Where is the production date of Continental tires located?
4 Answers
The production date is located in a small box on the sidewall of the tire. The four-digit number in the small box represents the production date of the tire, with the first two digits indicating the week of production and the last two digits indicating the year. Below is an introduction to Continental tires: Product Introduction: Continental tires are manufactured by the German Continental Group, the only road tire in the world approved for driving at speeds of 360 km/h, earning a place in the Guinness World Records. The headquarters of Continental Group is located in Hanover, Germany, and it is the world's third-largest tire manufacturer and the largest automotive parts supplier in Europe. Since entering China in 1996, Continental Group has collaborated with SAIC. Product Features: Renowned for all-weather safety and reliability, low noise, and strong self-cleaning capabilities. They possess extremely high instantaneous overload capacity, sensitive handling response, and cornering stability, along with excellent braking performance on both dry and wet surfaces and superior water drainage protection.
When I help people check tires, I always remind them to first look for the small square on the sidewall. The production date of Continental tires is usually engraved near the hub area on the sidewall, enclosed by a string of oval frames with four digits. The first two digits represent the production week, and the last two digits indicate the year. For example, ‘3122’ means the tire was produced in the 31st week of 2022. Remember to squat down and slowly rotate the tire to find it, as some modified wheels may block the location. Tires stored for more than 3 years are considered stock tires, and their grip will decrease—pay special attention to spare tires gathering dust in corners. If you see a long code starting with DOT, the date is usually the last four digits of this code.
Years of flipping countless tires have taught me that Continental tires hide their birthdate code near the wheel hub sidewall. Shine a small flashlight along the sidewall and you'll spot a four-digit number printed in an oval frame. Last week while checking my neighbor's SUV tires, I discovered '0923' hidden under the fender shadow, indicating production in the 9th week of 2023. Pay special attention to this when replacing tires - some shops sell retreaded old tires as new. Actually, tire rubber begins hardening after two years in storage, making them prone to blowouts at high speeds. While checking the date, inspect for hairline cracks too.
The first lesson I teach my apprentices when repairing cars is how to identify the tire birth date code. For Continental tires, the production date is usually engraved on the outer sidewall near the rim, in a fixed four-digit format: the first two digits indicate the week of the year, and the last two digits represent the year. For example, '2519' means the tire was manufactured in the 25th week of 2019. Remember to rotate the tire and check the entire circumference, as some installers might accidentally mount the date side inward. If you can't find it, look for the set of numbers at the end of the DOT code. Be especially cautious when buying used tires—tire lifespan is calculated from the production date, and they should be replaced after five years, even if the tread depth is still good.
