A bolt hit a tire and it punctured only the tread. I can see the steel belts through the hole. Should I worry?

Question

When I got home today, i saw a s***w in the tread of my rear left tire. Upon closer inspection, I was able to take it out. It turns out that it wasn't a pointy s***w but more of a bolt and it rammed itself through the rubber treading but stopped there. Now in the hole, I can see a metal mesh. Should I have the tire looked at? It seems like it still can keep air...then again, it's only been about an hour.

Answer 1

This has happened many times to many of my customers and the best thing is to have it looked at NOW and if needed have it replaced.

Answer 2

yes incorrect tire pressure is the leading couse of recks and when that tire blows your chances just went up.its better to replace it asap so you wont hurt yourself and others.

Answer 3

You should take it to be inspected by a tire shop. If the tire is compensated in any way, it can and will lead to tire failure.

Answer 4

Have it looked at, it could, with some more wear, start to bubble up and potentially blow out. (blow outs can be VERY dangerous btw)

Answer 5

have it looked at

Answer 6

You are probably OK, but have a tire man look at the tire. There are at least two plies of the metal mesh you refer to, plus an inner lining. The biggest danger would be something else using this weak point to puncture the tire.

Answer 7

Yes. It may cause the tire to bolw out.

Answer 8

The air will still hold inside the tire from the inner liner. The problem you will face is water will get in between the layers of rubber and oxidization will attack the metal belt causing it to expand and warp. This will lead to belt separation and possible totall delamination of the tire while driving down the highway possibly leading to death.

Change the tire.

Answer 9

Usually if the steel belts are showing, that is grounds for automatic replacement...However, with something like this, it would be best to have a tire specialist take a peek see.

For future reference, if you ever see something like this again, leave the object in the tire...The tire may leak slowly, but it would give you enough time to get it fixed.

All the best.

Answer 10

It's not just whether the tire will hold air, now.  That kind of damage weakens the tread surface.  Continued driving will flex the tear and only make in larger as time goes by.  Eventually, (next month, next year, tomorrow, TONIGHT, the tear gets large enough so that a major blowout happens.

If it happens, even at 30 mph, your vehicle could lose control.

It's an expense to replace what look like a perfectly good tire, but that's one of the expenses of owning and driving an automobile.