Hi,

I am about to get a new set of tires for 2007 RX350.

The spare tire is the original OEM Michelin MXV4 S8 dated 2006(I can see the date code 0106).
It has a lot of tread, hardly used. But I see the side near the rim has cracks. See pics.
I have been running on this spare past week or so, seems fine, but local driving only.

Wondering if I should throw away this spare and use one of the current old tires(BS alenza plus) dated 2016 as spare, when replacing them?

Thanks.

 

Yes. The old one could be too dangerous (for example, blow up in several miles after installation).

 

I wouldn’t trust those sidewalls for any length of time. If you are truly only using as an emergency spare (and then soon thereafter putting a repaired/new tire back on) AND not driving highway speeds you would probably be ok but....Tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires after 10yrs regardless of tread life remaining. Most tire shops would also not repair/plug/patch a tire over 10years old

By using one of your 2016 vintage tires you are buying yourself another 5 years of “spare tire life” so to speak. Since you have that option available to you I would “upgrade” to the best of the 2016 tires you are removing.

Refer to last bullet point for Tire Rack’s opinion
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret...jsp?techid=184

 

Yes you must throw that tire out ASAP. It’s a spare that you will use momentarily, no need for it to have good tread. Even if it wasn’t cracked with that age that tire is dangerous and can lead to major issues. Given how cracked it is even if it was brand new it would be garbage.

 

All of the above^^^^^^.......Kinda surprised that the spare, being the same as the others origrinally wasn't rotated. Not many vehicles come w/ a spare tire/wheel assembly same as the others........

 

Yep I would get rid of it. FYI my spare was never rotated either, we bought ours CPO so not sure what the previous owners did. I never rotated the spare into use either and still dont today.

You can often find a one off, used tire on craigslist for DIRT cheap. i got a brand new bridgestone hl422 for 20 bucks, 90% tread left ( 7/32) and have it mounted when you purchase new matching tires. just make sure the tread is good and the manufacture date is relatively new.

 

Even official Toyota dealer doesn't rotate the spare, just rear <-> front...

 

dry rot. its probably a throw away.

if you are changing all 4 tires, save the best of those 4 as the spare, and chuck the spare.

ideally you would have rotated that spare into the pattern, and it would not be dry rotted but with no tread wear....oh well

 

I agree with the others. Replace that spare. Even if the tire doesn't blow out on you, a tire shop will not touch it, no flat repair, no balancing, no rotating. The government passed a law saying don't mess with tires over 10 years old.

You may have a tire shop or two that sells take-off tires - tires that were replaced while still fairly new. Give them a call.

 

It wouldn't bother me to keep as a spare, but the problem is the TPMS sensor you'll eventually have to replace. As Dennis says above, a tire shop will not dismount and re-mount that tire.
(I'm assuming California has state car inspections and require the TPMS to be fully working.)

*Also, while those cracks don't bother me much, I still would feel better if you were using that spare on the rear axle rather than as one of the front tires. A blowout on a rear tire is usually no big deal.

 

Good pic showing the cracks in the sidewall.
If I'm on the highway heading north at Christmas on a cold day with a car full of luggage and 2 dogs there is no way I would use this spare.
For me I have to trust my tools and emergency equipment and that tire can't be trusted in my opinion.

 

i had good luck getting all of my tpms sensors replaced at a Costco a couple years ago. they were relatively cheap. figured it was time.