A crack in a wheel rim is detected by placing a composition including a liquid carrier, such as water, and a fluorescent dye, into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim. After an interval, the exterior surface of the wheel rim is inspected using a UV light source, which causes visible light to be emitted from the fluorescent dye. The light emissions indicate the presence of dye which has seeped from the interior space, through a crack in the material of the rim, to an exterior of the rim. A conditioner or sealant can be combined with the fluorescent dye to provide other benefits.