Tire Registration: What You Need to Know

When it comes to purchasing high-quality tires for your car or truck, your choices range from Pirelli, Firestone, Goodyear, Continental, BF Goodrich, Bridgestone and Michelin, among others. After you buy tires with the idea to keep your vehicle safe on the road, your next step is to apply for tire registration.

The Rubber Manufacturers of America (RMA) is the organization that represents all the tire manufacturers that are based in the United States, and has launched the tire registration initiative. The RMA handles federal, state, local government, environmental and economic issues that these tire companies encounter. Their safety standards educate American consumers about tire care, tire maintenance, tire repair, tire replacements and tire registration.

By getting your tires registered, you can remain up-to-date on any relevant concerns related to your purchase to help ensure the safety of yourself and any passengers riding in your vehicle. But to better understand the importance and benefits of tire registration, let us provide you with exactly what you need to know.

Tire Registration is Voluntary

There are no legal laws that state that owners of vehicles must have tire registration. It is completely up to the consumer as to whether they register their tires. But tire dealers are required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to offer tire registration to customers when they buy brand new tires.

Tire dealers provide the opportunity for tire registration to their customers with paper registration forms and electronically registering tires during the sale. There are also online links to register the tires over the Internet.

How to Register Your Vehicle's Tires

The tire registration process is extremely easy and user-friendly for customers to proceed with. You can fill out and mail in a paper tire registration form, or you can complete the online registration. The information you will need to provide is your personal contact information, the dealer information, your sales receipt and the Tire Identification Number (TIN).

The Tire Identification Number (TIN) starts with the letters “DOT” and is typically found in two places: on your dealer registry card or on the tire's sidewall. The Department of Transportation (DOT) then in turn utilizes the process of tire registration to organize your tire’s specific individual ID code.

Why Tire Registration Is Important

Some tire customers jump to the conclusion that just because tire registration is a voluntary decision that it is not worth the short time that it takes to protect their purchase - and their lives. The biggest reason why it is critical for tire buyers to take the minimal extra step to register their tires is because it makes it possible for the manufacturer to alert them about a product recall.

Tire recalls occur when a dangerous defect has been detected, and it has been recognized as potentially harmful to its consumers. Take into consideration the fact that thousands of tires are recalled annually.

When a manufacturer finds out they have a defective tire being sold, they are forced by the NHTSA to notify the consumers about the malfunction, as well as fix the problem. Imagine if one of these ruined tires is yours, and you mistakenly skipped tire registration!

You could be putting yourself, and all the passengers of your automobile, at risk if you ignore the tire registration process. If your tires are not registered, their manufacturer has no means to contact you, nor is it their responsibility to warn non-registered tire owners.

After Registering Your Tires

Once you have properly registered your tires with a paper or electronic form that is recognized by the Rubber Manufacturers of America (RMA), you have completed the process. If you are wondering whether your tires are currently registered, call your tire manufacturer and ask one of their representatives to kindly search for your information in their directory. If you have already bought tires and your dealer didn't mention registration, you can still register them yourself.

It is also possible to evaluate the current status of your tires to make sure they are not under recall at this very moment. For more information, you can visit the Recalls.gov website, click on the Motor Vehicles tab and then select the link that is for Tire Recalls to search the listings.

Conclusion

Although it may not be mandatory by law to go through the tire registration process when you buy tires, it is in your best interest. If you refuse to register your tires, the manufacturers are no longer responsible for advising you of a current recall or a recognized defect that may have occurred with this product.

All that is needed for tire registration is basic contact information and just a few minutes of your time. In the end, isn't a few moments worth the relief that follows with this added protection?