A curb scrape or a sharp pothole hit can leave you wondering whether the tire is still safe. A quick glance at the tread does not answer that question. For Phoenix drivers heading onto a freeway or across town, the useful next step is to stop safely, note what happened and arrange an appropriate inspection before assuming everything is fine.
Start with a safe place to stop
Do not stand beside moving traffic to inspect a wheel. If the vehicle feels unsafe or a tire is losing air, prioritize getting assistance from a safe location. If a tire blows out while driving, NHTSA recommends maintaining control, easing off the accelerator and slowing gradually before pulling off where safe. Avoid abrupt braking or steering.
Once safely parked, you can look at the exposed tire and wheel without crawling underneath the car or removing anything. A photograph may help you explain the concern, but it cannot establish that a tire is safe. Do not take another high-speed drive just to see whether a vibration comes back.
Look beyond how much tread remains
Look for a new outward bulge, a cut, exposed cords or an obvious change in the sidewall's shape. A deep-looking injury deserves professional assessment; do not peel back loose rubber or probe the damage with a tool. If you see an outward bubble, do not continue driving on that tire. Arrange roadside help or a suitable replacement.
Michelin distinguishes outward bulges from slight inward indentations that can occur where tire cords overlap. Those are different conditions, and a photograph on the internet is not a reliable way to decide which one your car has. If you cannot tell what you are seeing, ask a tire professional instead of treating an unfamiliar shape as normal.
Holding air does not clear the tire
A tire can retain pressure after an impact and still need attention. Michelin's safety guidance explains that a hard impact can cause internal damage that is not visible from outside. A trained professional may need to remove the tire from the wheel to inspect it properly. Sidewall and shoulder damage cannot be made safe with the type of repair used for an eligible tread puncture.
Likewise, an unlit tire-pressure warning lamp is not an inspection result. NHTSA notes that the warning system responds to significant underinflation; routine pressure checks still matter. For normal maintenance, use the cold pressure specified on the vehicle's label or in its owner's manual, rather than the maximum pressure molded on the tire. Adding air does not repair impact damage.
Bring a useful description to the inspection
Write down which wheel was involved, when the impact happened and whether anything changed afterward. Describe a noise, vibration or steering change in your own words without deciding which part caused it. Save any safely taken photographs and explain whether a pressure warning appeared. These details give the inspector a starting point; they do not replace an examination.
Ask what was inspected, whether the tire needs replacement and whether the wheel or other components also need attention. If replacement is recommended, have the shop check the vehicle manufacturer's requirements for tire size, ratings and matching tires. This is especially important when deciding how a replacement fits with the tires already on the vehicle.
Keep the follow-up separate from routine maintenance
Do not wait for an upcoming oil change to address a tire that may be unsafe. Tire inspection and any necessary recovery should come first. Save the findings and completed repair paperwork in your vehicle's maintenance records, including the date and mileage.
When the tire concern has been resolved, you can plan routine oil-and-filter maintenance through our oil-change menu. For vehicle-specific maintenance intervals, tire requirements and spare-tire restrictions, use the owner's manual for your exact vehicle.
