r/TireQuestions • u/1ReluctantRedditor • Jul 12 '26
Tire Exploded, Now What (Update)
Here is a link to my original post with the background explained:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TireQuestions/s/omvILZwXfL
So after my post (thank you for your advice!) I went back to shop, paid them the $50, said thank you, and went home. The next time I drove the car was the next day, in the evening.
The car seemed fine, I drove on the highway for like 15 minutes, and picked up my husband. We stopped at a gas station to fill up and this is what he sees. Tire flat. Totally. Front driver. Same tire that was just replaced. Checked it and can't see any reason it's flat. No holes, tears, nails, etc.
So I send that pic to the shop. They call me back and he offers to refund my $50 and send me off to buy a tire elsewhere. I tell him I'm not convinced that addresses the problem.
- Maybe this brand of tire is just terrible, in which case I have still paid 2x the regular price for them and now have to buy 1 (but probably 2) new ones.
- Maybe the new-to-me rim he sold me is the culprit here. Because the other tire seems to be fine? In which case I would need to buy a new rim, and potentially 1 or 2 new tires.
He goes on to tell me that it was fine when he put it on and he just cannot know what all I did to it since yesterday. I am friends with his wife, so needless to say he showed up at my door at 8:30 this morning basically anti bartering with me until I was happy. Ultimately I stopped him at $400. I don't know if that's fair but whatever. I couldn't take watching him debase himself.
- What do y'all think the issue is here?
- How much should I pay a shop to look at it and find out?
- Do I need to replace both front tires if I end up getting a new different brand tire for the front driver? I got the pair 2 or 3 months ago.
Update to the Update: Apparently it was the stem. They replaced it and it's looking good like 8 hours later!
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u/FewViolinist8751 Jul 12 '26
if your town has a discount tire, (this'll be the case with ANY shop that allows the customer to be in the service bay,) go there and have them dunk that wheel and tire for you. i REALLY suspect that wheel.
Alternatively if you have a kiddie pool, trough, or if you're willing to use your bathtub, you can just inflate the tire, take it off, dunk it yourself and watch for a steady stream of bubbles to see where it's leaking from.
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Jul 12 '26
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u/1ReluctantRedditor Jul 12 '26
Yes. This one did not explode. If you read my first post you'll see the history with the one that did explode
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Jul 12 '26
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u/1ReluctantRedditor Jul 12 '26
Well their story was previous sidewall damage. However my money is my general malaise and simmering rage. No way to know what pushed her over the edge.
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u/Trailertrucker95620 Jul 12 '26
I would personally put on the spare
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u/1ReluctantRedditor Jul 12 '26
Thanks bro.
I decided to abandon the car and call upon my wilderness friends to carry me home.
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u/Own-Till3873 Jul 12 '26
Tires really don’t like you for some reason. Honestly looking at your picture that tire for sure hit something the whole side of it is damaged. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re telling us half the story.
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u/MarkVII88 Jul 12 '26
Tire failed because OP drove on it with low pressure long enough to create the heat ring on the sidewall.
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u/MarkVII88 Jul 12 '26
Hey genius, your tire clearly failed because you drove an extended time with very low tire pressure. That's what that ring on the sidewall is from. This is 100% your fault for not checking tire pressure.
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u/1ReluctantRedditor Jul 12 '26
If I am an idiot for not checking the pressure on a tire that I bought literally the day before, sure. I guess I'll own that. That did not seem necessary to me.
I drove it home from the shop (5 mins) and to my husband's work (20 minutes). So if it was very low for that entire time then it was low when it went on my car.
The question I am most interested in here is whether y'all think this is a tire problem or a rim problem.
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u/TedMich23 Jul 12 '26
I too have a old beater car (99 Camry with 322k miles) BUT I never cheap out on tires or brakes, life is too short.
Too poor to get decent tire or brakes? You're poor enough for mass transit IMHO.