“Was there a mileage blocker on it?”
A Utah driver who bought a 2016 Mercedes-AMG C63 S with 31,000 miles went to top off the air in a low tire. From a date stamped on the sidewall, he worked out they were nine years old, which is bad news for his grip and, as commenters were quick to point out, good news for his odometer.
dyllywhips (@dyllywhipss), whose TikTok bio lists his proud ownership of a 2016 C63 S and a 2022 Ford Raptor, recently posted the video which has since been viewed 11,200 times.
“So I buy this 2016 C63 S, and it only has 31,000 miles on it,” he says from the driver’s seat. “I’m like, this is a 10-year-old car. Like, was there a mileage blocker on it or something?” Then the tire pressure warning came on. “I’m looking at the tires, and I’m now realizing that the tires are nine years old,” he says.
The camera cuts to the sidewall, where the Department of Transportation code ends in “0517.” In a reply to one viewer, he said he paid $43,000, “which I feel like is a steal for how low miles it has.”
Commenters argued over what those four digits mean. kennethjrrrrr wrote that the tire “was made in the 5th month of 2017,” and cpink69 corrected them: “5th week!”
Federal rules back cpink69. The last four digits of a tire identification number are a date code, and “the first and second symbols of the date code must identify the week of the year,” according to 49 CFR 574.5. That puts his tire in the fifth full calendar week of 2017, which ran from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4..
The industry’s advice on tire age does not recommend driving on nine-year-old tires. “Some vehicle and tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires that are six to 10 years old, regardless of treadwear,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSAS) says. Goodyear “recommends replacing tires that have been in service for 6 years or more,” according to its service page. Michelin puts the ceiling at “ten years after their date of manufacture, regardless of remaining tread depth or apparent condition,” and recommends a professional inspection every year after five.
Commenter videogirltara wrote, “I’m so confused. This tire looks fine to me.” But according to Michelin, rubber “degrades over time from heat cycles, UV exposure, and ozone in ways that aren’t visible on the surface.”
Any device that stops an odometer counting is defined by NHTSA as odometer fraud: “the disconnection, resetting or alteration of a vehicle’s odometer with the intent to change the number of miles indicated.” The agency estimates that more than 450,000 vehicles a year are sold with false readings, and its checklist for spotting one includes tires. “Examine the tires. If the odometer on your car shows 20,000 or less, it should have the original tires,” it states.
Viewers made the same connection. “At least you know the miles are legit, lol,” wrote leo.luna767. “Right? Almost a relief,” he replied. appleuser8235567 added, “Miles are probably legit with the second set of tires,” and he answered: “Yeah, almost makes me glad, even though it’s gonna be like 2K for new tires.”
For anyone checking a low-mileage car, NHTSA has one more tip on finding the date code: “Look on both sides of the tire. The TIN may not be on both sides.”
Some viewers answered his question about whether the Mercedes’ tires are dangerous. “Can confirm, will die. Specifically, the first time you drive in the rain,” wrote squidbilly99. “Mechanic here, you’re gonna die, bro,” added user8owpro89np. When mhamedd.k suggested he go back to the seller, he replied: “Could explain why I have zero traction. They’re probably so hard.”
Others had faced the same choice. rdrews bought a friend’s 2017 C63 S convertible with 9,500 miles and its original tires, and replaced them before a 16-hour drive home. “Shame, because the old tires looked perfect,” they wrote. mikeyvandekamp kept a set of 2012 Continentals on a 2010 Lincoln MKS until this year: “They drove fine around town, but highway speeds were horrible.”
Motor1 reached out to dyllywhips via TikTok direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.
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