As an older tire won’t appear any different from a recently manufactured unit, the best aspect of this story is the illustration of the little-known tire “DOT” (Department of Transportation) code (see it below) that shows the date of origin on every tire.

As ABC News as been running this story again on their site, we thought we would pass it along again. Yes the piece is a tad sensationalist, but the knowledge offered is quite valuable.

Here is an excellent demonstration of the tire DOT code, courtesy of Kuhmo Tires USA. The “Date of Manufacturing” code in this case is “3805″ which means the 38th week of 2005.

This story may be more about lawyers and journalists looking for a big score, but nevertheless, look for this code next time you buy tires.

This issue is similar but unrelated to the large ongoing recall undertook by Toyota late last year which was due to accelerator pedals getting wedged under floor mats.

Vehicles subject to this latest recall are:

• Certain 2009-2010 RAV4,
• Certain 2009-2010 Corolla,
• 2009-2010 Matrix,
• 2005-2010 Avalon,
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry,
• Certain 2010 Highlander,
• 2007-2010 Tundra,
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

This is an opportune time to refer back to our post on How to Stop a Car With a Stuck Accelerator. This piece has tips that should be in the back of every driver’s mind regardless of the brand of their vehicle.

Claims
- The nitrogen molecule is larger than an oxygen molecule, so nitrogen is less prone to permeate the pores of the tires. Hence, the tire maintains a more constant inflation pressure. This leads nitrogen installers to claim that this concept will lower rolling resistance, save fuel, improve tire wear and safety.

- Moisture can be present in oxygen filled tires, whereas nitrogen offers dry environment inside the tire. Overtime, the presence of moisture can contribute to tire oxidation and/or rim corrosion. Both issues can lead to slow leaks.

So is it worth it?
Isn’t that old-fashioned compressed air comprised of 78 percent nitrogen (and 21 per cent oxygen) anyway? Yes it is, but let’s look deeper.

The cost of filling each tire with nitrogen is somewhere between $5 and $7. Yes top-ups are free, but that is only if you are in need of a fill near the shop or outlet of the chain that did the initial installation.

There are no known studies to suggest that nitrogen alone will lower the rolling resistance of a tire. This is an extension of the claim that nitrogen will maintain a more constant inflation pressure. Checking your oxygen-filled tire pressures on a monthly basis will accomplish the same goal.

This applies also to the suggestion that nitrogen will save fuel, improve tire wear and safety. Again, a properly maintained oxygen-filled tire will roll down the road in exactly the same fashion using exactly the same amount of fuel.

So do nitrogen filled tire lose less pressure over time? Consumer Reports ran a year-long study to evaluate that very question. They tested 31 tire models, filling one with compressed air the other with nitrogen. On average, the air-filled tires lost just 1.3 psi over their nitrogen-filled counterparts from the initial 30 psi setting. The average tire filled with oxygen lost 3.5 psi, while nitrogen-filled tires lost an average of 2.2 psi over the 12 month test.

What about the claim that the dryer environment inside the nitrogen-filled tire will discourage tire degradation and rim corrosion? There may be some merit to this claim, but chances are that the tread will wear off long before the tire will ever rot from the inside-out. As for rim corrosion, many of today’s vehicles are equipped with aluminum rims that are far more resistant to corrosion than their old steel counterparts.

In our opinion, the most significant downside to nitrogen tire fills is driver complacency. Many car owners may have the impression that once their tires are nitrogen-filled, the pressure levels are now constant and no longer require regular air pressure checks. This mentality is dangerous. A small puncture or faulty valve core can bring about insidious slow leaks that may not be apparent to the driver and the risk is a flat tire or catastrophic tire failure.

Now that service manager may talk a good game, but keep in mind that his shop is looking to justify nitrogen inflation equipment that ran them between $5000 and $20000.

The bottom line is simple. Nitrogen may have some benefits, but they are scant, in our opinion. Good old oxygen, straight from the service station air hose is perfectly fine. Check your tire pressures monthly and you will be blessed with every one of the aforementioned performance, safety and efficiency benefits.

When a stuck gas pedal occurs, we’re willing to bet that many drivers simply panic and attempt to use the brakes to stop the vehicle. In an August 2009 incident in San Diego, one of the occupants of a runaway Lexus actually had time to place a 911 call, while the driver tried in vain to stop the car. Unfortunately the driver and three occupants were killed in an eventual crash at over 100 MPH. Even though the driver was a CHP Officer, he didn’t have the presence of mind to simply place the car’s transmission in neutral.

Here are four simple steps to safely bring a runway car to a halt.

1. Shift the transmission to Neutral.
2. Use the brakes to come to a stop safely on the side (or off) the road
3. Shut off the engine with the transmission in Neutral
4. Put the car into Park

Here is what NOT TO DO in the event of a stuck accelerator.

DO NOT attempt to slow the car with the brakes. Simply put, the brakes will not beat the engine. Any resistance from the brakes will simply cause the transmission to downshift and the car will power on.

DO NOT pump the brakes . According to Consumer Reports testing, this is an especially futile reaction. Power brakes require vacuum to provide additional braking power. As the engine doesn’t generate any vacuum at full throttle, their testing found that as soon as pressure was applied, removed and then reapplied, the power assist disappeared and stopping the car became hopeless.

DO NOT turn off the ignition. This will disable your power steering assist making control of the vehicle very difficult. Worse yet, if the ignition is turned back too far, the steering wheel could be left in the locked position.

ABC News and Consumer Reports produced this video demonstrating exactly how to react to a runaway car.

All of this may seem like common sense, but some people will panic in the face of a sudden emergency. Please pass these tips along so that this knowledge is in the back of every driver’s mind.