PIRELLI
203
minimum tread depth and they may be dangerous if left in service.
Tires should be removed from service for numerous reasons,
including tread worn down to minimum depth, damage or abuse
(including, without limitation, punctures, cuts, impacts, cracks, bulges,
under inflation, overloading, etc.). For these reasons, tires, including
spares, should be inspected at least once a month and before long
trips. Inspection should occur regardless of whether the vehicle is
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. In addition to these
visual conditions, consumers should take note of and address any
change in performance such as increased air loss, noise or vibration or \
other factors.
The mere passage of time (age) does not cause tires to deteriorate,
but rather exposure to outside forces. The service life of a tire is a
function of service and storage conditions. For each individual tire,
this service life is determined by many factors such as temperature/
weather, storage conditions, and service conditions (e.g., load, speed,
inflation pressure, maintenance, and road hazard damage, etc.) to
which a tire is subjected throughout its life. Since service and storage
conditions vary widely, accurately predicting the service life of any
specific tire based on chronological age is not possible. There is no
scientific or technical data that establishes or identifies a minimum
or maximum service life, but the longer a tire has been in service,
the greater the chance that it will need to be replaced due to service-
related conditions.
Only use a mild soap solution to clean tires and rinse the soap off with
low pressure tap water, use of high-pressure sprayers may cause
damage. Never apply cleaners or other products to enhance sidewall
or tire appearance to avoid removal of substances which are intended
to protect the tire and reduce rubber degradation associated with the
impact of ozone and other environmental conditions.
The removal of these substances may degrade the rubber and can
lead to sidewall cracking. To remove the protective film from a Pirelli
tire with white letters, first flood the area with a stream of water from a
hose. After a minute or two the film will soften and it can be removed
with soft nylon brush if needed.
