Owning a car gives you a lot of freedom. It allows you to drive anywhere that you want, and this freedom can really change your life.
But there is no denying that there are some drawbacks that come with owning your own vehicle, and maintenance is at the top of the list.
Until you own a car, you don’t really realize how much can go wrong with a vehicle.
From warning lights to punctures, there are lots of things that you will need to deal with as a car owner.
One of the most common ways for you to get a puncture is by getting a nail in your tire.
In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at whether, or not, you can drive with a nail in your tire. So if you want to find out more, keep on reading!
How To Tell If You Have A Nail In Your Tire
First things first, let’s take a look at how to tell if you have a nail in your tire. Until your tire pressure starts to get very low, it is often difficult to tell if you have a nail in your tire.
This is mainly because when your tire is punctured by a nail, and the nail remains in the tire, the puncture will be a slow puncture.
So the air will slowly escape your tire, making it more difficult to tell that you have a puncture.
One way to tell if you have a nail in your tire is to take a look at your tire pressure. If you notice that your tire pressure is consistently low, then this is a sign that you have a puncture contributing to this.
Some other things that could help you find out if you have a nail in your tire are being able to see the nail, and being able to hear the nail while you are driving.
Often, you will not be able to see the nail in your tire as it will depend on whether the nail is on the top or the bottom of your tire when you park.
Likewise, if you tend to drive on busy roads, it can be tricky to tell if you have a nail in your tire.
However, if you happen to drive on a quieter road, you will usually be able to hear a clicking noise which suggests that there is a nail in your tire.
Can You Drive With A Nail In Your Tire?
So, if you suspect that you have a nail in your tire, you might be wondering if you can drive your car with the nail in your tire.
Well, yes, you can. Most of the time, it will take a while for people to notice that they have a nail in their tire, so they spend a lot of time driving with the nail in their tire.
However, once you know that there is a nail in your tire, you shouldn’t drive your vehicle for any large distance with the nail in it.
As we mentioned earlier, a nail in your tire will cause your tire pressure to go low, and often it will cause the tire pressure to drop lower than the recommended parameters for tire pressure.
Driving with a tire that has low pressure is bad for a number of reasons. It can increase the risk of your tire having a blow out, and it can also make your car quite shaky when it is being driven.
Both of these factors increase your risk of being involved in a car accident.
On top of that, driving a tire that has low pressure can do a lot of damage to the tire itself.
If you catch a nail in your tire early, then it may be possible for you to get the tire repaired, instead of having to purchase a new one.
However, if you drive a tire that is low, then the damage will extend beyond the initial puncture.
Driving a tire that has low pressure can cause damage to occur to the inside of the tire.
Often, this will put the tire beyond repair, and it will increase the cost when you take your vehicle to the garage.
So, while you can drive a vehicle that has a nail in one of the tires, it is best to avoid doing this if possible.
Can You Repair A Tire With A Nail In it?
If you notice that you have a nail in your tire, then the best thing to do is to take your vehicle to the garage.
There a mechanic will be able to look at your tire, remove the nail and assess whether, or not, the tire can be repaired, or if it will need to be replaced.
Whether, or not, you will be able to have your tire repaired will depend on a number of things. The biggest factor will be where the nail is in the tire.
But factors such as how deep the nail has penetrated, how long it has been there, and how low your tire pressure has been when driving will also affect this.
A lot of mechanics will recommend that you simply replace the tire as soon as a nail has penetrated it.
While you may be able to patch the tire, the tire has been compromised, so it is likely that this will only be a short term fix.
Patching a damaged tire can become somewhat of a false economy, and this is why a lot of people will choose to replace their tire as soon as it becomes damaged.
Summary
In short, yes, you can drive with a nail in your tire. Often it will take a little while for you to notice a nail in your tire, so the chances are that you will drive with a nail in your tire.
However, once you notice the nail, you should avoid doing this. Driving with a nail in your tire will damage the tire further, and also make your vehicle unsafe.
Thanks for reading!