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Popped Tire, Didn't notice.

3596 Views 22 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  imported_1HOTGTI
Popped a tire last night and ended up driving on it for an hour because I couldn't tell it was flat other then it was pulling slightly to the right.

Damn the Canadian models need TPMS! It was serious hard to tell it was flat. A driver beside me got me to roll down my window and let me know the tire was flat and steaming. Not sure why it was steaming, maybe just extra water on the brakes.

But damn, It was still smooth even at 140km/h on a flat!

I have the 18" with summer tires.
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Flat Tire:
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It has a big ass gouge in one of the groves. looks like someone stabbed it with a sword.

it was totally flat, but I guess they only ride on 1 inch of air as it is.

Yeah, the rim appears 100% fine. I just took the wheel off the vehicle and am going to see if it can be patched. Else I need a new tire but damn it! I don't want one odd tire!
Gunny said:
You can't be serious! I was trying to stay out of this one, but you need to rethink this.

Do not "patch" or plug the tire! If you really did ride on it "for an hour at 140 flat", even if there are no gapping holes in the tire, you did damage you can't see. Where do you think the smoke was coming from? Your belts are shot, and the material is degraded. Have you ever seen a tire delaminate at high speeds? I wouldn't use the wheel again either.
Yes, I have now gone to the tire place and have found the tire is scrap. Riding on it at 140 for an hour wore most the rubber from the inside out (thank god it was wet to cool the tires) and needs to be replaced.

Each tire, $512 full price. I'm getting one for $320 installed because the tire guy feels bad having a flat so soon on a new car.

As for the wheel, it is fine there are no marks and no damage. So I will keep using it as it would be stupid to get another. (the rubber protected it)

And as i said IT WAS NOT SMOKING, it was STEAMING. Due to the warmish rubber and wet roads. The tire was not hot to the touch at all.
PMAZ said:
First of all, even a under inflated tire would be hot. Not to mention being driven at around 70mph for "around and hour". Warmish, is rubbish... These are the same statements that were probably made by all the FIRESTONE owners back in the day when they were de-laminating.

I think that there should be more involved in gaining a driver's license than just parallel parking...
As soon as the guy told me the tire was looking flat and was steaming I pulled through the light and into a parking lot. I got out and placed my hand on spots around the rim and the rubber. I didn't feel the entire tire and there must have been a spot that was hot from all that rubbing. The spots I felt from a quick check were not hot to the touch at all. The rubbing was occuring on the inside wall of the tire and would have been hard to reach without getting all wet and dirty.

I posted some of that before I had got the tire off the wheel. After closer inspection things have changed. It was almost at the point it would have tore apart. I got VERY lucky. I still don't know how I couldn't notice a flat!

Checking the map, I drove approx. 50-66km flat. So my bad, my driving time must have been less then one hour on the flat. I would say ~30min on the flat. It wasn't 140 the whole way, but I did not go much over that from what I can recall. I would just assume on a flat at that speed I should have noticed more.

It was also RAINING. Which likely helped to cool the tire and I would have to say is the only way I got home without it ripping to peices.

I'll try and get some photos of the inside of the tire from the tire shop tomorrow. I hope they haven't dumped out the ground up rubber from the inside yet.
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PMAZ said:
You were lucky for sure! And as far as not noticing the flat, it's hard to notice flats under normal driving conditions with low profile tires these days. You didn't do anything wrong in that case. As far as ever thinking about patching/plugging a tire that you've driven on flat - NEVER - do it. Tires are like similar to driving suits to racers. You don't skimp on them, because when you REALLY need them, they're priceless.
I've never actually popped one of my tires before and always lived under the assumption I would notice. I am shocked to say the least.

You are correct on the patching issue, the previous tires I've all seen patched were not driven on after the pop happened. I didn't even concider the fact I drove on it. I'm not one to usually do things half assed, and have never skimped on my GTI. It appears I was given some bad advice on the patching. I guess it was ok on the old vechicle, but I shouldn't patch tires I can do 200km on. Dang tire, I have less then 2000km on them.

Thanks PMAZ! I'll know better in the future. At least the guy got me a great deal on the new rubber.
Hit a pot hole I think :\ I've hit tons lately though and didn't notice a change so didn't clue into a puncture.

The roads here are really bad right now from the snow we had. They are falling apart all over. The puncture is in a very odd spot though for a pot hole. (or so I would think)

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Thalo said:
I bought new tires once. Drove over a nail with one a couple days later and got it replaced for free under warranty. If a tire shop offers like a 3 year road hazard warranty, shouldn't a bumper to bumper warranty on a new car also cover it. They did, afterall, sell you the tires.
WV Basically laughed at me when I asked about the tires being under warranty.
Wanted ~$500 for the tire also.
runnin81 said:
nitroburn said:
WV Basically laughed at me when I asked about the tires being under warranty.
Wanted ~$500 for the tire also.
I got the same treatment when a bulge developed in the side of one of my "summer performace tires." Wasn't cheap to replace, but the thought of it coming apart at 80mph wasn't comforting.

I agree, Thalo, that VW should have done something for me- It only had 2,000 miles on it. :mad:
I'm under 2000 kilometers!
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