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Tire Cracking on Sidewall

About Tire Cracking, The Ozone, & Old Tires.

Most tire cracking I see is normal wear and tear and most drivers will wear out their tires before tire cracking becomes a problem, but if you have noticed small or large cracks on the sidewall and/or between the tread on your tires, it’s best to get them checked out asap. 

What causes tire cracking?

Air, ozone, age, road grime, and/or a manufacturing defect can cause tires to crack.

Just like anything rubber and left exposed to the elements, tires will perish and crack over time. Just like a balloon, it’s going to go flat too. That’s because tire rubber is porous by nature and a small air loss occurs that makes its way to the surface contributing to tire cracking.

Meanwhile, the sun and ozone cause a reaction to the tire’s rubber that causes them to crack too.

Tire manufacturers use a chemical additive to rubber called “antiozonant” to protect from harmful UV rays and ozone. The catch is that antiozonant only works if the tires are being driven, going through their normal heating and cooling cycles.

As a rule, the less you drive, the more your tires will crack. That’s why tire cracking is common on vehicles that don’t get driven that much, like trailers, motorhomes, classic, collectors, and performance cars, as well as Grandma’s Taurus and the church van.

At Kenwood Tire Company we see a lot of tires — some age well while others crack, rot, and bloom for no reason.

Are your tires cracking? Check out some of these pictures people send me for an opinion and compare them to yours — 

Michelin Tire Cracking Chart

Is Tire Cracking a defect? 

Usually not. 

No matter how much you drive, dry rot and ozone-cracking can become a problem on most tires after 6 years. That’s why tire manufacturers end warranty coverage and recommend replacing your tires every 6 years, whether they’re worn out or not,

But if your tires are less than 3 years old and cracking, there may be a problem with the tire manufacturing process and it could be considered a tire defect. 

It takes a trained eye, but when a customer has a concern, I use Michelin’s nifty Ozone or Weather Cracking Visual Tool as a guide. 


Steps you can take to protect your tires.

You cant reverse tire cracking — just like us, dry rot and cracking are inevitable :-), but there are products you can use to delay cracking and/or enhance the appearance of your tires. 

At Kenwood Tire, we use a few products to clean and protect our customers’ tires and wheels – Right now we’re trying out the Chemical Brothers Diablo Gel tire and wheel cleaner with great results on all wheel types.

See how it works on the brake dust of this Mercedes GLK350 —

When it comes to tire shine, I’m not a big fan, but it’s ok to use a tire protectant like sunscreen, just make sure it’s not silicone or petroleum-based because these types of protectants actually speed up the tire cracking and dry rot.

My longtime favorite is Wizard”s Tire dressing and Protectant because it’s water-based, and doesn’t leave a residue and sling product all over your car!


My advice? Just drive! — Even if you have nowhere to go, getting your tires hot and through a driving cycle will make them last longer.


Thanks for visiting – I’m Spencer, the owner of Kenwood Tire & Auto Service in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. If you’re concerned about your tires cracking, send me pictures as these people did, and I’ll give you an opinion. 



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About Kenwood Tire - internet tire installation

Making My Way in the Tire Business

The business of tires used to be simple. When I started in 1990, no-one knew more about tires than we did and we made a good profit. 

Like everything, the tire business has changed. Tires are expensive and everywhere. And thanks to the internet, customers often know more about the features and benefits of a tire than we do!

Today every chain store, franchise, car dealer, and corner gas station sells tires. 

Then there are the online tire stores: Amazon, Tire Rack, and TireBuyer.  But as cheap as they are and as much as they try to simplify things, it’s still up to you to get the right size, order the right tires and find someone who does internet tire installations.

The business of tires may have changed, but the best place to buy tires is still your local independent tire dealer.

  • You get personalized tire recommendations. We believe that the best tires are not the most expensive.
  • For us, one size does not fit all. Matching tires to drivers is what we do best!
  • We’re specialized and professional. You’ll save time and money
  • You’ll have somewhere to go when you need tire repairs, wheel balancing, and TPMS diagnosis.

Next time you need tires, give me a chance to earn your business because there’s more to tires than the price and most of the time, you’ll come out ahead buying from a tire dealer rather than the internet, chain stores, and franchises. 

Tire business salesperson

Click here our top tire choices and get a fully-installed tire price in seconds.

You can also schedule an appointment and put down a deposit on your new tires. 


I’m a tire professional and this blog is about helping you make good choices in tires.

Seriously, forget the chain stores like Town Fair Tire and franchises like Monroe, Mavis Discount Tire, and Midas, They’re all one big unhappy family.

“For them, it’s all about market share, controlling the distribution, and feeding the machine. For you, that means bait and switch, worthless add-ons, and not so free tires.”

Tires are confusing enough without ending up at a Town Fair Tire to wait 4 hours for some tires you’ve never heard of and get a worthless alignment.


I’m here to help.

Best car tire choices for 2020 - BFGoodrich Advantage Sport T/A

Best Car Tire Choices 2021

Buying tires is confusing. There are so many different kinds and sizes to choose from. Everyone claims to have the best tires at the best price, but what are the best tires. 

I’m a tire professional and I’m here to help you make good choices in tires. What makes my best tire choices different from the others is that I get to see first-hand how tires stand up to the wear and tear of Massachusetts roads and hear from customers about their real-world driving experiences.

“In my opinion, the best tires are not always the most expensive.”

Here are my 3 best car tire choices for 2021 –

If you’re a “spirited” driver, you’ll need a performance tire.

The BFGoodrich Advantage Sport T/A has the best combination of handling, all-season traction, and tread-wear I have seen. The tires wear even because their shoulders are strong.

The cool-looking tire has a wider tread footprint, but what sets the BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport apart for me, is the full-depth tire sipes that provide all-season capabilities throughout the tire’s life.

Click here to get a fully-installed price on BFGoodrich tires.

If you just want to get in and drive, no matter the weather, you’ll need an all-weather tire. 

New in 2020, the new Michelin CrossClimate 2 is an all-weather tire.  Unlike traditional winter tires, the trade-off in handling and treadwear of the Michelin CrossClimate 2 is not as noticeable as other all-weather tires like the Nokian WRG4 or Toyo Celsius that also have the “three-peak mountain snowflake” (3PMSF) symbol, showing the tire has passed government testing to be considered severe snow service-rated.

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 rides nice needs to be broken in and well-maintained, but it looks like the new king of all-weather tires.

Click here to get a fully-installed price on Michelin tires.

If you just want the best value in a tire, it’s hard to beat the General AltiMAX RT43. This is the benchmark for smooth-riding, all-season tires that check all the boxes. Made in North America, prices are reasonable and customers say this tire is great in the wet weather with a quiet ride.

With a 75,000-mile treadwear warranty and 45-day customer satisfaction pledge, the General AltiMAX RT43 is my best-value recommendation. 

Click here to get a fully-installed price on General tires.


I’m a tire professional and I’m here to help you make good choices in tires.

No matter how you roll, if you’re looking for the best car tire choices for your kind of driving, don’t mess around with the chain stores. For honest advice and professional installation shop local.