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Driving near construction sites and where roofs are being repaired could result in a nail in one of your tires. Naturally, it puts a crimp in your day, but in many cases, you can have it repaired and be on your way.

Unfortunately, there are times when it is impossible to make repairs to a tire after a nail punctures it. This means you’ll need to buy a new tire.

While it can happen any time you’re on the road, it’s important to know what to do to stay safe on the road. A nail in your tire will cause it to lose pressure, leading to more extensive damage to the tread.

Is It OK to Drive with a Nail in a Tire?

If you’ve just noticed a nail in your tire and there’s not a big air leak, you are probably safe to drive to a local car repair shop to have it fixed. Before you go, check the tire pressure in the affected tire. You can top it off to a safe level first before going to the repair shop.

Whatever you do, do not try to pull the nail out, or any other foreign object that ever punctures your tire. This will result in rapid air loss and you’ll need to temporarily replace the tire with your spare.

How to Know When Your Tire Can’t Be Fixed

Once you get to a repair shop, they will conduct a thorough tire inspection. This requires them to remove your tire completely to look at the exterior and interior walls for any hidden damage.

Here’s when your tire cannot be repaired after finding a nail in it:

The Nail Is in the Shoulder or Sidewall

Tire repairs are limited only to the tread area. If it has been punctured by a nail or another object in the shoulder or sidewall area, there is no way to safely make a repair. Repair shops consider a puncture a safe repair when it is ½-inch away or more from the edge of the tire tread.

The Puncture Is Too Large

When a tire puncture is larger than ¼-inch, it can’t be fixed. This is also true for gashes or cuts that exceed this size. There are steel belts inside your tires and when they are slashed, it reduces their strength and durability. No mechanic would ever let you drive with a tire that has the steel belts compromised because it is extremely unsafe.

When the Repair Overlaps a Previous Fix

Some people will end up with a nail in the same tire and the same portion of that tire. Unfortunately, you can’t have a new tire repair overlap a previous fix. It won’t be safe and will increase the chances of getting involved in an accident.

Your Tire Has a Bulge or Bubble in the Sidewall

Even though a bulge or bubble in the sidewall is not caused by a nail, it is another scenario when you can’t get the tire repaired. These are caused by hitting curbs, potholes, and other types of hazards on the road. On impact, you may think you’ve wound up with a nail in your tire.

Why Patching Tires Is Not Sufficient

Tire patches alone are never the right way to repair a tire. Properly repairing a tire involves completely filling the hole with either a solid rubber stem or vulcanizing material. After it is filled, a patch needs to be applied to the inner liner.

You may have seen tire plug advertisements that claim you can use them to fix a tire yourself. This sticky object expands as you push it into the damaged area from the outside of the tire. While this will stop the leak, it is only a quick fix that will more than likely fail eventually. Tire plugs can also cause air to get trapped in the layers of tread, making them separate and putting you in a very unsafe situation.

What to Know About Driving with a Spare

Perhaps you don’t have time to get your tire repaired and need to get back on the road. When you install the spare, you should be aware that it is intended as a temporary replacement for your tire. You should also know that you can’t drive on it the same way you would with your regular tires.

Spare tires are not as durable or sturdy. These tips will help you drive safely on the spare until you get your punctured tire repaired or buy a new one:

Go Slow

Generally, it is recommended that you do not exceed 50 miles per hour while driving with a spare tire. If you must get on the highway, stay in the right lane.

Keep Your Drive Short

Spare tires are not meant for long distances. In most cases, spare tires are only good for about 70 miles, though it helps to check what is stated in the owner’s manual of your vehicle.

Prepare for Affected Systems

A vehicle with the donut serving as a temporary replacement for a real tire will often trigger the wheel speed sensors. They detect a difference compared to the other tires, which could result in the brake and ABS warning lights illuminating on your dashboard. Spare tires rotate faster than regular tires, triggering the alert, but this will be fixed once you get your damaged tire repaired or replaced.

Be Extra Careful

One of the most important things to remember about a spare tire on your car is that your ABS will be compromised. The warning lights on your dashboard will be a constant reminder, so you must take extreme care if it is raining or while driving on curvy stretches of road. It is imperative that you make sure you do not engage cruise control while you are using a spare tire.

Ideally, the nail in your tire will be in the right place for a safe repair, but if not, getting a new tire will give you peace of mind on the road ahead.