Sidewall damage can have serious implications for the safety and performance of the tire. Chipped or cut sidewall rubber can weaken the tire's structure, leading to a potential blowout or a sudden loss of air pressure.
A small bulge in the tire sidewall can look harmless, but it could have serious consequences. Any tire bulge indicates a major problem with your tire that could cause a tire blowout and a dangerous accident at any time.
Most tire blowouts are caused by under inflation. Tire under inflation causes the side of a tire to flex more which generates heat. It's the heat that leads to the blowout. What's important to understand is tires lose pressure over time.
Can you drive on a tyre with a damaged sidewall? The short answer is no, you should not drive your vehicle if any of the tyre sidewalls are damaged, unless driving to have the problem fixed.
What causes tire blowouts? According to Tire Rack, many blowouts are caused by underinflated tires. When the air pressure in a tire is too low, the tire may flex beyond its limits, overheats and cause the rubber to lose its bond to the tire's internal fabric and steel cord reinforcement.
Rear-tire blowouts are usually more disruptive and dangerous than front-tire blowouts, as drivers have no control over the rear end of the vehicle. Front-tire blowouts are still dangerous but generally easier to manage, as you should be able to steer to counteract the force of the blowout.
How Much Tire Sidewall Damage Is Ok? Sidewall damage is not Ok in any condition, if the sidewall has a minor cut or any loss of a tire, you will need to go to a professional or tire shop to inspect or repair your sidewall of the tire, but at any stage, you need to replace your tire when you have sidewall damage.
Any puncture less than 1/2 inch from the start of the internal steel belt on the shoulder or sidewall of the tire cannot be repaired (highlighted in red). A tire puncture greater than 1/4 inch (or 6mm) cannot be repaired. A new tire replacement is needed if a puncture exceeds this limit.
If you have a leak, hole or tear in your sidewall as opposed to your tread, you should not repair it with a patch. The thinness of the sidewall gives little material for a patch to adhere to, and the damage to the sidewall leaves the tire structurally compromised.
A tire with a bulge or bubble cannot be repaired. A bulge or bubble on the sidewall of a tire generally indicates damaged cords caused by a severe impact. Damaged cords are often accompanied by a visible break in the inner liner. If cords have been damaged, air has infiltrated into the plies and can result in a bulge.
The puncture is within the tread area* of the tire – sidewall punctures are NOT repairable.
How Common Are Tire Blowouts? Some of the most recent data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that tire failures result in an estimated 11,000 crashes and 200 fatalities annually here in the U.S.
The short answer is no. Like real bubbles, a “bubble” that forms on your tire's sidewall could burst at any time. If you drive on a tire with sidewall bulge, you risk possible tire blowout, not to mention wheel and suspension damage. If your tire has sidewall bulge, DO NOT drive on it.
Slamming into a pothole can ruin your tires and cause a blowout. The chances of a tire blowout further increase if you're driving with worn-out tires. Sometimes driving through a pothole will not cause a blowout immediately, but the impact can cause considerable damage to it.
A lump or bulge usually indicates the tyre has been damaged internally. If you notice a lump, bulge or cut then the tyre will more than likely need to be replaced or repaired immediately. You may also notice cuts, rips and tears to the tyre as a result of 'kerbing' or pot hole damage.
As a rule of thumb, for a normal passenger car tire, you shouldn't patch punctures within ½ inches (12 mm) of the edge of the tread, i.e., the sidewall.
Punctures can generally be repaired if they occur on the central portion of the tyre, in this case the middle three-quarters of the tyre. If a puncture occurs outside this area, near to the tyre's sidewall, it cannot generally be repaired.
Puncture repairs are limited to the center of the tread area. If there are punctures or damage in the shoulder or sidewall of the tire, it is not repairable.
When tyres become worn or damaged they must be replaced. There must, by law, be at least 1.6mm of tread depth across the centre 3/4 of the width of the tread throughout the entire circumference of the tyre. There must be no damage to the tyre body - sidewalls or tread, no bulges or cuts.
The shoulder of the tire is the weakest part. So only those holes in the middle of the tire can be repaired.
Even tiny differences in tire diameters on an axle, or between tires on different axles can lead to a glitch in the drivetrain system. Usually, all four tires are recommended to be replaced at once, but always check your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations for specific guidance regarding your vehicle.
Know What a Blowout Feels and Sounds Like
When the tire explodes, you may feel the vehicle start to slow down suddenly and then pull sharply to one side. If one of the front tires has popped, the steering tends to feel more forceful, while a rear-tire blowout often causes vibration in the seats.