Mmmm... well why would we expect retailers and car mechanics to look out for our safety.... after all, they only care about their corporate profits and lowering costs.
Fuzzy logic on car tire danger
· By: Drivers.com staff
· Date: 2008-08-31
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A July 24, 2008, ABC TV report by John Stossel revealed that aging tires, even if they're never used, can dry out and become dangerous. Worse still, Stossel revealed, the tires you buy "new" at your local auto store may be several years old when you get them, and it's hard to get that information.
Stossel's expose of this aspect of the auto industry was a bit of a shocker, since a number of crashes and even deaths had been attributed to aging tires. However, even more shocking was a follow-up story about a month later on NBC Action News showing that not a lot had changed Stossel's story was broadcast.
Both stories related that tires can begin to dry out and become dangerous after about 5 to 6 years on the shelf. However, it is, apparently, not uncommon for tires to remain on dealer's shelves for a number of years before being sold.
Incredibly, although the age of the tire appears on the sidewall, it is in the form of a little understood code that even employees don't know about. For example, each tire has a DOT code number embossed on it and the last 3 or 4 digits of that code indicate the age, but who would know that 414 means the 41 st week of 1994, or that 4202 means 42 nd week of 2002.
Worse still, sometimes that code is displayed on the inside of the tire, and only getting on the ground with a flashlight or a mirror would reveal the age!
ABC’s 20/20 investigators found tires 6 yrs and older at major stores such as Sears. A 7-year-old tire was found on sale at Wallmart and a 9-year-old tire on the shelf at a Goodyear store.
The NBC Acton News follow up story dated August 20 found not much change at tire stores. They took in an 11-year-old tire asked employees at tire stores to check it for leaks and “safety concerns.”
Only one recognized the tire as aged and a safety concern.
Comments
Jonathan, on Monday, 01. September 2008 at 02:24 PM
