Michelin CrossClimate2 All-Season Tire Long-Term Test - First Puncture

Our long-term test of the new Michelin CrossClimate2 continues. The latest update comes at 3,600 miles on the trip odometer since we changed the tires from the OEM ones the vehicle came with at around 34,000 miles. This update was prompted by a TPMS warning light and tone in our CX-5 as we headed back from a vacation about 80 miles from home.

See Our First Long-Term Test Story Here

See The Second Long-Term Test Update Here

See the Fourth Update Here

Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Owner Reports - Outstanding Winter Traction

Watch the Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Tackle Ice-Slick Roads

Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Puncture
The alarm caught us off guard since we hadn’t driven the vehicle since the prior day. We pulled over and our tire pressure gauge read about 25 psi in the driver’s rear tire. The other three all had about 36 psi. We used a portable 12V pump to bring the pressure up a bit and continued on.

We used Google to locate the nearest tire repair shop, Tire Warehouse located in Hillsboro New Hampshire. We phoned ahead and they said, “Come on in.” Which we did. Tire Warehouse could not have been more helpful. We were greeted immediately, and within minutes a tech had our car jacked up in the parking lot, taken the tire off, and brought into the shop for analysis.

Related Story: Here’s Why Your Tire Cannot Be Repaired

It turned out that the tire had a pinhole leak in the tread area closest to the outer sidewall. That area of a tire is not repairable for punctures. The Sr. tech said that he felt confident we could make it home easily on the tire, and the shop added a bit of extra air to the tire as a buffer. Our plan was to drive very carefully and if the TPMS light returned pull over and make a new plan. Luckily, the Mazda CX-5 has a compact spare. If need be, we would have AAA help us place it on the vehicle. One big thank you to Tire Warehouse, which would not accept payment for the evaluation.

Related Story: Tire Shortages Loom Large

Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Replacement - In Stock!
On the drive back, we were lucky. It was about 4:45 pm when we were headed home after the pit stop at Tire Warehouse. We called ahead to our trusted local shop located north of Boston, Advanced Automotive. We love Advanced Automotive because the owner/manager/lead mechanic, Jim Lucas, wears a headset when he works so that he never misses an incoming call.

We spoke to Jim who was kind enough to put us on hold and call his suppliers to see if the correct size Michelin CrossClimate2 could be sourced for immediate delivery to his shop. We were pleased to hear that two of his suppliers had the tire and that it would be available the next morning by 10 am. With the shortage of consumer goods, and in particular tires, we were thrilled.

Advanced Automotive replaced the tire and we were charged $280 including mounting, balancing, and sales tax. Jim told us the old tire would head to a quaint country farm to be turned into a tire swing for a child. We like to think that’s true.

Related Story: Here’s Why Your AWD Vehicle Needs 4 Tires When One Is Damaged

All-wheel Drive and Tread Depth
One thing that owners of vehicles with all-wheel drive need to be aware of is that the tire diameters need to be very closely matched to avoid damage to the powertrain of the vehicle. Having one tire larger due to greater tread depth can cause damage to the differentials in the vehicle. Again, we were lucky. The tread depth had barely changed in the 3,600 miles since they were new, and mechanic Jim used his tread depth tool to verify we were well within the specification.

Michelin CrossClimate2 MPG Update
After 3,600 miles, the trip odometer reads an average of 26.7 MPG. Prior to the new tires being mounted, the CX-5 with the OEM tires had a 26.8 MPG average, so there is no meaningful change in the fuel economy using these new tires compared to the OEM tires.

We’ve since driven the vehicle for a few days with no issues. The balancing is still perfect, and our satisfaction with the Michelin CrossClimate2 tires continues. Watch for our next update. Hopefully, this fall as the weather turns colder.

Testing note: This story is not a paid promotion. The original tires tested were provided at no cost by the manufacturer, but mounting was paid for by the author. The replacement was paid for by the author.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin