You'll probably wear out your tires before tire cracking becomes a problem.
Common tire cracking occurs on vehicles that don’t get driven that much, like trailers, motor homes, classic, collector & performance cars, Grandma’s Buick or the church van. Hairline cracks usually appear on the sidewall or between the tread blocks after 4-5 yrs and can develop into deeper craters in a short time.
That's because tires use Antiozonant, a rubber additive they put in at the factory, that acts as a sunscreen, protecting tires from UV rays and ground-level ozone caused by pollution and smog.
But Antiozonant only works while the tires are being driven (It's the same reason your tires may be blooming too).
Tires need to be driven for the "sunscreen" to be effective. Tires exposed to the elements, not regularly going through their normal heating and cooling cycles are more likely to develop tire cracking and dry-rot that could be dangerous.
But every tire, driver, and situation is different, I've seen bad cracking on two year-old tires and 10-year-old tires that look great! And just because tires look good on the outside doesn't mean the rubber on the inside is degrading. That's why tire manufacturers recommend replacing your tires every 6 years, no matter how many miles you've driven on them.
When someone asks me about a tire's warranty for cracking, I'll often use Michelin’s "Ozone or Weather Cracking Visual Tool" chart to help determine if tire cracking is cosmetic or severe and check the tire's manufacturer date. If the condition is abnormal I recommend contacting the manufacturer directly.
You can't reverse tire cracking, but you can slow it down by taking care of them - Proper air pressure, cleaning the grime and then protecting your tire's outer rubber goes a long way to extending their life.
At the shop I use Adam's Polishes Tire and Rubber Cleaner to clean tires because it's citrus based and human-friendly.
And Adam's Polishes Wheel Cleaner for the grime and brake dust on wheels because it’s acid-free, safe for any painted and plated surface. (It works great for bugs on windshields and to clean gutters and RVs.)
At the shop, we spray it on, leave for a few minutes before agitating with a brush and hosing it off. See how it works on the brake dust of this Mercedes GLK350 —
For tire protection, I'm currently using Wizards Tire & Vinyl Shine because it's NOT silicone or petroleum-based (silicone looks great, but actually accelerates the tire cracking process and can void your tire's warranty). Also check out any of the Adam's Cleaners and Tire Dressings (Amazon link).
Take a look at the pictures of cracked tires people send me in the attachments --
At Kenwood Tire we're here to get you back on the road with a minimum of fuss -- We're an independent tire specialist with your best interests in mind.
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