Deadly, Aged Tires Still on Shelves, ABC News Uncovers

Nov. 5, 2010 — -- Dangerous, aged tires are still being sold across the country, even as a major rubber supplier recently urged the U.S. government to beef up labeling standards for tire safety, an ABC News investigation has found.

ABC News visited tire shops outside of New York City and San Francisco this week. Of the five locations in New York, ABC News found that two shops had a pair of tires from 2006. At one location, a tire from 1996 was on display for sale.

Check the end of this story to get tips on tire safety.

In San Francisco, ABC News went to four tire sellers. The last one visited had an entire set of tires made in 2005 and one tire that was 10 years old.

As previously reported by ABC News, aged tires can present a hidden danger even if their treads are unworn and they haven't been driven a mile. According to consumer and industry sources, as tires age the rubber can deteriorate and become brittle, leading to a possible tread separation.

Tires are coded with a U.S. Department of Transportation or DOT stamp followed by a four-digit number. The first two numbers indicate the week the tire was made; the second two, the year.

In May 2006, 11-year-old Willie Moreno was killed when his family's Explorer rolled over on a highway in Riverside, Calif. The left rear tire, which had experienced a catastrophic tread separation, was later found to be 12 years old at the time of the accident. A California jury awarded $18 million in March to the family. American Tire Depot (ATD), a Southern California tire-store chain, was found negligent for installing the tire in the Ford Explorer involved in the accident. .