Can This Tire Be Salvaged?

[Oka]

8176
Got this tire with three others when I bought the car. All other three are fine except this on. It had a nail puncture and I feel the nail must have gotten the side of the tire to have kinda weaken that side. See the bulge on the side at the puncture. Is this safe or junk it? Even putting it in the rear? Don't know if it would be wobbly while driving. The thing about this tire is the much thread in it. All four tires are almost like new just an unfortunate situation with the nail.

I only use my cars for daily use within Anchorage, a city about much less than thirty minutes on the highway, from one end to the other. Work takes me about ten-twelve minutes. Once a year or two, I go out of town to Wasilla, a fifty-minute drive ([nonono] not to see Sarah Palin).

[Pennhaven]

It's anybody's guess how long that tire will hold up. Personally I always err on the side of caution when it comes to tires. I'd argue there is no failure prone component more critical for safety than a tire, and this one does not inspire confidence.

[Astro14]

No.

The bulge in the sidewall indicates belt separation. Time for a new tire.

[Oka]

I saw your responses coming as negative advise not to use it, especially having my family in the car once in a while.
Thanks for your concerned responses.

[JRL]

Junk

[albertj]

Suggest you take it to a dealer for that specific brand of tire for replacement. You can't/shouldn't ask for a new tire HOWEVER some lines of tires come with a road hazard allowance of some sort, and after all you'd want the replacement tire to have same construction/tread pattern as the others on the car. HINT: it's more cost effective for them to spot you a tire and avoid the liability of failure than almost anything else. For you, it is more cost effective to buy a new tire even for $100 or more than to roll around on that one. So get to a dealer ASAP and work with them on a replacement. If you check on-line you may be able to find the "official" warranty that would have come with the tires.

Last time something like this happened to me (tire bulge) I took the car to a dealer that sold that line of tire. I'd bought the car used and never heard of the brand (Telstar) nor had I ever been to that dealer. That said, they replaced the tire immediately, apparently that brand (turns out the tires were made by their suppliers) had a policy of replacing bulging tires. I bought one so that the tires on one axle would have the same wear, which the dealer pro-rated by about half IIRC. Didn't see that one coming... Your mileage may vary so to speak. I would just buy the replacement tires and go along with pretty much what that tire dealer can allow. I would not bother going back to the dealer who sold you the used car on his one.

[Oka]

Suggest you take it to a dealer for that specific brand of tire for replacement.

Would it work if I was not the original purchaser? The set of four came with car when I purchased it last year and I just took the car out to drive after coming back from a transmission rebuild.

Also, the 'defect' did not just happen, no doubt, it was as a result of the nail. I believe! Too coincidental to have happened right at the place the nail went in. I believe the nail must have hit/scratched/damaged the side wall while it was being driven during the puncture by the previous owner. Warranty transfer has always been an issue for item like this.

I sure appreciate your input.

[derby]

Most tire repair shops in my area wont repair a tire with a puncture in it within an inch of the sidewall. Like mentioned above, check for hazard or warranty but do replace it.

[Oka]

Most tire repair shops in my area wont repair a tire with a puncture in it within an inch of the sidewall. Like mentioned above, check for hazard or warranty but do replace it.
Yep, I will replace it. Thanks!

[albertj]

In my case, I was not the tire purchaser, I bought the car used off the used-car front line of a new car dealer. I went to the tire shop not expecting any consideration, and chose that shop because they were advertising that they even carried that brand tire. I was really naiive at the time (still am in many ways) and really, I went to ask them if the bulged sidewall was normal for this brand tire. Turns out, that tire shop is a family business in our area (Young's Tires (http://www.youngstires.com/)) and Dave Young took a lot of time (granted it was not that busy that day) to teach me about how to tell a seam tell versus a bulge, how to read DOT codes on tires (so I don't get ripped off) and other useful stuff. I'd buy all my tires there except it's as hard if not harder to get an install appointment there than it is for me to get an appointment to see my doctor and that's a 3-5 week advance - they are that good and that busy.

Anyway... Tire Rack published a memo about this (see this LINK (https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=32)) they call it "undulation" and explain why it appears at the seams in the tire carcass. What they don't point out is that different manufacturers have different ways of making seams, even staggering them within the carcass, or even covering the tire with a jointless cap ply (usually nylon) that's not even really listed on the tire sidewall; as a result some manufacturers' "seam tell" are consistently difficult if not impossible to find, while others' are very easy to find. It's a short memo with pictures that tell the story clearly; if you have 5 minutes you should click the link and read it. In my case, the bulge looked a lot like but not exactly like what I call the "seam tell" that you can see on the sidewalls of some tires, except it stuck out kind of far instead of in like a "seam tell."

Again - I would just find a nearby tire dealer (a shop that primarily sells tires, not a gas station or mechanic) that carries that brand of tire, point out the problems and buy the replacement tires. As for any "warranty" I would likely go along with pretty much what that tire dealer can allow.

I would not bother going back to the dealer who sold you the used car on this one.

[Oka]

I would not bother going back to the dealer who sold you the used car on this one.
In my case, it was an individual that sold it to me. I think I still have the tire receipts from the previous owner.
No one addressed the fact that I mentioned, the nail puncture is right above the bulge, which signifies the 'defect' may not be objective, the tire, but on what might have caused it. Looking at it, one would automatically conclude it was caused by the nail. If I have a shop and someone walks in with such tire, I would conclude so. The tip of the nail may have moved to the side of the tire and wounded it, and
in turn, may have cut some reinforcement to create the bulge. So, the tire warranty would not apply here. Just a thought!

[Oka]

Just finished chatting with a Michelin person on the chat window.
He asked me to take it to the nearest Michelin dealer in town, to inspect it, and call them to see if any assistance can be given to me.
I had asked for some rebate for a new tire.

[JRL]

You can't keep a tire with a sidewall bubble, period as it WILL blow out, it's just a matter of time
See what Michelin says.