nail in front tire 06 prius #8 5000 miles!

pete bogumill · 07-04-2006, 07:12 PM

prius people. was going down the road with window open on a quiet country road and every time front tire made a revolution i kept hearing this click click noise. i thought i had just had picked up a small rock that got caught in the tread or something. finally i pulled over to have a look see and it was a fairly large nail. it was in the very outside edge of the tread. its not leaking or nothing. for laughs and giggles i stopped at toyota to have it plugged and when they said the tire with barley 5000 miles on it was non repairable i thought it was b.s. but they said being on the outside of the tread a plug or a patch would shift or flex when driving and would never hold? the tires aren't under warranty from factory or nothing so i guess its a new tire? wondering if this is totally true? hate to have something happen because of it. anyways moral of the story is can i drive safe on this or will the head of the nail wear off in a short while and then the tire will leak anyways?

pete

marjam · 07-04-2006, 07:24 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pete bogumill @ Jul 4 2006, 07:12 PM) [snapback]281155[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

prius people. was going down the road with window open on a quiet country road and every time front tire made a revolution i kept hearing this click click noise. i thought i had just had picked up a small rock that got caught in the tread or something. finally i pulled over to have a look see and it was a fairly large nail. it was in the very outside edge of the tread. its not leaking or nothing. for laughs and giggles i stopped at toyota to have it plugged and when they said the tire with barley 5000 miles on it was non repairable i thought it was b.s. but they said being on the outside of the tread a plug or a patch would shift or flex when driving and would never hold? the tires aren't under warranty from factory or nothing so i guess its a new tire? wondering if this is totally true? hate to have something happen because of it. anyways moral of the story is can i drive safe on this or will the head of the nail wear off in a short while and then the tire will leak anyways?

pete
[/b]

My thought is to buy a new tire. Why take the chance? You don't have to get the tire from Toyota.

jeromep · 07-04-2006, 07:54 PM

There is a tire warranty. Check that pile of documents you got with the car. Your average Goodyear dealer is responsible for servicing your tires.

Anyway, aside from the cost of replacement tires all around, there are much better tires out there for the prius other than the junk integreties that Toyota is shipping on the vehicle. If you decided to get new tires, it will be for the better over the long haul.

hobbit · 07-04-2006, 08:23 PM

If you caught it well before it went flat, it certainly *is*
repairable. Usual methodology is plug and patch from the inside,
requiring removal of the tire from the rim, but this is totally
routine to any place that deals with tires. Don't just leave
the nail in, it *will* start to leak down.
.
I got almost the same thing last winter -- happened to have the
window open and heard the tick-tick-tick, and made it to a tire
place with a healthy margin of air left. Swapped to the donut in
their parking lot and left the ailing wheel, and went back for
it later. It's been okay ever since.
.
_H*

jrct9454 · 07-05-2006, 08:38 AM

Sorry, people, but the dealer is right. ANY damage to the tire toward the outside of the actual tread area is strictly fatal for the long-term health of any radial tire, and should not be repaired. There is too much flexing that occurs at that point in the tire carcass to take this risk. Without pictures, I agree that the description in this case is marginal - maybe yes, maybe no, but having a LOT of experience with tires, I can tell you that my recommendation would have been the same - get rid of it.

mbarrows · 07-05-2006, 12:16 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrct9454 @ Jul 5 2006, 07:38 AM) [snapback]281340[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Sorry, people, but the dealer is right. ANY damage to the tire toward the outside of the actual tread area is strictly fatal for the long-term health of any radial tire, and should not be repaired. There is too much flexing that occurs at that point in the tire carcass to take this risk. Without pictures, I agree that the description in this case is marginal - maybe yes, maybe no, but having a LOT of experience with tires, I can tell you that my recommendation would have been the same - get rid of it. [/b]

I agree; had to replace my tire because a staple or screw was into the sidewall.

JimboK · 07-05-2006, 01:00 PM

I tend to agree with jrct9454 and mbarrows. I was in the tire business in the early 80s. At the time, it seemed to be pretty standard industry practice not to try to repair a tire with a hole anywhere from the edge of the tread to the bead. The thought process was that because of the constant flexing of the sidewall, a patch or plug wouldn't hold. Holes in the flat part of the tread, no problem. Admittedly things have changed a lot since then, so I have no idea what the current industry standard might be. Flexing sidewalls certainly haven't changed, but tire repair technology may have changed a lot. But your dealer is telling you what I told my customers 25 years ago.

As for any obligation of Goodyear, this and most factory tire warranties do not include road hazard coverage; a nail is not a defect. The Toyota Roadside Assistance Program that came with my car DOES cover them, but IIRC, that program was dropped with the '06 model year. (Other posters, please correct me if I'm wrong.)

Jim

pete bogumill · 07-05-2006, 10:32 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrct9454 @ Jul 5 2006, 07:38 AM) [snapback]281340[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Sorry, people, but the dealer is right. ANY damage to the tire toward the outside of the actual tread area is strictly fatal for the long-term health of any radial tire, and should not be repaired. There is too much flexing that occurs at that point in the tire carcass to take this risk. Without pictures, I agree that the description in this case is marginal - maybe yes, maybe no, but having a LOT of experience with tires, I can tell you that my recommendation would have been the same - get rid of it.
[/b]

:

thanks for your reply. pete

akmurdog · 07-06-2006, 04:33 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pete bogumill @ Jul 5 2006, 07:32 PM) [snapback]281765[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

:

thanks for your reply. pete

[/b]

Not sure why you would want to risk safety by driving on a tire that has been punctured on the sidewall. I'm also not sure why you would want base your decision on the advice from a bunch of car owners that aren't/can't even look at the tire vs. the advice of the professional mechanic that not only is examining the tire first hand, but has the benifit of experience and training. If you are really dubious of the mechanics integrity take the car to a reputable tire specialist.

Just my $0.02 worth.

07-05-2006, 01:00 PM	#7
JimboK One owner, low mileage Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 1,997 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 3	I tend to agree with jrct9454 and mbarrows. I was in the tire business in the early 80s. At the time, it seemed to be pretty standard industry practice not to try to repair a tire with a hole anywhere from the edge of the tread to the bead. The thought process was that because of the constant flexing of the sidewall, a patch or plug wouldn't hold. Holes in the flat part of the tread, no problem. Admittedly things have changed a lot since then, so I have no idea what the current industry standard might be. Flexing sidewalls certainly haven't changed, but tire repair technology may have changed a lot. But your dealer is telling you what I told my customers 25 years ago. As for any obligation of Goodyear, this and most factory tire warranties do not include road hazard coverage; a nail is not a defect. The Toyota Roadside Assistance Program that came with my car DOES cover them, but IIRC, that program was dropped with the '06 model year. (Other posters, please correct me if I'm wrong.) Jim __________________ Jim Lifetime fuel mileage: After learning how to hypermile: Click here for car details.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Dang, nail in my tire	efusco	Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	33	11-28-2007 10:03 AM
5000 miles in 16 days in my 06 Prius	redbaron	Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	5	12-12-2006 07:12 PM
NAIL in tire	barbaram	Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	9	10-13-2006 03:02 PM
Nail in Rear Tire	jnkapil	Prius Main Forum	10	06-28-2006 11:43 AM
tire rotation every 5000 miles	P-Car-Go	Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	15	09-01-2004 08:20 AM

07-04-2006, 07:12 PM	#1
pete bogumill Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 57 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	prius people. was going down the road with window open on a quiet country road and every time front tire made a revolution i kept hearing this click click noise. i thought i had just had picked up a small rock that got caught in the tread or something. finally i pulled over to have a look see and it was a fairly large nail. it was in the very outside edge of the tread. its not leaking or nothing. for laughs and giggles i stopped at toyota to have it plugged and when they said the tire with barley 5000 miles on it was non repairable i thought it was b.s. but they said being on the outside of the tread a plug or a patch would shift or flex when driving and would never hold? the tires aren't under warranty from factory or nothing so i guess its a new tire? wondering if this is totally true? hate to have something happen because of it. anyways moral of the story is can i drive safe on this or will the head of the nail wear off in a short while and then the tire will leak anyways? pete

07-04-2006, 07:54 PM	#3
jeromep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 821 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	There is a tire warranty. Check that pile of documents you got with the car. Your average Goodyear dealer is responsible for servicing your tires. Anyway, aside from the cost of replacement tires all around, there are much better tires out there for the prius other than the junk integreties that Toyota is shipping on the vehicle. If you decided to get new tires, it will be for the better over the long haul.

07-04-2006, 08:23 PM	#4
hobbit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bahstahn Posts: 2,989 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If you caught it well before it went flat, it certainly is repairable. Usual methodology is plug and patch from the inside, requiring removal of the tire from the rim, but this is totally routine to any place that deals with tires. Don't just leave the nail in, it will start to leak down. . I got almost the same thing last winter -- happened to have the window open and heard the tick-tick-tick, and made it to a tire place with a healthy margin of air left. Swapped to the donut in their parking lot and left the ailing wheel, and went back for it later. It's been okay ever since. . _H*

07-05-2006, 08:38 AM	#5
jrct9454 Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 54 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Sorry, people, but the dealer is right. ANY damage to the tire toward the outside of the actual tread area is strictly fatal for the long-term health of any radial tire, and should not be repaired. There is too much flexing that occurs at that point in the tire carcass to take this risk. Without pictures, I agree that the description in this case is marginal - maybe yes, maybe no, but having a LOT of experience with tires, I can tell you that my recommendation would have been the same - get rid of it.