ABC News Investigation: Aged Tires: A Hidden Danger on
the Road?
Contrary to popular belief, you can't judge a tire by
its cover. Researchers and most experts agree that along with
tread depth and proper tire maintenance, tire age is also
crucial to your safety on the road.
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."
Attorney Roger Braugh shows Brian Ross that aged tires have a
higher potential for dramatic tread separation, which in many
cases has led to tragic endings for unsuspecting motorists.
Braugh says his lawsuits on behalf of dozens of victims have
uncovered a pattern of corporate neglect and government inaction
on the issue of aging tires.
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.
This tire is more than seven years old. It was made in the 13th
week of 2001. According to experts like Sean Kane, who runs a
private auto safety research firm, tires older than six years
get increasingly more dangerous regardless of how long they've
actually been on the road.
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.
ABC News affiliates all over the country did their own
investigations collaborating with "20/20" and the Brian Ross
Investigative Unit for this report. In Indianapolis, WRTV-TV
found old tires at three tire distributors. This tire was made
in the 31st week of 2001.
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."
Article in .pdf format
Repair Pal
I have to admit that I'm leery of taking my car in for
repairs. I always fear the mechanics will only see a woman and
they'll have dollar signs flashing in their eyes, because I might
not know what they're talking about. I've had salesmen try to talk
me into purchasing extra services completely unrelated to my car
problems, but unfortunately for them, I know my car!
With Repair Pal, you can get an idea of how much the repairs
for your car should cost before you ever step foot inside a repair
shop. It helps you to know how much your repairs should be, where to
find the right shop in your area and it lets you keep track of
everything right here in your account.
Registering is free! On the orange bar across the top of the
page, you'll see "Welcome! Sign In." Click on Sign In. All you need
is an e-mail address, a password and a username. Read through the
terms and agreements and then click on the Register button. You'll
automatically be signed in and on the homepage again.
From here, you can Find a Repair Shop by typing in your city,
state or zip code. Next, click on the Find a Repair Shop button. It
will then generate a list and a map of all the repair shops near
you. You can even see how the shop has been rated by other
customers, as well as, rate it yourself.
You can also get Expert Advice by either clicking on the tab
for it at the top of the page or from the link on the main page.
What you'll do once you're there is put in the make, model and year
of your car. Then click on the See Your Car button. That will take
you to your car's page, where you'll see what common problems the
car has.
From the Expert Advice section, you'll also find the Auto
Repair Encyclopedia, where you can look up information about
different parts of your car. For example, Breaks, Engine, Suspension
and Steering.
On the tabs across the main page, you'll also find the
Estimate category. Here you can get an estimate for the cost of a
repair you're going to need. You'll put in the make, model and year
of your car and then select a service to have done. Then put in your
zip code and click on the Get Estimate button. That will take you to
the page that has an estimate of the service you requested. It will
even show you which shops offer that service and the price they
charge.
If you get lost or have a question about this Web site, I
recommend checking out the How Repair Pal Works section. It
explains, in detail, how the site works and
what you can expect from it. I hope you'll find this as useful as I
did!
A sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a
knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm...)
Use empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them
neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: Get warm water and put
Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps.
They won't refreeze.
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder - Put it in the freezer
for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside
down. The wax will fall out.
Crayon marks on walls? This works wonderfully! Use a damp rag,
dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease,
that is!).
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt
BLUE!) Put rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
Whenever you purchase a box of S.O.S pads, immediately take a pair
of scissors and cut each pad into half. It is more economical. A box
of S.O.S pads will last indefinitely! In fact, the scissors get
"sharpened'' that way!
Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen
peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.
Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?)
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for
inside windows. Then you can tell which side has the streaks.
Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash
windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will
probably streak.
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a
lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes
will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do
this with towels and linen.
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least
3 hours prior to burning.
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add
the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust
and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works
like a charm!
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop
or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan. Bring
to a boil on stove top.
Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in
tomato based sauces. No stains.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it
will keep for weeks.
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out
the corn's natural sweetness.
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your
forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for
future use in casseroles and sauces......... Left over wine? What's
that? :)
To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the
area and you will experience instant relief.
Ants, ants, ants everywhere Well, they are said to never cross a
chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or
wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors It does a good job and better
still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting
to tweezers or a needle Simply put the scotch tape over the
splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters
painlessly and easily.
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer.......
Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or
cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water
and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four
Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if
necessary).
Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer
tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White
Vinegar. Wait a few minutes and then run the hot water.
Burn your fingers? Pour soy sauce over it and the burning
sensation will immediately stop (and you have a good chance of not
blistering, too.) I don't know why, but it just works.
You will have to try them. I can't guarantee any of them work,
but they might.
And here's more....
Alka-Seltzer for
urinary tract infections?
Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two
tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the
symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections
almost instantly even though the product was never been advertised
for this use.
