Have you found a screw in your tire?
While driving, they suddenly feel a jolt and their car starts to vibrate. They stop and discover a large screw in the tread of their tire. Oh no, what now? Having a screw or nail in your tire can easily ruin your day, but it’s nothing to be too worried about. Learn what to do and what not to do if you find yourself in this situation.
What not to do
If you find a nail or screw in your tire, it is very important to resist the overwhelming urge to immediately pull it out of the hole.
What to do if you find a screw in your tire?
When dealing with a newly discovered screw in your vehicle’s tire, you should consider the following points. These considerations will help you accurately assess the need for repair.
On the Road and at Home
If you notice a tire puncture caused by a screw while driving, you have an important decision to make.
In either case, the affected wheel and tire combination can be taken to your local tire dealer for service.
When to Leak and When Not to Leak
Not all threaded holes are the same. In fact, some do not extend all the way to the inner casing of the tire and therefore do not cause an actual leak.
When assessing threaded holes, you can use soapy water or glass cleaner in a spray bottle to assess whether or not they actually have a leak. Simply spray liberally on the threads while watching for signs of progressive blistering. This bubble formation indicates an actual leak.
Thread location (tread, shoulder, sidewall)
Unfortunately, not all punctures can be repaired. Only those parts of the tire that are directly within the tread can be safely repaired, unless the hole is too large.
Punctures that originate in the shoulder or sidewall of the tire pose a serious safety risk and require the entire tire to be replaced. In general, holes that are less than two finger widths from the tire’s shoulder are considered unrepairable.
Thread depth (hole in relation to the outer layer of the tread)
As mentioned above, not all screws penetrate to the same depth. Some screws may penetrate deeply and damage the inner layer of the tire, while others may penetrate slightly deeper than the outer tread of the tire and therefore not cause an actual leak.
If in doubt, you should determine for yourself how serious the hole really is by using soapy water or glass cleaner as described above. If this test does not reveal any noticeable leaks, you should remove the problem screw from the tire’s tread by turning it counterclockwise. How did the screw get there?
Screws can get into tires in a variety of ways. But in almost every scenario, such accidents start with the loss of construction materials on the side of the road.
How long can you drive with a screw in your tire? The distance you can drive with a screw in your tire varies. As mentioned above, the screw often remains in the affected tire and acts as a kind of temporary plug. Nevertheless, in most cases, some air loss remains. The greater this air loss, the sooner the affected tire will puncture.
In any case, a punctured tire should be repaired as soon as possible. You should not drive for long periods with one or more tires in this condition.
Repair vs Replace
Likewise, a punctured tire should always be replaced rather than repaired if it is significantly worn or otherwise damaged. In fact, most tire shops will refuse to repair tires that are in only marginal condition.
In most cases, it’s best to replace both tires on the same axle so you have a similar amount of tread. Driving dynamics can change quite a bit when tires have a large difference in tread or are two different brands.
With all-wheel drive vehicles, you may even need to replace all four tires for the same reason. Consult your owner’s manual as it will typically provide recommendations based on remaining tire tread.
Should a Nail in a Tire Be Treated the Same?
A nail in a tire should be treated in much the same way as a screw would be treated, in terms of the need for repair. However, one should typically place increased urgency upon seeking such repairs due to the differences in construction between a nail and a screw.
While a screw is threaded, a nail is smooth-shanked, making it susceptible to being slung from a tire’s tread under centrifugal force. As a result, increased importance should be placed on seeking prompt repair.
Does Insurance Cover Tire Damage From a Screw?
In some cases, those with full or comprehensive auto insurance might be covered in the event that one of their vehicle’s tires is punctured by a screw or nail. However, it is worth keeping in mind that the prospect of such often varies on a policy-by-policy basis. Therefore, it is important to check with the vendor of your tires before paying for any services of this type.
