recent TV program found that in the UK, that 2nd hand tyres sold by Tyre companies, over 25% of them had serious failures.......on just an optical test!!!!

I would not have such old tyres on any car personally, but I might use them on my 4 wheel Trailer (assuming that they are of the correct type and size for the trailer), but they are also protected from UV light when not on the road.....and very little mileage!!!

I actually use tyres on my trailer that are of a type that exceed the safety limits needed by a factor of 4. Far higher than required by law here.....one single tyre can actually take the full, loaded weight of the trailer. I like that and they cost only a tiny amount of small change more than the minimum load ones......Just as sk!!!

Many years ago, I actually paid less for the better tyre, I forget why.....maybe on offer or something.

Most failing tyres (assuming no previous damage), fail ONLY due to low air pressure for the load applied (a slow leak puncture can produce the same effect), they overheat and eventually burst......seen it more times than I can count....

There are cheap systems around to warn you of low pressures on any one of 4 or even 8 tyres (up to!) Like this one:-

Tyre Pressure Monitor for 1-8 Tyres Simultainously

NOTE.

To cause a car tyre to fail with too much air pressure is not impossible, but seldom, as the tyres handle over pressure far better than under pressure, assuming that you can keep the car on the road with four pieces of round concrete!!!

A trailer with over inflated tyres may "spring" around a lot......upsetting the driver and throwing stuff around - at best!!.....still unsafe!!!

Damage? What - like too many exclamation marks?