How Long Do Tires Last?

When it comes to installing tires that are within 2, 3 or even 4 years from the date of manufacture, common questions we get from customers are often things like “how old should my tires be?” or “how long should my tires last?” Modern tires feature anti-aging ingredients mixed into their construction, but will, like all materials, eventually degrade and no longer be able to usefully function.

The question, distilled down to its simplest form is: how long do tires last?

The answer is more complicated.

Properly stored tires don't really begin to age until they are put into service on a vehicle. Typically, manufacturers set an internal threshold that tires must be sent into distribution channels before they reach 3 years from the date of production, though they're often sent out well before that. Once they're received by a Tire Rack warehouse, where proper storage conditions are maintained, we allow for an additional year, for a total limit of 4 years. Tires close to that threshold are often sold at a discount as a courtesy, despite being functionally brand new.

Tire Rack's policy on tire lifespan is in-line with other supervisory bodies: approximately 6 years of service and 10 years from the manufacturing date are the rough limits of tire usage. Manufacturers realize their tires will always spend some time in storage and distribution before ever being installed on a vehicle. This is why most product warranties begin the day you install your tires, not the date they were manufactured, even for age-related conditions such as weather cracking.

On a tire with a chronological age of 4 years old, there are still 6 years of potential service life remaining before reaching the general 10-year limitation recommended by manufacturers. There are many things that can cause wear or damage to tires that would require they are removed from service before that limit, like driving an underinflated tire or road hazards such as potholes. According to the US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, the average American drives approximately 14,000 miles a year. Even assuming the most optimistic tire life expectancy at 70-80,000 miles, the majority of drivers will still wear them out long before they will reach 10 years.

For more information on how tires age, we recommend:
How Does Age Affect Tires? - Part 1 | Part 2

If you want to know how to check the date code on your own tires:
How Do I Determine The Age Of My Tires?