Guides · How to Check Tire Pressure
Nail in a Tire: What To Do
Do not pull a tread nail on the roadside if you still have to drive. Sidewall damage is not a plug job.
Short answer
If the nail is in the tread and the tire still holds air, leave the nail in and drive slowly to a repair shop. If the nail is in the sidewall, or the tire is flat or bulged, do not treat it as a plug-and-go.
The object is often the only seal. Pulling it in a parking lot can empty the tire before you have a spare on. A shop can decide whether the injury is in the repairable tread zone.
Sidewall and shoulder injuries are not standard plug repairs. Those areas flex too much. Replacement is the honest answer.
After a proper repair, reset TPMS only after the pressure matches the label. A plug alone does not make a damaged carcass safe.
Step-by-step
- 1Look where the nail sits: tread versus sidewall.
- 2Check whether the tire is still holding air.
- 3Leave a tread nail in place if you must move the car.
- 4Use a spare or a tow if the tire is flat or the injury is in the sidewall.
- 5Have a shop inspect from the inside, not just from the outside.
Common mistakes
Yanking the nail to 'see' You may lose the remaining air.
Plugging a sidewall That repair is not a sidewall solution.
Driving highway speed on a hissing tire Stop and change it.
Safety notes
A repaired tire still needs the door-label pressure. A bad repair plus low air is how the next failure starts.
FAQ
Can I plug it myself in the tread? Some tread injuries are repairable from the inside with a proper patch/plug. An emergency string plug is a get-to-the-shop measure, not a finish.
Will TPMS go out after the repair? After the pressure is correct and, on some cars, after a reset.