[drsingh]

Was looking at Apollo Apterra HT2 tyres for manufacturing date. Found this code on the sidewall DOT 042 360000.

Earlier last 4 digits following DOT indicated week and year of manufacture.

Kindly help decode this code.

What is the latest code scheme for labelling manufacturing date on tyres?

[RubberGuru1113]

Originally Posted by drsingh

Was looking at Apollo Apterra HT2 tyres for manufacturing date. Found this code on the sidewall DOT 042 360000.

Earlier last 4 digits following DOT indicated week and year of manufacture.

Kindly help decode this code.

What is the latest code scheme for labelling manufacturing date on tyres?

Hello.

There’s no major change in the system. It’s a simple matter of your tyre being a symmetric one and the manufacturing week and year code is visible only on one side, which in your case has been mounted in such a way that it is facing inwards.

There has been a slight change though - the old system was this

DOT AA BB WWYY
AA - manufacturing plant code
BB - tyre size code
WW - week of manufacturing
YY - year of manufacturing

This is visible only on one side though, and on the other side there would just be DOT AA BB.

The new system (implementation date of 2025) is as follows

DOT AAA BB CCCC WWYY

AAA - manufacturing plant code
BB - tyre size code
CCCC - tyre construction code
WW - week of manufacturing
YY - year of manufacturing

Again this is only on one side, on the other side it is DOT AAA BB CCCC

Now you’ll notice two changes - the manufacturing plant code is now of 3 characters - this is to simply accommodate the establishment of new plants all over the world without running out of unique 2 digit codes.

Note - if you’re so inclined, there’s an exhaustive searchable database of different plant codes, you can check it here - https://www.wfirm.com/complete-list-...t-plant-codes/

Another change is the addition of the construction code CCCC - this is for easy traceability in case of multiple SKUs in the same size and pattern. For instance, MRF supplies the 215/60R16 Wanderer Street to both the Hyundai Venue and the Maruti Brezza. In the same way, Bridgestone supplies the 185/65R15 Ecopia EP150 for both the Ertiga and the Swift/Dzire. There are many examples like this. This move (addition of the 4 character construction code) is meant to enable customers to search for and purchase tyres with the same construction code as their stock tyres if they need to. However, this is a legally binding implication only for tyres sold in the US and that too from 2025. Plus, there’s no fixed standard for how to codify this and manufacturers are free to follow their own internal system.

Coming to your tyre, what you see as “0000” is not the manufacturing week and year, but a slot or provision given by Apollo on their mould for future implementation of the “CCCC” addition as and when the need arises. Since your tyre is having a symmetric pattern, it can be mounted either way on the rim, and the side containing the information “WWYY” is facing inside, as has happened in your case. If you want to check the manufacturing date information, I’m afraid you’ll have to lift the vehicle and check on the inside.