Can a tire with a nail puncture but no air leakage still be used?
4 Answers
Tire with a nail puncture but no air leakage can still be used, but there are safety hazards, and it is necessary to go to the nearest repair shop or service area for treatment as soon as possible. The tire is an annular elastic rubber product assembled on various vehicles or machinery to roll on the ground, usually installed on a metal rim, which can support the body, buffer external shocks, achieve contact with the road surface and ensure the driving performance of the vehicle. The maintenance methods of tires are: 1. Monthly tire pressure check must be carried out; 2. Always pay attention to the wear marks of the tire; 3. Pay attention to the shelf life of the tire; 4. Pay attention to the time for four-wheel rotation.
I'm in the auto repair business, and I often get asked by car owners whether it's okay if a nail punctures the tire but there's no air leakage. Honestly, even if it's not leaking at the moment, you definitely shouldn't tough it out. That nail might have damaged the inner cord layers. It might seem fine now, but when you're driving on the highway and the tire temperature rises, it could blow out at any moment. Just last week, a client drove like this for three days, and the tire sidewall ended up bulging and was completely ruined. My advice is, if you see any foreign object in your tire, slow down immediately and find a nearby repair shop to remove the nail and check it. The mechanic can spray some soapy water to see if it's leaking—small holes can usually be patched. If you try to save trouble by continuing to drive, replacing a tire will cost you way more than a simple patch.
Last month, I also had a screw stuck in my tire without any air leakage, so I called a friend at the 4S store. He said that even though it might seem fine on the surface, the nail could be plugging the hole like a bottle stopper, and removing it might cause a leak. He taught me an emergency solution: never pull the nail out yourself! Note the position of the nail and keep an eye on the tire pressure monitor. If the tire pressure drops by more than 0.1 within half an hour, quickly switch to the spare tire. As an experienced driver, I also learned a little-known fact: nails in the tire sidewall are basically irreparable, while nails in the tread can be fixed with a mushroom plug if the hole is smaller than 6 millimeters. In the end, I spent eighty bucks on a tire repair, saving over two thousand compared to a blowout and tire replacement.
I had the same situation when I was a new driver. I was terrified and called my dad. He said even if there's no air leakage, don't drive fast and keep the speed below 60 km/h. Now I understand that tires have a multi-layer structure - the nail might only penetrate the surface rubber, but continued driving can enlarge the damage. Once I saw my neighbor's tire where the nail had worn through the steel belts. I recommend going to a professional shop immediately - they can detect internal damage with inspection equipment. Remember to locate nearby 24-hour tire repair shops in advance, don't be like me stuck anxiously in the suburbs back then.
