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nail in front tire 06 prius #8 5000 miles!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by pete bogumill, Jul 4, 2006.

  1. pete bogumill

    pete bogumill New Member

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    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? :eek: pete
     
  2. marjam

    marjam Member

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

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

    jeromep Member

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    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.
     
  4. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    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*
     
  5. jrct9454

    jrct9454 Junior Member

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    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.
     
  6. mbarrows

    mbarrows Illini Bird

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


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

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    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
     
  8. pete bogumill

    pete bogumill New Member

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    :eek: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrct9454 @ Jul 5 2006, 07:38 AM) [snapback]281340[/snapback]</div>
    : :eek: thanks for your reply. pete :unsure:
     
  9. akmurdog

    akmurdog New Member

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