What does DOT on tires mean?
2 Answers
Tire DOT stands for certification by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is usually followed by a series of numbers and letters, which respectively represent the tire's origin information and factory code. The last four digits indicate the tire's production date. The first two digits represent the production week, and the last two digits represent the production year. Here is some related information: 1. The 11-digit number and letters immediately following "DOT" represent the tire's identification number or serial number. DOT is classified into three levels: A, B, and C, with C being the lowest standard, only meeting the minimum performance requirements set by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The other two levels exceed the DOT standards. 2. According to U.S. law, all tires sold in the U.S. market must pass DOT testing and have the DOT mark molded on the tire sidewall after certification. Tires without the DOT mark are not allowed to be imported, produced, or sold in the U.S. market. 3. Currently, these specifications of tires produced by the company are only sold in the Chinese market and are not exported to the U.S., so the sidewall does not need to have the DOT mark molded.
I remember being curious about the 'DOT' on tires when I first started driving. It actually stands for the U.S. Department of Transportation, indicating the tire meets safety standards. The string of numbers following DOT is important, especially the last four digits. For example, '1722' means the tire was manufactured in the 17th week of 2022. Even with little use, tires age and deteriorate, typically becoming problematic after about 6 years. Personally, this check helped me avoid buying a used car with old stock tires. This information is very practical, and I recommend new car owners take a quick look during each maintenance check—safe driving is no small matter.
