Tire bulge: is it safe to drive with a tire bulge
If you ever notice that the side wall of your tire has a bubble or bulge, a tire bulge indicates that your tire has suffered irrevocable damage. Read on to look for what is tire bulges, what causes tire bulges, is safe to drive with tire bulges. And how we can fix and prevent tire bulges and get rid of this hazard.
It would be best if you watched out for a potentially dangerous thing regarding your tires. Now, you’re driving your car down, hitting a big pothole, or your tire hits a curb. Now that impact causes damage to the tire structure the internal structure of the tire.
And when that damage occurs, it weakens the entire structure at that tiny spot, and when that happens, it forms a small bump on the outside edge of the tire right, which is visible now.
If you ignore that bump and keep on driving your car, what happens is, especially at like high speeds like when you’re going on the highway, that weak structure of the tire combined
the high forces and stresses the tire is subjected to on the road and high speeds can cause the tires to blow.
What causes a Tire bulge
A bulge or bubble in the tire is actually air that has leaked through the inner line of the tire to the outermost surface. Tires are made from different components, which include an inner side liner, piles in the body, belts, sidewalls, tread, and beads.
The purpose of the inner side liner is to maintain the air pressure inside the car tire, between it also in the rim. When any forceful impact occurs on the tire, the inner line, along with other parts of the tire casting, can be punctured and forms some gaps between layers in the side wall, which cause air to escape from that area.
Causes of Tires Bulges
Tires Bulges happen mainly due to impact damage after a car accident which causes internally damaged tires or when tires come in contact with some obstacle. Here are some most common reasons for tire bulges.
- Crossings on Railroad or train
- Car Accident
- Damaged Roads or Damaged streets
- Kerb, during the parking
- Potholes
- Debris from broken houses and trees
- Speed Humps and Bumps
- Construction Areas
- Tire Manufacture Defect
Sometimes tires bubble happen due to tire manufacturing defects, in this case, you may replace the bulging tires with a warranty.
How to recognize a tire bulge?
If your tire has a bubble in it, you will feel some vibration while driving. It also happens as we drive on badly paved roads, but if your tire has bulged, you will feel the vibration on normal roads as well.
Vibration can be caused by different reasons when tires get unbalanced when tires cause squeals when turning corners, when the tread on your tire is less, or tire is punctured, but vibration can be the consequence of a bubble in the tire.
Another way to recognize bulge is to check side walls, grooves, and cuts that are visible to the eyes. If they show up, there is a high probability that there is a bulge in the tire.
Is it safe to drive with a tire bulge?
The Short answer is NO. Like natural bubbles, a “Bulge or Bubble” in the tire sidewall can burst at any time. Therefore, if the tire has a bulge in the sidewall, it will likely blow out at any time. Having bulges in tires can also damage car suspension and wheel alignment.
If you find a tire bubble on the side wall, DO NOT DRIVE ON IT as the tire is weak at this time and has not been able to adapt to harsh conditions on roads like humps and bums, rocks, debris, and path hole.
At his point, you need to park the vehicle at a safe place and replaced that tire with a spare tire.
Bulge in Tire Tread
Bulge can happen in the tire tread itself. If you find a bulge inside the tread, this is an indication that the tire has a broken belt inside. This is also named Tire Separation. A bulge in tread while driving, you will feel bump driving, like a sidewall bulge. This is also very risky and causes a blowout.
What to do if you’ve got a tire bulge?
Unfortunately, there is no measure you can take when your tire gets a tire bubble. It’s best to replace the damaged tire with spare tires as soon as possible or take your vehicle to a nearby store instantly, as driving with a bulged tire can cause a tire blowout, risking your own safety as well as others around the road.
Can a tire bulge be fixed?
Note that Tire Bulge can not be repaired it must be replaced. WHY? Because repair can not be done if the damage is inside the tire, and this internal damage can not be patched, plugged, or in the combination with it, as in the bulge cord inside the tire got broken which is far beyond repair.
Recommendations for Preventing Tire Bulges/Bubbles
While it’s almost inconceivable to evade potholes when they’re coming at you or spot a mishap before it occurs, there are some tips you can follow to look after your tires and lower the risk of developing tire bubbles. Following are the tips to prevent tire bulges.
Maintain your tires
Regular rotations, tread depth checks, and comprehensive inspections can protect you from tire tread bulging, which results from very worn tires, incorrect PSI levels, or other tire defects.
– Always Keep a spare tire in your vehicle.
– Carry a tire gauge.
– Heed TPMS warnings.
– Drive and park carefully.
– Steer evidence of potholes
FAQ
Is it OK to replace just one tire having a bulge?
To achieve optimum vehicle handling, ride comfort, and road traction, it’s generally recommended that you have all four tires replaced at the same time.
Is a tire bulge covered under warranty?
If the bubble is the result of a manufacturing defect, your manufacturer warranty should indeed cover the replacement or a pro-rated replacement of your bad tire. However, don’t count on the bubble being the manufacturer’s fault. Manufacturing defects in these cases are very unlikely.
How much does a bulge in a tire cost?
The cost of a bulging tire depends on the extent of damage, tire brand, and size. However, it is recommended to replace the tire instead of repairing it to ensure safe driving.
