Should tires be replaced after seven years and 30,000 kilometers?
2 Answers
Tires with seven years of use and 30,000 kilometers should be replaced. The typical lifespan of tires is 3-5 years or within 80,000 kilometers. Since tires are rubber products, they will gradually age and deteriorate in performance even if the car remains parked in a garage and unused. Therefore, for safety reasons, it is essential to replace tires promptly. Technical standards: Tires should be replaced when the tread grooves are less than 1.6 mm deep. If the tread wear indicators are exposed, it indicates that the remaining groove depth is less than 1.6 mm. The tread wear indicators are the raised bars within the grooves. Using tires with groove depths below 1.6 mm can lead to sudden loss of traction and braking power in rainy conditions, as well as a complete loss of traction in snowy conditions. Mileage standards: For mixed road conditions, tires should be replaced after 30,000-50,000 kilometers. On smooth asphalt roads, replacement is recommended at 50,000 kilometers, while on rough gravel roads, it should be done at 30,000 kilometers. Beyond 30,000 kilometers, the tread friction coefficient drops below 50. On wet or snowy roads, the tread's grip and drainage capabilities diminish or disappear entirely, with the friction coefficient falling below 15, increasing the risk of tire blowouts on gravel roads.
I just replaced my seven-year-old tires last week. Although they had only run 30,000 kilometers and the tread depth still looked decent, the risk of rubber aging couldn't be ignored. When inspecting the tires, I found fine cracks all over the sidewalls, and I could scrape off rubber flakes with my fingernail. The mechanic said that tires over six years old, even if not worn flat, retain only 60% of the grip of new tires, with noticeably longer braking distances in the rain. Especially since the front tires are critical for steering safety, I gritted my teeth and replaced all four tires. Now with the new tires, highway driving feels smoother with no steering wheel vibration, and I have much more confidence when cornering in the rain. I recommend you lift the fender liner and carefully check the inner side of your tires—that's where aging is most severe but usually out of sight.
