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S/V/C Tire Sidewall Cracking

SteveMD

SteveMD

Membro
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Location
Well, I switched baristas.
These 2012 production, 53k miles, Michelins on our XC60 are showing the pictured cracking. There is still enough tread left, no where near the wear bars.

Sorry big pic but it does show the cracking very clearly.

Should I be concerned about this cracking?



nexOYh0.jpg
 
Called dry rot, all tires do this after a long enough period of time. Nothing you did or didn't do to cause this. It comes mostly from age, but can be accelerated depending on heat, sunlight, etc. You should look into getting a new set.
 
Agreed, they are trash. Check your warranty, but I suspect they have aged out of coverage.

FWIW I have had very good luck with Michelins. Granted for DMV area, I think the Continental DWS06 (HPAS) or PureContact (Touring) are winners for a real AS tire. Do not get the Mich A/S3s they are incredible wet/dry but incompetent in the snow - IDK how they got a AS rating.

I have a set of Nokians on the old truck, but limited miles or time to make an assessment. So far they have been good with an XL load rating. No problem in rain or dry.
 
Definitely a bad case of dry rot there, I'd replace those sooner rather than later.

Haven't had any problems with dry rot on the three vehicles I've put Michelin's on. I've had nothing but good experiences with Michelin.
 
The location of those cracks are problematic...... that is the steel belt & nylon cap ply junction with the body ply fabric. Is this equal on both sides, or just the side shown?

Tires that are moving to "belt separation failure" can exhibit such cracking, but it is usually a more localized crack.

I've got NITTOs that are 6 yrs. + and I'm not throwing them away :e-shrug: If they ride smooth, run 'em! They'll let you know when they are done. The aforementioned advice based upon my 31 years in the tire manufacturing industry.
 
I had similar cracks in my last set of tires. Two of them were leaking through the cracks pretty quickly so I had tubes put in them which did the trick, cheap. However, I'm not a tire expert but I'd get a fresh set of tires on your car soon, just as I did to mine.
 
had a set on my Jaguar that look like that after 12 year. finally replaced them after thinking about the damage of a blowout not to mention my life.
 
My last set of Michelin’s began to crack on the sidewalls within the first year, and I found out it was because of the armorall tire shine I was using. Most tire dressings contain petroleum distillates that make the tire look great, but degrade the rubber and dry it out.

I only use 303 now, and it makes the tires look new still (not glossy or shiny, but very clean) and it doesn’t damage the rubber, and apparently will add moisture to it.

Something to keep in mind for you next set of tires! Yours definitely look ready to be replaced. Mine looked like that and were getting so dry I was starting to slip on corners even when the road was dry...
 
matt b said:
10K miles on the ones on our XC90 and by far the best set of tires I have ever owned for a large vehicle like an XC90.
Click to expand...

Right, I've had Michelin Defenders on two full size Buick Park Avenues, an 850, and my 240, and I love them. Great wear, low road noise, and as good as I would expect for an all-season in the rain and snow.
 
Michelin tires are hands down the best tires available for passenger vehicles. The tread wear is unmatched, but still have decent traction. They have excellent performance in the rain and snow, and they are quiet and wear evenly. They are not necessarily the best value in all cases, but the quality is there. Not sure where the hate is coming from.

Resources cited: Toyota tech for 7 years, installed thousands of tires (meaning I saw the old ones that came off and the mileage they had, and drove the vehicles multiple times through out the tread life).
 
Fred Gwynne said:
Two of them were leaking through the cracks pretty quickly so I had tubes put in them which did the trick, cheap.
Click to expand...

I have taken a lot of chances with tires that most people would be terrified of, but this one is beyond me. When they start leaking through the cracks, I am done with them.
 
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