Had a flat tyre, now what's wrong.

mr tommo

mr tommo

mr tommo

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Joined
13 Dec 2004
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Stoke-on-Trent
Yesterday my girlfriend drove to Crewe from stoke and after probably 10-15 of driving with a flat tyre :o realised the tyre was flat. Got it to a petrol station and pumped it up, it's actually stayed inflated all night so god knows how long it's been going down for or whether there is a puncture.

I drove it last night and above 40mph there is a big vibration coming through the steering wheel, almost feels like the car is driving on a ribbed surface.

Is it possible she's buckled the alloy driving around with it at such low pressure?
Or could it be something cheaper to fix like the tracking?
 
I dont think tracking causes vibration feedback through the steering wheel, unless it's extremely out!
It's probably an inbalanced wheel or like you say the wheel is buckled.
When were the tyres changed last?
 
The trye has probably moved around the rim if there was no pressure to keep it tight against the rim.
Get it re-ballanced.
 
Yeah how flat are we talking here? 20psi flat or 2psi flat?

If the tyre's been driven on whilst very flat it's likely to have been damaged and what you're feeling is the result of that, don't drive it far or quickly and get it checked as above but be prepared to put a new one on if they say there is sidewall damage etc
 
rodenal said:
Yeah how flat are we talking here? 20psi flat or 2psi flat?

If the tyre's been driven on whilst very flat it's likely to have been damaged and what you're feeling is the result of that, don't drive it far or quickly and get it checked as above but be prepared to put a new one on if they say there is sidewall damage etc
Click to expand...

This!
 
To concur with others, new tyre, perhaps a new wheel too, tracking & balance - all good.

I would be very wary of using a tyre thats been driven on whilst underinflated, regardless of apparent damage or not.

A replacement is a better bet than the increased risk of a blowout.
 
Ok thanks guys. Was hoping it wasn't alloy replacement. And we are talking 5psi when she got to the petrol station!

Given her my work car and got a lift into work. Will take it to a tyre place later :(
 
rodenal said:
Yeah how flat are we talking here? 20psi flat or 2psi flat?

If the tyre's been driven on whilst very flat it's likely to have been damaged and what you're feeling is the result of that, don't drive it far or quickly and get it checked as above but be prepared to put a new one on if they say there is sidewall damage etc
Click to expand...

This! I once drove 2 miles to Kwik Fit with a tyre with ~5psi at no more than about 15 mph and by the time i got there, when they removed the tyre there was handfuls of "runflat dust" where the tyre had ground against the alloy and destroyed the side wall. Only bought the tyre 2-3weeks previous at £170 each :( was very angry for the rest of the day.

Driving 10 miles on a pancake flat tyre at 70mph - :eek: !! Get that tyre replaced ASAP!
 
Tyre will almost certainly be scrap if its been driven at that low a pressure - I suspect lots of bits of rubber will be inside the tyre when it comes off. Hopefully its only a new tyre thats required.
 
Gaygle said:
This! I once drove 2 miles to Kwik Fit with a tyre with ~5psi at no more than about 15 mph and by the time i got there, when they removed the tyre there was handfuls of "runflat dust" where the tyre had ground against the alloy and destroyed the side wall. Only bought the tyre 2-3weeks previous at £170 each :( was very angry for the rest of the day.

Driving 10 miles on a pancake flat tyre at 70mph - :eek: !! Get that tyre replaced ASAP!
Click to expand...

This ^ same thing happened to me, didn't go over 30mph until i realised half a mile down the road, then drove at 10mph home, pumped it up and took it to tyre place, handfuls of rubber dust floating about, completely destroyed.
 
Do not drive this car at speed.

She's probably completely mullered the "belts" in the sidewall, it could be very unsafe to drive it like that.
 
You kinda have to accept things like this from those that don't know their arse from their elbow about cars.

Had a Golf Tdi in today, job card said "bonnet rattling", goes out to the carpark, pops the bonnet, wiggle, push, latch, jump up and down... Nope Can't find anything wrong with that, better take it for a drive, see if I can hear any thing...
Sticks it in reverse and pulls out from the parking space.
RRARRRARARRARRARARRARARARARRARARAR GHGGRGGGRGRGRGGGGRR
WTF in hell is THAT.
Straight in on the ramp, up in the air and the driveshaft ends on both sides of the gearbox are just husks sat in a mashed hole loosely connected to the diff. The gear oil has long since exited the gaping holes where seals and bearings should be and the whole diff assembly can jangled about by hand.

BONNET RATTLE!!! JESUS H CHRIST
 
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