How do I properly inspect my tires at home?

<ol><li>Check tire pressure (cold, before driving): compare to the vehicle placard on the door jamb—not the tire sidewall maximum.</li><li>Check tread depth: use a tread depth gauge or the coin test. Replace at 2/32" (legal minimum) or 4/32" for winter tires.</li><li>Inspect the tread surface: look for embedded objects (nails, glass), unusual wear patterns, or exposed cords.</li><li>Inspect the sidewalls: look for cuts, cracks, bulges, or bubbles—any of these require professional attention.</li><li>Check the bead area where the tire meets the rim: look for cracking or signs of air loss.</li><li>Inspect valve stems: they should be upright, undamaged, and have caps in place.</li></ol>

Tire Inspection Guide | When & How to Check Your Tires

1.Check your air pressure

See Air pressure: what should I know?

It’s quick and can prevent many problems
Do it once a month

2. Check the tread wear with one of the three methods:

With a tread depth gauge
With the tread wear indicators
With the quarter test
1. Put the edge of the coin into the tread, with the Queen going in head first.
2. If the top of the Queen's head is covered by tread, that's good. If the top of her head is entirely visible, it's time to replace the tire.

3. Inspect your tires for wear and damage problems

We’ve created an easy-to-use online tool to help you identify issues and learn how to fix them.

Use the Tire Inspector Tool

When should I inspect my tires?

Once every month
Before you go on a long road trip.

Next steps :

Any visible perforation, cut or deformation must be checked thoroughly by a tire professional.
Only a tire professional can tell you if your tire can be repaired or has to be changed.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions.

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Check tire pressure (cold, before driving): compare to the vehicle placard on the door jamb—not the tire sidewall maximum.
Check tread depth: use a tread depth gauge or the coin test. Replace at 2/32" (legal minimum) or 4/32" for winter tires.
Inspect the tread surface: look for embedded objects (nails, glass), unusual wear patterns, or exposed cords.
Inspect the sidewalls: look for cuts, cracks, bulges, or bubbles—any of these require professional attention.
Check the bead area where the tire meets the rim: look for cracking or signs of air loss.
Inspect valve stems: they should be upright, undamaged, and have caps in place.

A full inspection (pressure + visual check) should be done monthly. A quick visual walk-around before any long trip takes 60 seconds and catches the most obvious issues. Michelin recommends having tires professionally inspected at least once a year after the first five years of tire age, and anytime you experience a significant impact (pothole, curb, road debris). Don't assume tires that look fine are fine—internal damage from impacts is invisible from outside.

Do not remove the nail yourself. The nail is acting as a plug, slowing or preventing air loss. Note which tire it's in, check the pressure, and drive directly to a tire professional. If the tire is already flat or losing pressure rapidly, install your spare. At the shop, the technician will demount the tire, inspect it internally, and determine if a proper patch-plug repair is possible (permitted only in the central tread area, for punctures up to 6mm). Tires with sidewall punctures must be replaced.

Temporary sealant kits (like the ones included with some new vehicles instead of a spare) are emergency mobility tools—they're not permanent fixes. They work for slow leaks in the central tread area and can get you to a tire shop. Limitations: they cannot seal sidewall damage; they may render the tire unbalanceable or unrepairable (the shop will need to clean the sealant out); and they don't work on blowouts. Treat any tire treated with sealant as a temporary measure and have it professionally assessed the same day.

An internal inspection means the tire is demounted from the rim and inspected from the inside. This is required after any impact significant enough to cause internal damage (hard pothole hit, curb strike), after any run-flat operation, after any blowout or near-blowout event, and before any repair is approved. Internal cord breakage, delamination, and liner damage are invisible from the outside. A tire that passes an external inspection can still be unsafe if the interior is damaged—and a flat tire driven on even briefly may be damaged internally even if the exterior looks intact.