[Cookieman]

I have just had to have a new rear tyre due to a side wall puncture due to a bicycle chain split link "c" clip! having the new tyre fitted I took the opportunity to look at my 2 year old front tyres (Goodyears) with much less than 5000 miles and to my horror found that in the bottom of the tread there was cracking/perishing and I don't mean a little bit, I suppose I'll find out how bad when it comes to the MOT.
The old rear tyre (general grabber) was going on at least 7 years old and only showing slight perishing as one would expect at that age.
Anyway, how long should a tyre reasonably last ? I don't mean miles as I don't do many anymore.

 

[johncam]

5yrs shelf life ......... Tyres are designed for grip now rather than lasting years and if you don't use the car much the oils in the rubber dry and you end up with cracking between the tread pattern. Years ago tyres were made from a slightly different compound and that's why they lasted a long time but were usually rubbish in the wet weather.

With modern materials used now you get better grip in all weathers but the downside is less miles driven on them and if the car is parked alot they crack. Some tyres last the life span without cracking under light use but there are so many more things to consider when asking why they crack and split.

Using summer tyres through the winter months is one big killer on tyres cracking because they are designed for warmer temperature's and when used in the cold weather the rubber stops hard and that stops the oils in the rubber doing there job. This is now why you can buy winter tyres and the rubber stops soft in cold temperatures giving better grip and its not often you will see a cracked winter tyre.

You can now buy all season tyres that are designed to work in all temperatures giving good grip no matter what the weather decides to do. After 30yrs in the motor trade and tyre trade i really can not remember the last time i have seen a cracked winter tyre and all season tyre because they just don't split or crack.

 

[Cookieman]

Thanks for that johncam, useful info, I think you may have hit the nail on the head with regards to car not moving much and therefore cracking, that somewhat fits the bill, covid, early retirement, has certainly reduced my time behind the wheel.
I think Goodyear give their tyres a 5 year warranty/guarantee, or 4 years if you can't find your purchase invoice (like me) which leads me to ask the question where can I find the manufacturing date, I've found the DOT area on the tyre and some random numbers which may indicate where manufactured (Germany) but not week and year numbers, I have basic knowledge of how to read tyre date but cant find it on these tyres altho it's getting dark now.
Goodyear efficient grip are the tyres

 

[Psshaw]

Any good?

Tire Date Code: Reading a Tire's Manufacture Date | Goodyear Tires

The Department of Transportation uses the DOT Code to help determine the manufacture date of your tires. Learn how to read them and how they’re used for tire registrations.

www.goodyear.com

 

[johncam]

On the sidewall of the tyre you will see a 4 digit code that looks like its sunk into the tyre wall.


0122
The 01 is the first week
The 22 is the year the tyre was made

 

[johncam]

Michelin tyres also suffer the same issues but they usually only do this after around 5 years of age as long as you use the car a few miles a day to stop the oils drying out you should be fine.

 

[Cookieman]

Any good?

Tire Date Code: Reading a Tire's Manufacture Date | Goodyear Tires

The Department of Transportation uses the DOT Code to help determine the manufacture date of your tires. Learn how to read them and how they’re used for tire registrations.

www.goodyear.com

Thanks for the link, unfortunately mine doesn't seem to have the date "stamp" ,it does have all the other letters/numbers after DOT but no date, too dark to see now but I will look in the morning, maybe I'll post a pic of where I would expect to see it

 

[Cookieman]

On the sidewall of the tyre you will see a 4 digit code that looks like its sunk into the tyre wall.


0122
The 01 is the first week
The 22 is the year the tyre was made

Thanks for your reply, I know what it's supposed to look like but I just can't find it!! Maybe I should have gone to "specsavers" LOL. I might have better luck in the morning

 

[MaoVi]

I spotted difference with tread depth. Some new tyres for example Michelin Primacy 4 has only 6.8mm, and other like Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV has 8.78mm so it's huge difference...
All tyres has stamp "Treadwear" but this value is declared by manufacturer, so they may not be comparable.

 

[Cookieman]

check out the pictures, they show almost 100% of the tyre wall, now please tell me where the date is

 

[johncam]

Try looking on the inside of the tyre ........ Sometimes tyre fitters fit them the wrong way round so also look at the tyre to make sure its fitted correctly. Goodyear tyres usually only have INSIDE stamped on the inside OR in very small writing next to the outer edge it will say outside. It will deffo be stamped on the tyre as its a legal requirement in this country.


Its times like this i wish people lived round the corner so i could pop round and show you lol

 

[Cookieman]

Thanks johncam, tyres were fitted by a normally reliable local company, having said that, errors do happen.
I will check again in the morning on the inside of the tyre.
I think it's the 3rd pic down but you can see the DOT and an elliptical shape at the end where I expected to see the date stamp.
I will also look for the "inside/outside" writing.
If the tyres were fitted the wrong way around would it explain the "cracking" or effect the handling, although the handling seems fine, in fact no different to the tyres they replaced.

 

[Cookieman]

Had a look today, but couldn't see anything, not without getting trolley jack out, tried lock to lock though and still nothing. It will be easier to run it down to local tyre bay ( where they were purchased) and ask them.
Many thanks for all the replies and I will post results when possible

 

[McTrucky]

I had badly cracked Goodyears on tyres dated 2019 (not on the Koogster). I believe Goodyear have a 5 year warranty that covers appearance as well as functionality; so accepting the cracks are not dangerous as they are only I the top layer of rubber, I am still hoping for credit towards the replacements.

You don't need the original receipts, you just need a garage who will return to Goodyear for you. My local KwikFit will do this for me, but check with any supplier before buying just to make sure they will do it. Once the tyres reach Goodyear I am hoping for them to say "50% worn, send us your invoice for replacements and we will send you 50% of the cost back".

I did replace with Goodyears, and accept they might say "No fault found" but they did look dodgy and I am planning on a long trip to Europe I in the summer and would like to have good rubber on. And having tyres stamped 2022 is always going to be better than three year old rubber.

 

[Cookieman]

Thanks mctrucky, that's what I thought about Goodyear guarantee/warranty, I've still to find the date stamp though!!! Still find it hard to believe they are cracking at what I remember about the age to be (about 3years) , the car may have been stood for less than 2weeks at a time on a couple of occasions and done few miles in between since I bought them (local runs),surely tyres should be able to last better than that

 

[davidoff]

I wouldn’t be happy driving with tyres where the surface of the tyre is cracked. At higher speeds there is the possibility the tyre could delaminate.
I was working in the US some years back and there was a court case where new Firestone tyres were delaminating on Ford Explorers and a family of 4 were killed when the vehicle flipped. It had happened a few times and the hire companies were still hiring the vehicles with the defective tyres fitted.
I still have the USA Today newspaper with details.

 

[McTrucky]

I emailed Goodyear, and they phoned me back. They explained the construction and why cracking on the tread was safe. That the tread sits on a layer, which sits on another layer, which sits on another layer and so on. Even a catastrophic failure of the tread (which wasn't going to happen) would not result in a deflation.
My car also went through an MOT with no issue, and I had asked them to look closely at the tyres.

The chap who phoned me said it was entirely my decision as the warranty was on appearance as well as function - and while he couldn't confirm in writing that it would go through based on my photos, that the assement would need to be made by their technical people in Germany, he was confident they would pay up.

So I have taken a chance that they will pay. My fronts were maybe 20% worn, rears around 50% so if they don't pay out I have thrown away a chunk of cash; but either way I have new 2022 tyres all round which is peace of mind.

 

[Cookieman]

This is what I love about this forum, so many people with personal experience, some eye openers some not so much.
Big thank you to all involved

 

[Cookieman]

So it it seems my tyres are slightly over 4 years old and therefore not covered by Goodyears guarantee/warranty, so by a couple of weeks I'm stuffed!!!! Lesson learned, don't buy Goodyear unless you can wear them out in a couple of years.
Thanks again to all involved

 

[johncam]

Shame about the warranty on the tyres. Get a new set on it and spend more time behind the wheel enjoying your car mate.