Just because tires have low mileage on an occasionally driven Mustang doesn't mean they are safe. How old are your tires?
According to ABC News, more than 100 deaths have been attributed to tire failure as the result of tire age. Those of you with classic Mustangs and even late-model Mustangs hardly ever driven need to be aware of the dangers of aging tires sitting right in your garage. Even though there's little mileage and no tread wear, tire age and deterioration can get you dead.
Tires six years of age and older yield substantial risk of failure due to dry-rotted and deteriorating materials. In other words, even though you aren't driving your Mustang, its tires continue to age and eventually become dangerous. And - if you own a low mileage original with its factory tires, risk becomes substantial.
And what about new tires? How new are they? Here's how you can tell.
Look at the tire sidewall and you will see a group of numbers. These numbers begin with DOT information leading to other information including manufacturer and plant codes - and finally manufacture date. Tire manufacture date code is little more than the week and year. If your date code is 4809 for example, the tire was made the 48th week of 2009. Simply put - week and year. If your tires are more than six years old, you're driving on risky rubber. If you have a low mileage original Mustang with factory tires, you're not going to be driving the car because you want to keep mileage low. No reason to replace tires and ruin the car's original status.
However, those of you with occasional drivers where tires don't wear much need to pay close attention to tire condition. Keep them properly inflated and closely inspect condition every time you take a spin.