How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall

jinojohnt · 23rd December 2011, 09:46

OT: Today's Malayalam Newspaper reported an accident in which a car lost control (not sure whether because of tyre burst) and hit a parked truck. One lady died, and all others are injured. A 3 year old who was in the front seat was found under the seat, injured.

Only one in a lakh cars with bulging tyre may actually have a tyre burst.
It depends on whether you think your 3000 Rs is more important than your life.

sagarpadaki · 23rd December 2011, 10:08

Please dont gamble your life for some 4000 bucks. Bubbled tires are dangerous to drive and give away any moment.

Let me give you a live incident i witnessed- Our office in ECity hires cabs to ferry their employees to home.One evening i saw this IndiCab parked in our office with a bulge on its left front tire.The bulge was on the outside and very much visible. I advised the driver to put the spare instead of this damaged tire.But he did not take my advice and said nothing will happen and left with few of our office emplyoees. After 10 mins i see this very cab on the elevated expressway stranded on the left .The bulged tire had blown and pulled the vehiche violently to the compound on the left damaging the bumper and the fender.Even the rim was damaged as a result of rubbing against the road!

Take your call my friend. Dont risk your precious life

PGNarain · 23rd December 2011, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

I need to make a quick pune-mumbai-pune in my palio. Last week I noticed a bubble on the side wall of front right tyre.
How safe is it to drive with such tyre? Considering it will be on the expressway?

Hi Vinit, I am no expert on tyres but I can speak on this topic from personal experience.

I had a similar problem with my rear right tyre on our Honda City, since the bubble was on the the side wall facing inside it was not visible. We were not aware how long the problem had persisted till I went to get my wheels balanced!! It was then revealed to us by the boy who washed our car that the bubble had been present on the sidewall for abt 5months and well over 5,000km. All this while I had driven our city over varying terrains and at high speeds in excess of 150kmph on several occasions without any mishaps and without any problems, touch wood. This is just my personal experience and in NO WAY recommended, especially to save money, it is just not worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyline GT-R

Put the bubbled tyre as spare & the present spare tyre in the rear wheel.

+1 to this, I think the above is the best and most cost effective solution if you are hard pressed for time+money.

Drive Safe.

vinit.merchant · 23rd December 2011, 12:46

Thanks all. No, I won't be using the tyre now.

Just visited darshan tyres on nagar road from where I had replaced the tyres. He said warranty is no problem and has asked me to visit their camp branch from where it can be claimed quickly as bridgeston is nearby. that's for tomorrow. Let's see what happens.

Even if I don't get the warranty, I will replace it with a new one.

rxpaul · 23rd December 2011, 12:47

OT but relevant to this subject :
With modern cars having all kinds of inbuilt safety systems, its high time something was 'invented' to identify tyres having INSIDE SIDEWALL bubbles or cuts. It is very difficuilt to notice inside/offside wall damages to tyres.

Rehaan · 23rd December 2011, 15:17

The reason for the bubble on the sidewall is that there is a partial crack/tear present there on the sidewall (perhaps on the inside). The air-pressure from inside is deforming that weaker part of the tyre, causing the bubble.

cya
R

Ragul · 24th December 2011, 10:58

It may burst after 5000 kms of driving or the very next minute. Do you want to lose 4 hours of your time stranded on a highway or 4 weeks in ICU or rupees 5000/-? Or grievously injure or maim some other passer by and ruin his dreams and life?

The choice is not hard to make, is it?

--Ragul

panky12345 · 24th December 2011, 11:24

I've learnt it the hard way.. bubbles on the tyre are NOT to be ignored at all.

rajeev k · 24th December 2011, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Thanks all. No, I won't be using the tyre now.
Even if I don't get the warranty, I will replace it with a new one.

Thanks that finally heeded to advices and that good sense prevailed.
Many happy smiling drives.

vinit.merchant · 28th December 2011, 14:31

Just got a reply from bridgeston claiming that it is not a manufacturing defect, but is due to a hard impact. Will be collecting the old tyre along with the report from bridgestone of their review.

Asked him for a discount on new tyre to which they quoted 4,400 (at at cost). Is this a good price? I found it a bit higher, as I had spent 2,800 per tyre couple of years back. What is current market price of 175/65 R14?

23rd December 2011, 09:46	#16
jinojohnt Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 1,124 Thanked: 794 Times	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall OT: Today's Malayalam Newspaper reported an accident in which a car lost control (not sure whether because of tyre burst) and hit a parked truck. One lady died, and all others are injured. A 3 year old who was in the front seat was found under the seat, injured. Only one in a lakh cars with bulging tyre may actually have a tyre burst. It depends on whether you think your 3000 Rs is more important than your life.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2011, 10:08	#17
sagarpadaki Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 5,872 Times	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall Please dont gamble your life for some 4000 bucks. Bubbled tires are dangerous to drive and give away any moment. Let me give you a live incident i witnessed- Our office in ECity hires cabs to ferry their employees to home.One evening i saw this IndiCab parked in our office with a bulge on its left front tire.The bulge was on the outside and very much visible. I advised the driver to put the spare instead of this damaged tire.But he did not take my advice and said nothing will happen and left with few of our office emplyoees. After 10 mins i see this very cab on the elevated expressway stranded on the left .The bulged tire had blown and pulled the vehiche violently to the compound on the left damaging the bumper and the fender.Even the rim was damaged as a result of rubbing against the road! Take your call my friend. Dont risk your precious life
	(2) Thanks

23rd December 2011, 12:46	#19
vinit.merchant Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 1,230 Thanked: 1,234 Times View My Garage	Thanks all. No, I won't be using the tyre now. Just visited darshan tyres on nagar road from where I had replaced the tyres. He said warranty is no problem and has asked me to visit their camp branch from where it can be claimed quickly as bridgeston is nearby. that's for tomorrow. Let's see what happens. Even if I don't get the warranty, I will replace it with a new one.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2011, 12:47	#20
rxpaul BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 364 Thanked: 127 Times View My Garage	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall OT but relevant to this subject : With modern cars having all kinds of inbuilt safety systems, its high time something was 'invented' to identify tyres having INSIDE SIDEWALL bubbles or cuts. It is very difficuilt to notice inside/offside wall damages to tyres.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2011, 15:17	#21
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,042 Thanked: 34,073 Times	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall The reason for the bubble on the sidewall is that there is a partial crack/tear present there on the sidewall (perhaps on the inside). The air-pressure from inside is deforming that weaker part of the tyre, causing the bubble. cya R Last edited by Rehaan : 26th December 2011 at 13:45.
	(2) Thanks

24th December 2011, 10:58	#22
Ragul BANNED Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,259 Thanked: 954 Times	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall It may burst after 5000 kms of driving or the very next minute. Do you want to lose 4 hours of your time stranded on a highway or 4 weeks in ICU or rupees 5000/-? Or grievously injure or maim some other passer by and ruin his dreams and life? The choice is not hard to make, is it? --Ragul
	() Thanks

24th December 2011, 11:24	#23
panky12345 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 2,697 Thanked: 171 Times	Re: How safe? - Front tyre with a bubble on side wall I've learnt it the hard way.. bubbles on the tyre are NOT to be ignored at all.
	() Thanks

28th December 2011, 14:31	#25
vinit.merchant Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 1,230 Thanked: 1,234 Times View My Garage	Just got a reply from bridgeston claiming that it is not a manufacturing defect, but is due to a hard impact. Will be collecting the old tyre along with the report from bridgestone of their review. Asked him for a discount on new tyre to which they quoted 4,400 (at at cost). Is this a good price? I found it a bit higher, as I had spent 2,800 per tyre couple of years back. What is current market price of 175/65 R14?
	() Thanks