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What Is Not Covered
This warranty does not cover tires damaged due to misuse, abuse or
accident such as:•
Road hazards (e.g., cuts, snags, bruises, impact damage or
punctures);
•
Incorrect mounting of the tire, tire/wheel imbalance or
improper repair;
•
Misapplication, improper maintenance, racing, underinflation,
overinflation or other abuse;
•
Uneven or rapid wear which is caused by mechanical irregularity
in the vehicle such as wheel misalignment (a measured tread
difference of 2/32nds of an inch or more across the face of the
tread on the same tire);
•
Accident, fire, chemical corrosion, tire alteration or vandalism;
•
Flat spotting caused by improper storage or brakelock;
•
The addition of liquid, solid or gaseous materials other than air,
nitrogen or carbon dioxide (for example, waterbase sealers or
balancing substances);
•
Minor cosmetic ozone or weather cracking;
•
Use of MICHELIN® Self-Supporting Zero Pressure (ZP) tires
without a properly operating low air pressure warning system.
•
Use of MICHELIN tires that is inconsistent with the safety and/or
maintenance information provided in your owner’s manual.
Other limitations include but are not limited to the following: •
Michelin does not cover Original Equipment tires for mileage.
What Will Michelin Do?
If a tire is covered, and 2/32nds of an inch (1.6mm) or less of the
original tread is worn (or 25% or less, whichever is more beneficial to
you), and it is within 12 months of the date of purchase, Michelin will\
,
free of charge, replace your tire with a comparable new MICHELIN
®
replacement tire, mount the tire, and balance the tire. You must pay the
cost of any other service charges and applicable taxes.
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Safety Maintenance Information
Read this Owner’s Manual, the information on the sidewall of your
tires, your vehicle owner’s manual and the tire information placard
that came on your vehicle, for essential safety and maintenance
information.
While you should have complete confidence in your new MICHELIN
®
tires, it’s important to register your tires so we can contact you
about any new safety developments. For online tire registration, visit
tireregistration.com.
Tire Failure – Safety Warning
Any tire may fail as a result of an improperly repaired puncture,
impact damage, improper inflation, overloading, a crack, a bulge or
other distortion, or other conditions resulting from use or misuse. Tire
failures, such as a rapid air loss or a tread and belt detachment, may
increase risk of injury, death, or property damage. To reduce the risk
ofa tire failure, you should thoroughly read and follow the instructions\
in this manual, your vehicle owner’s manual, the tire information
placard on the vehicle (located in the vehicle’s door jamb, inside
the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door), and tire sidewall
information regarding safety warnings, proper tire use, and proper
tire maintenance.
Controlling a Vehicle When a Tire Failure Occurs
If a tire failure occurs, you may hear a loud noise, feel a vibration, o\
r
feel the vehicle pull toward the side of the failed tire. If that happen\
s,
DO NOT BRAKE OR ABRUPTLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.
Instead, slowly remove your foot from the accelerator and hold the
steering wheel firmly while steering to remain in your lane. Once
the vehicle has slowed and is fully in your control, apply the brakes
gently, safely pull over to the shoulder, and come to a stop in the
safest location possible. Inspect all tires. If any tire looks flat or low ,
or shows detachment or any other damage, replace the wheel and
tire with a properly inflated spare after first inspecting the spare for
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of the event causing air loss, the ambient temperature, the speed at
which the tire is operated, and the conditions under which the tire
is operated. In particular, hard braking, cornering, and other sharp
maneuvers will greatly reduce the length of time the tire can perform at\
low or zero inflation. Continuous use of an underinflated tire may lead
to sudden tire failure and an accident. If a tire at low or zero pressur\
e
begins to vibrate or cause difficulty in vehicle handling, replace it
immediately with the temporary spare. If Self-Supporting Zero Pressure
(ZP) tires are supplied as original equipment, refer to the vehicle
owner’s manual for complete details on the low tire pressure warning
system designed to alert you in the event of a low pressure condition.
MICHELIN
® SELF-SUPPORTING ZERO PRESSURE™ (ZP) TIRES
MUST BE USED ONLY WITH AN OPERATIONAL, MICHELIN
APPROVED, LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM. Otherwise,
all provisions of the limited warranty are void. For a list of approved \
systems, see your Michelin tire retailer or call 1-800-847- 3435. NOTE:
Some MICHELIN Self-Supporting Zero Pressure (ZP) tires can only be
mounted on special SH-M (Symmetric Hump - Modified) wheels. These
tires bear the special SH-M designation, molded into the sidewall of
the tire, next to the ZP designation. DO NOT MOUNT A TIRE WITH
THE SH-M DESIGNATION ON THE SIDEWALL ON A STANDARD
WHEEL. DOING SO VOIDS THIS LIMITED WARRANTY AND COULD
CAUSE THE TIRE TO BECOME UNSERVICEABLE AT LOW OR
ZERO PRESSURE, RESULTING IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY
OR DEATH. For a list of approved systems, see your participating
Michelin
® tire retailer, or call 1-800-847-3435. For all types of tires,
consult your vehicle owner’s manual or the tire information placard
that came on your vehicle (located in the vehicle’s door jamb, inside
the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door) for recommended
operating pressures. Recommended operating pressures will be
provided by a Michelin tire retailer for self-supporting ZP tires. These
inflation pressures must be maintained as a minimum. Never exceed
the Maximum Pressure rating shown on the tire sidewall.
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vehicle owner’s manual and is on a placard located in the vehicle’s
door jamb, inside the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door. If
you have plus-size tires that require a higher inflation pressure, your
tire pressure monitoring system will require re-calibration to the new
proper inflation pressure. Refer to your tire dealer/installer of plus-size
tires for proper inflation pressure. You should check air pressure in all
your tires, including the spare, once each month and before every long
trip. Regardless whether your spare is a full-size spare or a mini-spare,
make sure that it is properly inflated. If the TPMS generates improper
monitoring or signals, you should consult your vehicle owner’s manual
and follow up with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
TIRE SPINNING
Do not spin wheels at more than 35 mph (55 km/hr) as indicated
on your vehicle’s speedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running,
unloaded tire can cause it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The
energy released by such an explosion may cause serious physical
injury or death. Never allow anyone to stand near or behind a spinning
tire. When in mud, sand, snow, ice, or another slippery condition,
do not engage in excessive wheel spin. Accelerating the motor
excessively, particularly with automatic transmission vehicles, may
cause a drive tire that has lost traction to spin beyond its speed-
enduring capability. This is also true when balancing a drive tire/wheel
assembly on the vehicle using the vehicle engine to spin the
tire/wheel assembly.
High Speed Driving Is Dangerous
Correct inflation pressure is especially important. However, at high
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard is more
difficult to avoid, and if tire contact is made with it, there is a greater
chance of causing tire damage than at a lower speed. Moreover,
driving at high speed reduces the reaction time available to avoid
accidents and bring your vehicle to a safe stop.
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Consult your Michelin tire retailer for maximum speed capabilities.
Although a tire may be speed-rated, no vehicle should be operated in
an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are based on laboratory
tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable
if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, altered,
improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a tire’s speed rating
does not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at the maximum
speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road
and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics.
Michelin highway passenger tires that do not have a speed symbol on
the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph (170 kph). Light
truck highway tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall of
the tire have a maximum speed rating of 87 mph (140 kph). Michelin
winter tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall or tires
with Q symbols have a speed rating of 100 mph (160 km/hr). Winter
tires with a speed symbol have a maximum speed rating in accordance
with the symbol. The speed and other ratings of retreaded tires are
assigned by the retreader and replace the original manufacturer’s
ratings. IMPORTANT: The replacement tire speed rating should be
equal to or higher than the OEM tire speed rating. If a lower speed
rated tire is selected, then the vehicle top speed becomes limited
to that of the lower speed rating selected. The customer must be
informed of the new speed restriction and that the vehicle’s handling
may be adversely impacted. REMEMBER…High speed driving can
be dangerous and may damage your tires. AND…When driving at
highway speeds, correct inflation pressure is especially important.
Inspect Your Tires, And Do Not Drive On A Damaged
Tire Or Wheel
Road hazards and objects in the road, such as potholes, curbs, glass,
metal, rocks, wood, and debris, can damage a tire and should be
safely avoided. If your vehicle hits any such hazard or object, however,
you should promptly inspect your tires. If you see any damage to any
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tire or wheel, replace it with a properly inflated spare at once and have
your tires, including the spare, inspected by a tire professional.
A tire that hits a road hazard or object can be damaged but not have
any visible sign of damage on its surface. A tire damaged by an impact
can suddenly fail a day, a week, or even months later. You may not
recall having hit an object or a road hazard and may not see any tire
damage, but such an event may have damaged one or more of your
tires. Air loss, unusual tire wear, localized wear, or vibrations can also
be signs of internal tire damage and, accordingly, should be addressed
as promptly as are instances of visible tire damage.
If you suspect any damage to your tire or wheel from an impact with a
curb, pothole, debris on the road, or any other road hazard or object,
or if you feel or hear any unusual vibration, replace the tire and wheel\
with a properly inflated spare at once and immediately visit a qualified
tire professional.
Inspection
If you see any damage to a tire or wheel, replace it with a properly
inflated spare at once and visit a Michelin tire retailer.
Inspect your tires at least once per month, and immediately after
contacting any road hazard or object, such as a curb, a pothole, or
debris. When inspecting your tires, including the spare, check the
inflation as instructed above. If the pressure check indicates that one
of your tires has lost pressure of two pounds or more, look for signs of\
penetration, valve leakage, or wheel damage that may account for the
air loss.
If you have Michelin SelfSeal tires and observe an object penetrating
the tread surface, have the object removed by a trained tire technician
at an authorized Michelin dealer who can then inspect the tire for
potential damage.
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Tires loaded beyond their maximum allowable loads for the particular
application will build up excessive heat that may result in sudden tire \
failure and an accident. Do not exceed the gross axle weight rating for \
any axle on your vehicle.
Trailer Towing
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should visit your Michelin tire
retailer for advice about the correct tire size and pressures. Tire size
and pressures will depend on the type and size of trailer and hitch
utilized, but in no case must the maximum cold inflation pressure
or tire load rating be exceeded. Check the tire information placard
that came on your vehicle, (located in the vehicle’s door jamb, inside
the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door) and the owner’s
manual supplied by the manufacturer of your vehicle for further
recommendations on trailer towing.
Self-Supporting Zero Pressure (ZP) Tires and Trailer Towing
Operation of ZP tires at low or zero air pressure with a trailer in tow
is dangerous and should be avoided. If the low pressure warning
indicator is activated when a trailer is in tow, stop, disconnect the
trailer, and do not continue to tow the trailer until the tire has been
properly repaired and re-inflated to the proper inflation. If the tire
cannot be properly repaired, it must be replaced with a new full-size,
matching ZP tire, and inflated to the proper inflation, before the trailer
can be safely towed again.
Wheel Alignment and Balancing Are Important for
Safety and Maximum Mileage from Your Tires.
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Check How Your Tires Are Wearing at Least
Once Each Month
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the
tire wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessi\
ve
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance. These
conditions not only shorten the life of your tires but adversely affect the
handling characteristics of your vehicle, which could be dangerous. If
you detect irregular wear or vibration, have your alignment and balance
checked immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will
show more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread. Read
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
MICHELIN® tires are radial tires. For best, safe performance, the same
size and type of tire should be used on all four wheel positions, and th\
e
full size spare should be the same size and type. Before mixing tires
of different types in any configuration on any vehicle, be sure to check
the vehicle manufacturer’s owner‘s manual for its recommendations.
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s owner’s
manual when mixing, matching, or replacing tires on 4-wheel drive
vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
SELF-SUPPORTING ZERO PRESSURE™ (ZP) TIRES SHOULD NOT
BE MIXED WITH NON-ZP TIRES OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY
USE OF THE PROPERLY INFLATED SPARE IF THE VEHICLE IS
SO EQUIPPED.
Winter Driving
Tires that meet the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA)
definition of snow tires are marked M/S, M+S, or M&S. On such tires,
normally referred to as “All-Season” tires, the “M+S” designation