The danger of crystallized tires: what it is and the ‘trick’ to detect it

In the middle of trips that the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) provides, it seems essential to check the good condition of your car’s tires, especially if you plan to make long-distance trips. |

As explained by , the Professional Organization of Tire Specialists, over time the tire can decrease its chemical properties, losing elasticity and thus giving way to what is known as crystallization. In this state, adherence is drastically reduced, increasing the braking distance, increasing the probability of suffering aquaplaning with precipitation and compromising the safety of the vehicle.

youtube video

Crystallization, contrary to what many drivers may think, is not exclusively the result of the mileage covered, but can occur when our vehicle spends a lot of time outdoors, with high temperatures and solar radiation, with low humidity and due to the aging of the tire. . However, use and storage are factors that significantly affect greater or lesser deterioration.

Therefore, although the ‘rubbers’ do not have an exact expiration date, it is recommended that the wheel that exceeds five years of use be reviewed by a specialist and it is argued that after ten years from its date of manufacture they will lose properties and stop working. offer the same security.

How to detect if the tires are crystallized?

At first glance, it is not easy to identify this wear since the appearance does not change despite having lost grip after increasing its rigidity. Although, a simple and simple ‘trick’ to check its condition is to plunge your fingernail into the tread of the tire, which will indicate the degree of crystallization. If the rubber is soft and we can sink the nail, it is not crystallized. In the event that we do not manage to sink it, our tires will have undergone this dangerous crystallization process, and they must be changed immediately.

In any case, from the association they advise that in case of doubt go to a workshop to make sure if the time has come to replace them with new ones. | .

Lastly, in order to try to prevent crystallization, OPEN recommends preventing tires from receiving a lot of solar radiation, exposing them to extreme temperatures and replacing them before exceeding ten years of life.