If a tire is plugged twice right beside each other, would you be able to see if it had been plugged from the outside of the tire?
I recently bought a new car, they claimed to have done a 110-point inspection. A few weeks later my tire starts going flat. I take it in and the look at it and say it had been plugged twice as if two nails had punctured the tire right beside each other and showed me the inside of the tire. I replaced the tire and went back to the dealership and asked why they sold me this car without telling me and they said they would have no way of knowing even after doing this so called inspection. So my question is, would they have been able to tell if it was plugged, if they had gone over the vehicle like
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
An inspection is only as good as the time spent and the person doing the inspection. I can say that a plug may be hard to spot. If the plug was there for a while, then it would be road worn and even harder to spot. If the dealer wanted to do the right thing then they should help you out with a replacement tire. However, various dealerships will obviously have different policies for handling these types of situations.
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A tire can be patched twice and up to three times. However, this rule goes out the window if the hole overlaps another patch or damaged area.
It shouldn`t be a problem if you`ve been driving the car with the plugged tires on for a short, moderate period. But the advice we give is to limit the use of tires that appear to have large plugs located near the tire wall when traveling in for a long time.
Tire plugs may cause air to become trapped between the layers of the tire tread, eventually causing the tire tread to separate. Tire plugs can wear down over time and air or water leaks can reoccur. Tire plugs on their own do not completely seal off the inner liner from air or water entering the tire.
According to many studies, 8 miles is a safe distance to drive on a plugged tire. Plugging is not a long-term fix; it just keeps the wheel moving for the time it takes to find a service center.
NEVER repair a tire that has an existing, improper repair; the tire must be scrapped. A plug by itself or a patch by itself is an unacceptable repair.
Tire Plugs and String Repairs are Temporary Repairs
Emergency roadside plug repairs are NOT intended to be a permanent tire repair. Plugs and string repairs are designed to get you back up and rolling long enough to get home or to the nearest service center to perform a proper tire repair.
For a safe repair, the puncture must be 1/2 inch away or more from the edge of the tire tread where the internal steel belt begins. Any puncture less than 1/2 inch from the start of the internal steel belt on the shoulder or sidewall of the tire cannot be repaired (highlighted in red).
Clearly, the only effective way to repair a radial tire and make it safe again is also the method recommended by both the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Tire Industry Association: Install a plug in the hole through the tread, but also patch the inner surface of the tire with a radial-specific flat patch.
As a rule, most tire shops will not plug a car tire more than three times.
The quarter-inch rule
This is very simple: never repair a tire with a puncture greater than a quarter inch or 6 mm in diameter. Also, never repair any punctures found on the tire sidewall. Puncture repair is limited to the tread area and only between the outside shoulder grooves.
Repaired tires can often be mended again if the damage doesn`t compromise a previously repaired area. For example, if you have a nail-in-tire situation, you may be able to do a quick repair if the puncture location doesn`t overlap with a previous tire injury and the repair was done properly.
It isn`t safe and could lead to a dangerous blowout. A plug by itself, or a patch by itself, is not acceptable. But a safer tire repair, done to the RMA standards, can give you thousands of miles more use from your tire. Need your tire repaired by an expert?
Repaired tires can often be mended again if the damage doesn`t compromise a previously repaired area. For example, if you have a nail-in-tire situation, you may be able to do a quick repair if the puncture location doesn`t overlap with a previous tire injury and the repair was done properly.
Keep in mind that Fix-a-Flat should only be used once, so fill just one tire with the entire can.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
If a tire is plugged twice right beside each other, would you be able to see if it had been plugged from the outside of the tire?
ANSWER : An inspection is only as good as the time spent and the person doing the inspection. I can say that a plug may be hard to spot. If the plug was there for a while, then it would be road worn and even harder to spot. If the dealer wanted to do the right thing then they should help you out with a replacement tire. However, various dealerships will obviously have different policies for handling these types of situations.
Front right tire hangs lower than left tire when placed on jack stands of equal height.
ANSWER : Hello – your RAV4 uses torsion bars instead of springs to suspend the weight of the vehicle. Each wheel/tire carries a different amount of vehicle weight. An alignment adjusts torsion spring force to support each corner of the vehicle to a certain height – called ride height. Think of this as the distance between the ground and a point on the undercarriage that will be the same side-to-side. It will be same for both front tires, and both rear tires, although the front and rear ride height may be different. This may result in different "tire hang when suspended" distance as you have noticed. Test this by driving the vehicle onto an absolutely flat piece of pavement, then measure the distance between the ground and a front frame or sub-frame point that is common on both the right and left sides. If the distances are equal, the vehicle was aligned properly, regardless of how the tire hangs when the vehicle is suspended.
I had a problem with my brakes where wheels would lock up and front right tire would smoke. I was told that I would need to repai
ANSWER : It is not a matter of a fair estimate but a correct diagnosis. If you are having the right wheel locking up you may need calipers, pads, rotors, and brake lines. I do not suspect you would need the master cylinder unless you put the wrong fluid in the system. I have see this before. Get a second opinion from a certified mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, to diagnose your brake system. That way you will get two different quotes for comparison.
Spark plug chaos. Rubber stoppers are preventing the spark plugs from coming out.
ANSWER : Hi there. Try using a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull off the rubber boots from the spark plugs. As you pull, twist the rubber boots to break them free. If you cannot get the rubber boots off, then try using some mineral oil on the boots to aid them off, then clean off the oil with soap and water with degreaser. If you need further assistance with removing the boots from the spark plugs, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Advice for winter tires
ANSWER : 205/55R17 may be too tall for your vehicle. A couple of good sources to check size compatibility for your vehicle would be tirerack.com or maybe discounttire.com. Sites like Tire Rack specialize in winter tire packages and is a good source for fitment options. I have personally used Bridgestone and Dunlop snow tires and would recommend either. However, it is highly recommended that winter tires be mounted at all 4 corners. Having different tires with different capabilities not only makes the vehicle unstable, it will effect systems like the anti-lock brakes and traction control. Winter tires perform much better than summer or all-season tires do in ice and snow conditions. Having two tires with good winter traction and two with poor traction will have the anti-lock brake system working overtime. Also, sticking with a smaller tire for winter use is advisable. For ice and snow driving, you want the opposite for summer driving. Wide, low profile tires improve warm, dry weather driving. Tall, narrow, tires provide better control on snow and ice. Consider keeping your stock 16 inch wheels for winter use with winter tires mounted on them and maybe a nice set of 17 inch wheels and tires for summer use. I’ve done that with nearly every vehicle I’ve owned whether front, rear, or all-wheel drive.
Rear tire wear on the outside and insides of the tires, but not in the middle
ANSWER : Without looking at the tires and going on you saying the tires are wearing on the outside edges of the tires I would say your tires were driven with the pressures too low or overloaded on a regular basis. Here is a web page for you to see a picture of tire wear patterns and causes.
Car pulls to the right after tire rotation
ANSWER : Hello. On your 2002 Mercedes Benz SLK320, all of the tires have to have the same tread design an the same amount of tread. Any variations will cause the computer to not read the sensors correctly which will cause these issues. You need to purchase two more tires that are the same as the new ones, and install the tires to replace the other two tires. If you want to have this looked at before replacing the tires, a local expert from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose your car’s pulling issue.
I hear a loud clicking noise on the drivers side by my tire rim when turning the steering wheel front tires vibrating as well.
ANSWER : A clicking noise on turning is very characteristic of a failed outboard CV axle joint. Sometimes, in such a circumstance, you can see that the rubber outboard boot is actually torn and leaking grease. If you see that (look behind the wheel toward the axle end), the axle for sure will have to be serviced. If you change the axle, be sure to install a new rubber seal on the transmission output side so that you do not have transmission fluid leaks with the new axle (a common mistake is to overlook that seal; if an old, left-in-place seal leaks after the axle is put in the job has to be done all over again). Vibration without actual shaking of the steering wheel "might" be related to the axle issue. On the other hand, such vibration could also be due to a failed wheel bearing, especially with over 200,000 miles on the vehicle and if those are the original bearings. If you were to need both an axle and a wheel bearing at the same time, and on the same side, that’s actually not that bad because the steering knuckle that holds the wheel bearing has to come off anyway to replace the axle. But, backing up here, the very first thing to do is get the issue properly diagnosed so you spend the minimum possible. If you want to obtain a diagnostic, please request a vehicle CV/wheel bearing noise inspection and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
