Tire question: hairline cracks sidewall 6-year-old tire

[cn90]

Hi guys,

- I am posting this in different forums, just to see what you have to say.

- Car is 2004 X3 with 85K miles...

- Tires are Goodyear with about 6/32" to 7/32" remaining tread depth.

- The tire man, who has been fixing tires for 30 years, told me city driving only, no highway, which makes sense.

- This is just "normal" hairline cracks seen on tire's sidewall in cars parked outside, exposed to the sun.

- What do you guys think?

[andrewwynn]

I would not have a problem driving on those in the city as long as I had a good spare. My wife drove about two hours on a 10/32 spare that was aged and it completely disintegrated: one sidewall was 100% gone the other side was about 40% gone: I could put my hand through in five places on the better side. That is the problem with dry rot totes they don't fail slowly. They "explode"

[Ricky Bobby]

^What he said - when it does go, it will explode


I wouldn't put my family at risk, I would replace the set -

[Emory39]

Six years is when I change tires. That's about what the tire life expectancy is

[Clockwork]

do not risk it please. if not for your safety, perhaps for someone else around you if the tire does explode. THEN imagine the cost to repair the rim and tire and anything else that may have been damaged.

[mr_robot]

Tires are the only part that actually touch the ground. I'd replace it no matter what.

[srmmmm]

My local Discount Tire won't balance or remount a tire when it hits seven years old. I don't keep anything "rubber" like hoses, belts, neoprene life jackets, bungee cords or tires past 7 years. The only exception is my spare because it's essentially never been exposed to sunlight.


2002 X5 3.0 348,300 miles
2014 438i 41,000 miles


2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles


1970 Firebird Under restoration

[g300d]

IMO what your tire guy said is realistic.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by srmmmm

The only exception is my spare because it's essentially never been exposed to sunlight.

Apparently they don't need sun. This was my wife's "unused" spare tire after about 200 miles. Spare came with the used car I made the mistake of not looking at the dot stamp to figure out the age no aging cracks looked good but wow when it went it went!

[OptimusPriM5]

Meh your good to go with those tiny cracks folks are reusing torque to yield bolts surely this risk is nothing