California Personal Injury Law Case Notes : California Personal Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Kristine Meredith : The Danko Law Firm : Car Accidents & Product Liability

Your tire is losing air. You drive to the gas station and learn you've "picked up a nail." The guy says he can fix the tire in 10 minutes with a "plug." He doesn't even have to take the tire off the rim. Ten bucks. Wow. Sounds pretty good. And what's the worse thing that can happen if it doesn't work? It'll leak again, right?

Actually, an improper patch or plug repair can cause the tire tread to peel off the tire. That, in turn, can cause the vehicle to become uncontrollable, leading to the most dangerous type of accident there is -- a rollover. And it happens more often than you'd think.

The weak part of the tire is where the steel belts bond with the tire's shoulder. An improper "on the wheel" repair can allow moisture to get to the steel belts and weaken the bond. That's what causes the detread. The three things to remember are:

1. No on-the-rim repairs. The tire must be dismounted so that the tire can be properly inspected and sealed against moisture. If the guy at the garage says he can fix the tire without taking it off the rim, he isn't doing you a favor. He is putting you and your family at risk.

2. No repairs near the shoulder. The shoulder of the tire is the weakest part.  So only those holes in the middle of the tire can be repaired.  If you pick up a nail near the shoulder, you need a new tire.

3. If you decide to get a new tire, the new tread must go on the rear axle. Installing the new tread on the front axle can lead to a loss of control and rollover for reasons unrelated to tread separation.

Gas station mechanics are supposed to know better. That's their job. But many don't.

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A vehicle spins out on a wet road or highway. It crosses the median divide and ends up in oncoming traffic. If the vehicle is an SUV or van, it may even roll.

The driver wasn't speeding. And the road may have been perfectly straight. So what happened? Just another hydroplaning accident? Driver error? Maybe.

But maybe not. Perhaps improper tire installation made the vehicle uncontrollable.

"Tire Placement" Is Crucial to Safety

A vehicle's front tires tend to wear out faster than the rear. When a consumer buys two new tires, he or she may ask the installer to put them on the front, and leave the older tires where they are.

That may seem like the sensible thing to do. But the tire shop is supposed to know better. Under no circumstances are the new tires supposed to go on the front. It doesn't matter whether the vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. The best tread is always supposed to go on the back.

It sounds counter-intuitive. But if the rule is not followed, and the better tread is placed on the front axle, the vehicle can easily "swap ends" when it hits a puddle. Especially if the driver taps on the brakes. And that can lead to a serious accident.

Tire Manufacturers Agree

Skeptical? Here's what the tire manufacturers say:

Goodyear: “When you select a pair of replacement tires in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle.“

Dunlap: “When you select a pair of replacement tires in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle.”

Michelin: “A pair of new tires should go in back.”

BF Goodrich: “. . whenever only two tires are replaced, the new ones should be put on the rear. The new tires, with deeper tread, may provide better grip and water evacuation in wet driving conditions.”

Most consumers don't know that new tires are always supposed to go on the back. But tire installers and sellers do. Or at least they are supposed to. That's their job. 

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There's no longer any debate.  Tires older than six years should be discarded and replaced, even if they otherwise appear to be in good condition with plenty of tread.  In fact, they should be tossed out  even if they've never been used.  That's because tires older than six years are prone to "detreading."  Detreading is a type of tire failure where the tread peels from the tire much like the skin may peel from a banana.

Detreadings are more dangerous than flats or blow-outs.  Some vehicles, including SUV's, can become uncontrollable after a detreading and can roll over, especially if it's a rear tire that fails.

One need look no further than the vehicle's owner's manual for guidance.  Almost all the car manufacturers now warn to replace tires after six years, regardless of condition.  That includes Volvo, Nissan, Toyota, BMW, and even Ford. In fact, Ford posted a warning on its website: 

Tires degrade over time, even when they are not being used. It is recommended that tires generally be replaced after 6 years of normal service. Heat caused by hot climates or frequent high loading conditions can accelerate the aging process.  

Until recently, the tire manufacturers argued that tires were good for at least 10 years.  Maybe even indefinitely if they had adequate tread. It's only now that the tire makers agree that the "six-year" rule should be followed.

What gives?  Wouldn't a tire manufacturer want consumers to toss out tires sooner, so that they could sell more?

No.

Tire manufacturers make tires in batches and then store them until needed. That' means the tire you buy at a tire store as "new" may be up to 10 years old.   Sometimes even older.  If buyers began rejecting those tires, tire manufacturers would have to change their whole way of making and distributing their product to get them to market and sold while still "fresh."

Consumer groups have argued that tire makers should stamp the year of manufacturer on the outside tire sidewall, so the consumer would have no trouble telling how old the tire is.  Or at the very least, tire shops should be required to advise customers when the new tire they are buying isn't exactly "new." 

Tire makers and tire shops resist.  They say the code containing the tire's date of manufacture is stamped on the inside sidewall for anyone to see.  But the problem with that is the coded information is hard to find and is, well, in code.      

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