Slow punctures are invisible holes that allow air to gradually escape your car tyre, creating the potential for catastrophic tyre blowout or an accident later on. If left unattended, these slow punctures can become severe enough that they could eventually result in major issues and blowouts that cause irreparable damage to both yourself and others on the road.
Modern cars typically include tyre pressure monitoring systems that provide warnings when one or more tyres lose air pressure, providing peace of mind to drivers.
1. Check the Pressure
Few things are more debilitating than driving with an unknowing flat tyre, particularly if it occurs slowly. While larger punctures usually leave their mark immediately, slow punctures often go undetected until it’s too late.
Unfortunately, slow punctures may take hours, days, or even weeks before becoming fully noticeable. However, early warning signs can help identify slow punctures quickly.
Assuming you’re making multiple stops to top up the air pressure in your tires on an ongoing basis, this could be a telltale sign of a slow puncture. Or if your steering wheel pulls to one side while driving – another telltale sign that your tyre needs fixing – could also indicate slow puncturing.
2. Check the Tread
While checking air pressure, it’s also wise to regularly inspect tyre treads for signs of slow punctures. Look out for any objects, like nails or screws embedded within its tread that might have been there for some time and could have even caused slow punctures over time.
Slow punctures should not be ignored, as driving with underinflated tyres will impede on both handling and safety. A slow puncture can also quickly drain air pressure from a tire’s chambers causing it to blowout more rapidly than anticipated.
If you suspect any signs of slow puncturing, bring it into your nearest HiQ centre so it can be assessed and repaired, if needed.
3. Check the Tyre Pressure Gauge
As a car owner, you may know how to check tyre pressure regularly on your vehicle. But without an ongoing monitoring system or an in-depth knowledge of driving habits, it can be hard to spot an impending puncture until it is too late.
An effective way of checking tyre pressure is with a tyre pressure gauge, which will enable you to identify issues before they escalate and can be found at most petrol stations. Simply place it over the valve stem and press down, creating an air seal as you release air from your tire before reading off its pressure readings.
4. Check the damaged Tyre
Your tires may seem inconsequential, but they play a crucial role in keeping you safe on the road. While sudden puncture damage is easily detectable, slower punctures can often go undetected until too late. As soon as your steering wheel begins to pull to one side while driving, that can be an indicator that tyre structural integrity has been compromised.
Warning signs for damaged tyres include finding that their sidewall appears oddly worn or of different shape than those on other cars in your fleet. This may be a result of low air pressure, which causes sidewall to rub against pavement more frequently resulting in irregular wear over time if dirty tyres. It isn’t safe to drive with damaged tyres so it is essential that they get fixed as soon as possible to ensure safe driving conditions for yourself and others.
5. Check the Tyre’s Tread Wear Gauge
Your car tyres are an integral component, and keeping them in good condition is critical to both you and your passengers’ safety. Unfortunately, however, things can go wrong sometimes; one such issue being slow punctures.
Slow punctures may be harder to detect than their regular counterparts, yet just as dangerous. If left unnoticed, slow punctures will continue deflating over time until eventually leading to a blowout.
On the bright side, most slow punctures can be repaired. If they’re caused by nails or debris embedded in the tyre, an experienced technician should be able to use a standard rubber plug repair solution; however, high performance tyres may require higher stress resistance repairs instead.
6. Look For Tread Wear Indicator
Being aware of and maintaining proper tire pressure is vital to both the safety and performance of your car. Low tire pressure causes tires to wear down more rapidly, while it also compromises handling and traction capabilities.
One way to determine whether your tires are wearing out is to look for tread wear indicator bars molded into most tires. Another method involves using a gauge – fully extend and insert into groove until its shaft rests on two elevated ribs of tread block, measuring several locations around the tire, then taking measurements from that location with lowest reading as measurement of wear and tear.
Uneven tire wear is often responsible for noise, vibration and handling problems in vehicles as well as reduced fuel efficiency.
7. Heal The Puncture
Avoiding slow punctures could result in them widening and eventually leading to tyre blowout. Tyres that lose pressure over time decrease performance and car control while increasing braking distance and making your vehicle less safe to drive.
Slow punctures may take days or weeks to manifest themselves, depending on their cause and origin. They could include driving over sharp objects like glass or screws that puncture rubber, damage to the sidewall of tyre, or an faulty valve.
A visual inspection is key in early identification; otherwise repairs or replacement costs could quickly add up; although sidewall punctures might not even be reparable.
Conclusion
Addressing a slow puncture promptly is essential to ensure the safety and performance of your vehicle. A proactive approach to tyre maintenance will not only extend the lifespan of your tyres but also enhance the overall safety of your driving experience.
