Can You Drive With A Screw In Your Tire? [Explained]

If the screw is small, then it is possible to keep driving. This is because such screws would not let the air out at a faster rate.

Also, sometimes the screw does not puncture the tire completely, meaning you can be driving around with a screw for days. 

People often drive over screws and keep driving without noticing a change in how the car drives. However, if you notice you are losing tire pressure, it is best to have it repaired at a garage as soon as possible. 

In case the tire is flat, there is no point in driving on it. It is best to change it to a spare tire and get the flat tire repaired. 

What Can You Do If You Have A Screw In Your Tire?

One of the ways a person can notice a screw in the tire is when the tire keeps losing pressure.

Ensure that you get to a safe location and visually inspect the tire. You will easily find out if it is safe to keep driving on the same tire or not. 

This is why you should always have your car’s spare tire with you in the car. It will help in such situations so that you can have the other damaged tire repaired. 

In the case where the tire is not losing so much air, drive to the nearest tire shop and have it repaired still.

There are some people who like repairing punctured tires themselves. You would find them using tire sealants, inflators, patches, and plugs.

Unless you know how to use these products, do not attempt. This is because the repair might not hold as well. 

Here is a quick video on removing a nail or screw from a tire

Should You Repair Or Replace The Punctured Tire?

There are times when you may have to repair the tire and times when replacing seems like the only option. 

If the puncture is in the tread, then it can be repaired. The tire shop will use the tire patches to repair the damage. The technicians will also look for additional damage to ensure you have a working tire when it leaves the shop.

It is best to replace the tire rather than repair it sometimes. A good example is when the screw punctures the sidewall of your tire.

So long as the hole is larger than a quarter-inch, then it becomes too large to repair. The worst is having multiple holes together. Replacing the tire in such a scenario is necessary. 

FAQs

Will it be safe to drive with a screw in a tire on the highway?

This largely depends on the damage the screw might have done to the tire. If it is a large hole, then you will lose a lot of air, thus being unsafe. 

What will happen to the tire if you leave the screw in it?

Even if the screw does not lead to losing tire pressure at once, it can have additional effects such as rough driving, imbalanced tires, and sometimes replacing the tire after a while. 

Is it expensive to remove a screw in the tire?

It is not the most expensive repair on a car. It may cost $10 to $20 to have it removed.