Backwards tire mounting

[Womp Womp!]

If this doesn't belong here, feel free to point me in the right direction. Pops had directional Michelins put on his 2020 Toyota Highlander at a local shop and I noticed 2 were mounted backwards. He's been driving on them for months. Does anyone know if that messes with wear or traction long-term?

 

[OverlanderKing11]

Damn, a tire shop shouldn't do something like this at all. It's not ideal for the tires, but it's not something catastrophically terrible, unless your dad drove 20k miles on them in thes past few months. They will be a bit more worn out than the other two, but I don't think it should be a massive difference. You should take them to the shop and see if they'll put them bak in the right direction, free of charge, because it's their fault.

 

[Silvergirl90]

If this doesn't belong here, feel free to point me in the right direction. Pops had directional Michelins put on his 2020 Toyota Highlander at a local shop and I noticed 2 were mounted backwards. He's been driving on them for months. Does anyone know if that messes with wear or traction long-term?

Beyond the immediate safety concern in wet weather, having directional tires mounted backward for months absolutely messes with longterm wear and traction.
The tread blocks aren't designed to be stressed in that reverse direction, so you'll likely see accelerated, uneven wear patterns (like feathering or cupping), which will shorten the life of those expensive Michelins. Plus, they're probably generating a lot more road noise than they should, as the tread pattern is no longer optimized for quiet operation
Your Pops needs to get them flipped around right away!

 

[Womp Womp!]

We took the Highlander back to the shop after I spotted it and they remounted both tires properly early July, no charge. Dad hadn't put more than a few thousand miles on them, so I'm crossing fingers we avoided long term damage. Appreciate the heads up on wet traction and wear. We'll keep a close eye on any uneven patterns from here. Has anyone ever had directional tires wear fine after being reversed for a bit?