Wear Problems

The Michelin Tire Inspector Tool is an online diagnostic guide that helps drivers identify the cause of tire issues by walking through specific symptoms—handling problems, sidewall conditions, and tread wear patterns. You select the symptom that matches what you're experiencing (vibration, pulling, unusual wear, sidewall abnormality), and the tool diagnoses the likely cause and recommends the appropriate action, whether that's inflating to the correct pressure, booking an alignment service, or visiting a tire professional for inspection.

• Handling issues: pulling to one side, vibration, poor steering response.

• Sidewall abnormalities: cuts, bulges, cracks, or blisters.

• Tread wear issues: center wear, edge wear, cupping, feathering, or one-sided wear.

• Flat tire symptoms: slow leak versus sudden deflation, and appropriate immediate actions.

• General wear indicators: assessing whether tires are approaching or at replacement thresholds.

Use it as a first step to understand what you're seeing and what actions are appropriate—particularly to determine whether an issue requires immediate attention (sidewall bulge: stop driving) versus routine service (slight center wear: adjust inflation). For anything involving visible damage, unusual handling changes, or symptoms after a significant impact, always follow up with a professional inspection. The tool is educational and diagnostic, not a substitute for a hands-on inspection by a trained technician.

Know which tire or which symptom you're diagnosing (front left, rear right, etc.), when the symptom appeared, and whether anything happened recently that might be related (pothole, curb strike, recent servicing). Being specific helps the tool narrow the diagnosis accurately. Also check tire pressure before diagnosing a handling or wear symptom—underinflation is the root cause of many handling and wear patterns, and correcting it first can clarify whether the symptom persists independently.

• Immediate (stop driving): any sidewall bulge, severe cut, or tire that cannot maintain pressure.

• Same day: any symptom that appeared after an impact, any significant handling change, TPMS warning that doesn't resolve after inflation.

• Within the week: uneven wear patterns that suggest alignment or suspension issues.

• At next service: minor center or edge wear discovered during routine inspection where inflation has been corrected.