
This tire was bought as new -- it has never been on the road -- but was nearly 14 years old when purchased. Despite its deep treads, this tire's inside layers have been slowly decomposing and drying out, what experts say make it like 'a ticking time bomb.'

This graphic breaks down the various codes in the Department of Transportation's serial number for tires. A cryptic code of four numbers at the end of the 12-digit DOT serial number can tell the consumer which week and year a tire was manufactured Can you tell when your tires were made?
This tire's DOT code indicates that it was made in the 41st week of 1994. Tires made in the 1990s have three numbers at the end of the DOT code, while tires made after 2000 have four numbers.

ABC News' '20/20' sent producers undercover, rigged with hidden cameras, to tire retailers all over the county to see if any old tires are being sold as new. The undercover producers found half a dozen tires older than six years at this Sears in Jersey City, N.J. -- some were even older than a decade.

In San Francisco, KGO's reporters found a nine-year-old tire, made in the 45th week of 1999, sold as new at a tire dealer.
And in the New York area, our undercover '20/20' shoppers found several Sears stores selling tires older than six years. Sears says it is unusual to have old tires in their inventory and told ABC News, 'Consistent maintenance, proper inflation and regular inspection for tread wear patterns and damage are the keys to good tire performance For consumers who are concerned about the age or condition of their tires, it is recommended they let us evaluate their tires regularly, which we'll do free of charge.'

At another Sears store, we were told that a tire made 12 years ago, in the 46th week of 1996, was perfectly safe. Sears said, 'We follow an inventory process of first in, first out, and we turn our tire inventory an average of more than three times a year. We note that there is a difference of opinion in the tire industry...about the service-life limits of tires. The safety of our customers is a top priority for Sears, and we'll continue to work with all interested parties to push for a consensus on tire service limits.'
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