Lynch Ford Chevrolet

Lynch Ford Chevrolet

Main 319-895-8500 | Service 866-684-4594 | 410 Business 30 SW, Mt Vernon, IA 52314

Ask a Technician: Should I Drive on My Tire if There's a Nail Stuck in It?

At Lynch Ford Chevrolet, we're here to keep you and your vehicle secure on the road. This answer to a common service question will help you make the smart choice for your vehicle in the case of emergency.

Q. I drove over a nail and now it’s stuck in my tire. My tire hasn’t gone flat yet. Is it okay to drive on it to get it fixed?

A. Don’t touch that nail. If it’s gone deep enough, the nail is actually plugging the hole it created. If you pull it out, you might make matters worse. You can drive to a service station to get it fixed, but don’t rush. You could risk a blowout. Every time the tire rotates, it’s rubbing against the walls of the hole, making it just a bit bigger.

Even if there’s no obvious leak now, the longer you drive with the nail in your tire, the worse it can get. Your safest bet is to change the tire. But in a pinch, you can drive a short distance to get it taken care of.

If it’s a small enough hole, the tire can probably be repaired instead of having to be replaced. Patching tires is a cheap and quick fix. But if enough damage has been done, a new tire (or two, or even four) is the painful and expensive outcome.

When you follow the manufacturer's factory-recommended maintenance schedule, you're much less likely to run into issues like this one. Visit the experts at the Lynch Ford Chevrolet service department for affordable, efficient service and the answers to all your vehicle maintenance questions.