Can You Drive With a Nail in Your Tire?
When you’re driving around town, you’ll find yourself on all kinds of surfaces. From off-roading adventures to the rough parking lot of your latest worksite, there’s no telling what kind of rocks, debris, and other sharp things your tires carry you over.
With all your adventures, there’s bound to be a time when a nail or another sharp object lodges itself in your tire. Whether you notice it immediately or down the road, your first question is likely to be: can you drive with a nail in your tire?
At Denton Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (CJDR), we’re here to help you find out. The short answer is yes, but drivers of Denton, Carrollton, and Flower Mound, TX, should read on to learn more.
What to Do When a Nail Gets in Your Tire
So, what should you do when a nail gets in your tire? Well, it depends on how deep the nail is. One time you won’t be able to drive with a nail in your tire is if it lets tons of air escape. In this situation, you might end up with a flat tire and have to pull over. This is the time to call a tow truck or a service center.
Of course, nails can also get quite deep into the tire. When this happens, you might not even notice. Why? When nails get lodged in a tire so tightly that the air cannot escape, you won’t notice any deflation. In this case, our number one advice is don’t touch it.
If a nail is plugging up the hole, you don’t want to remove it. If you do, the air could quickly escape and cause a flat tire. If you come across a nail in one of your tires, you’ll want to complete the following steps instead:
Check the Tire Pressure
First, you’ll want to check your tire pressure to make sure that air isn’t rapidly escaping. If the tire pressure shows a low reading, you’ll want to replace the tire with a spare and drive to a service center to have the affected tire looked at. It may need to be repaired or replaced.
Have the Tire Repaired
When you take your vehicle to your local service center, a technician can thoroughly inspect the tire. They’ll be able to check the air pressure and determine if the hole can be repaired. This will depend on the location of the nail and how big it is. If there’s no internal damage and the hole is small, the technicians may be able to patch up the hole and fill your tire up to the recommended air pressure levels.
Replace the Tire
Replace the TireDepending on multiple factors, your tire may be in need of a replacement instead of a repair. For instance, if the nail is located on the shoulder or the sidewall of the tire, a patch might not hold. That’s because these areas of the tire experience a lot of movement.
Another reason your tire may need to be replaced is if the nail is too large. A large nail might leave a bigger hole, which is harder to patch up. No matter what the reason is, our service technicians can outfit your vehicle with brand-new, high-quality tires from our tire shop.
Contact Our Team for Tire Repair
Finding the right pit crew to handle your vehicle is easy. Our Service Center is ready to help you.
Maguire Honda of Ithaca can provide expert tire repair near Ithaca, NY. How can you get started? Contact our team for tire repair.
