Easier said than done, but try to stay calm. A minor impact may even knock your wheel out of alignment. Here are a few other sounds and symptoms of bad wheel hub bearings: Snapping or clicking noises. Also, these accidents claim more than 400 lives and injure 10,275 people annually. It's a question of safety. This education starts with learning how serious tire blowouts can be. This action will either cause the vehicle to swerve in the direction of the punctured tyre or cause the rim to dig into the tarmac which could flip the car. The good news is that car accidents, caused by blowouts . careless use of matches, lighters, or tobacco products. weak spots. Take your foot off the accelerator and the vehicle will slow down automatically - more so than usual because of the extra rolling resistance of the flat tyre. If you've been injured in a car accident that was caused by tire blowouts then call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. you will step on th. Unless you are about to run into something, stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down. Your vehicle can also have different recommended tire pressure settings for front and rear tires, especially if equipped with staggered tires. The sidewalls of the tires should look clean and shouldn't have noticeable grooves, cuts, or tracks. Then brake very gently, pull off the road and stop. . This is sometimes also caused by a damaged CV joint, but can also be due to worn wheel bearings if you hear a clicking noise when turning. B.) 1. Answer (1 of 2): At speed 60+ MPH, You have less than 1 second to take a decision between life and death. Jan 15, 2012. Knocking Noises on Bumps. Can you take it? Braking after a blowout may cause you to skid and lose control of your vehicle. cuts or blisters. 2. Tire bubbles or bulges are easy to miss—and they can cause accidents and damage your vehicle if left untreated. A tire blowout at high speed on the highway can be disastrous if you don't keep your cool. Here are six common causes of tire blowouts. Properly inflated tires last longer, wear more evenly and are safer to drive on. Rotate and replace your tires as necessary, making sure to check tread depth. 1. Increased fuel costs. The tear may appear as a tire sidewall blowout, causing an accident. Learn what you can do to help get off the road safely, what causes tire blowouts and how to prevent them. It's important to rotate your tires frequently and replace them when necessary. For this reason, the struts absorb any shaking when you hit a bump in your car's road surface and leave you feeling nothing. 5. There are a variety of issues that can occur if you drive on overinflated tires. In the case of a rear-tire blowout, the rear end of the vehicle sways from side to side. If the blowout is in the rear, there's really nothing you can do; you have no control over the rear end of the car. Do not try to turn the wheel. A front-tire blowout tends to cause the vehicle to swerve to the side of theblowout, making steering very difficult. . Step 2: Steer straight. Driving on tires out of balance may cause your fuel costs to rise. Inexperienced drivers pay less attention to tire maintenance and tire pressure. Maintain a straight path. . The tire pressure monitoring system in your dashboard usually flags when the air pressure of your tires is low, but you should make sure to check yourself for small punctures or worn tire tread. The interesting thing about tire blowouts is that they require you to act counterintuitively. Stay off of your brake! Long-term car damage. rear tire: when a rear tire blows out the back of the vehicle can fishtail handle a rear tire blowout just as you would a skid 1) grip the steering wheel firmly 2) ease up on the accelerator to slow the vehicle and do not brake because it can cause the vehicle to Swerve 3) check the traffic situation is you gain control of the vehicle Your immediate instinct might be to brake, but if the car is starting to move sideways braking will make matters worse causing the car to spin. . Also, tires naturally heat up due to friction produced from contact with the road surface. A broken connection between the belt ply and the tread. Unless you are about to run into something, stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed down. #1 - Causes of Tire Failure: Under-inflation. The lower the tread, the higher the risk of hydroplaning. 1. You can also blow out a tire if you run over glass, a nail, or hit a curb. However, braking when a tire has failed could cause loss of control. Remove your spare tire from your vehicle. Because there is less rolling resistance on the side of the blowout at the rear of the vehicle, it will first swing that way. Large vehicles, such as vans and SUVs, have a high risk of rollover when a tire blows out. Although all the windows are rolled up, your vehicle sinks rapidly beneath the surface. Hitting a pothole or curb can puncture your tire, bend or crack your wheel, and also damage your tire's belts or sidewall. Bob Lacivita. Loss Of Air Pressure. Can bad shocks cause tire cupping? How to control your car during a Puncture or Tyre Blowout. 1. 1) Brakes Locking. The chances are much higher that the rear tire will be penetrated than the front. 3) Brake Pedal is Unresponsive. This can sometimes be an issue with uneven wear on tires or issues with the . Because the steel belts inside your tires provide support for the rubber, one broken belt will make an area on the tire uneven, resulting in the vibrations. Tread separation can be extremely dangerous when driving because it can result in a blowout. Do not apply the brakes. Gently Press the Throttle. If you have a 4wd car, it is always recommended to replace all four wheels because different tires' diameters can cause stress to the differential or transmission, especially on European cars. What is the cause of most passenger-compartment fires? C.) rocks caught in the tread. Oct 29, 2004. A good test is to insert a penny head down into the tread; the tread should at least cover . Over-inflated tires, being stiffer and more rigid, are also more susceptible to damage from hitting pot holes or striking curbs. Your vehicle is forced off the roadway into a deep lake. 2) ABS Light On. If the top of the steering axis tilts towards the rear of the vehicle, this is called Positive Caster. Vibration is the enemy of car and its joints. Check the tires - After you have come to a stop, get out . vehicle you'll got to know its recommended tire inflation and a tire pressure gage . The lesson happened at 60 to 65 mph, with. While your instincts may tell you to slam on your brakes and veer off the road if your tire blows out, this is actually the exact opposite of . The best way to find out is to ask your . If separation is the cause of your vehicle vibration, replace your tires immediately. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every 5000 to 7500 miles. Inspect your tires and check air pressure at least once a month. But in one study, 34% of men and 50% of women said they rarely check their tire pressure. Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure you have properly inflated the tires, or, if you do not know how to do so, have your mechanic check and maintain your tire pressure. Make sure you have an electric tire inflator in the trunk (they don't cost much), park in a safe, well lighted place and use the electric tire inflator to air the tire up so . So, as you can see, there are a lot of reasons why your tire can go flat. Tapping the gas pedal may seem counterintuitive, but accelerating slightly will help maintain the vehicle's forward momentum. So much of this shaking will cause wear down of joints and in return a very bad ride. However, a bent rim can occur. One of the main causes of tire failure is under-inflation. Install Your Spare. Bad struts cause your car's joints to break down. When a rear tire blows out, one corner of the vehicle may drop suddenly, and you may feel the rear of the vehicle wobble back and forth. . When tires are over-inflated, the tread wears out faster in the center of the tire. I was driving my 2004 Astro South on I-10 about 20 minutes before Lake Charles LA, when I heard an explosion. A rear wheel drive vehicle will wear its rear tires faster than its front tires due to the drive (pulling) wheels being on the back of the vehicle. Action for rear tyre blowouts. Defects in the actual tire can also cause a blowout while driving. What to Do If Your Tire Blows Out. While 2 PSi doesn't sound like much, the difference can be noticeable, whether it be in handling or fuel economy. Your car's tire pressure will be unique to your vehicle. But a driver can better counteract the effect of the blowout in front because he can maneuver the front wheels. The lower your speed, the higher your chance of survival. Careful driving and proper planning will give you a better chance to survive a blown tire without a wrongful death car accident. A front-wheel-drive vehicle's tires perform different tasks than those on a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. Should a blowout occur: Hold the steering wheel firmly and take your foot off the accelerator, allowing your vehicle to slow down gradually. A blowout means the tyre deflates instantly rather than goes flat slowly. A tire blowout can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and negatively affect braking distance, endangering yourself and others on the road. For the past month, I have a noticed a slight rhythmic thumping sound that speeds up and slows down with the speed of the car that sounds similar to a flat tire, but all the tire pressures are fine; it sounds like it is coming from the right rear wheel. Once worn-out tires become under-inflated, they're even more dangerous to drive. A rear tire blowout will cause your vehicle to sway from side to side and the back of the car will usually fishtail. Debris and potholes can wipe out a tire quicker than anything else can. Start with maintaining a safe driving speed; there are just no two sides to this. Your tire is still attached to your wheel, which you're going to need when you replace the blown tire. This leads to heat buildup and is especially dangerous on warm days and when you're traveling at high speeds. Assuming a blowout, I pulled over to realize my rear side window had shattered! 00:00 00:00. . Depending on the size of the puncture, the extent of the damage, and the tread of your tire, you may not be able to repair the tire with a plug. If you replace the tires on the rear on a front-wheel-drive, for example, you can replace just one tire. If it's a rear tire, slow down even further before doing anything, because even the slightest movement of your steering wheel can cause a loss of control. 2 Hold the steering wheel firmly and steer straight ahead. . One of the first signs you may notice when you have a broken tire belt is feeling vibrations while you are driving down the road. Tires that are under-inflated flex . 6 If you're ever faced with a tire that blows out on the road, you should be prepared to act quickly. 1) Poor Braking Pothole damage isn't likely to harm your brake rotors, but that doesn't mean it won't affect the way your vehicle stops. To check tire pressure for your car, minivan, light truck, pickup, crossover or S.U.V. Once you've got the speed down enough, use light braking as you bring the car to a halt on the side of the road. Indeed, if you survive a tire burst at 150 km/h (93 mph), consider it a gift of God. 3. 4 Steer the car off to the side of the road. Grip the handle bars tightly and keep your arms bent. . A rear-tire blowout can cause your car to spin. An easy way to remember to rotate your tires is to do it with every oil change. . 5 yr. ago Grumpy old man If it's an explosive blowout (ie, the tire shreds and comes off the rim) at high speed - yeah, it can damage the rear quarter panel, rear bumper, and rip out your rear axle when that bare metal rim hits the pavement. Manufacturer Defects. It is usually caused by impacts due to driving into or over curbs, potholes, or speed bumps, corrosion, and driving on underinflated tires. Turn on your hazard lights (emergency flashers) Stand safely away from your vehicle and wait for help to arrive. Outside of these scenarios, driving on a plugged tire could be dangerous to you and other drivers. Maintenance/Repairs. Slow down steadily by easing off the throttle. Another problem with bad tires is they lose air faster than tires with good tread depth. Because steering becomes unstable during a blowout, you may lose control of your car. Due to bad struts, your car will shake and jolt. Pull over toward the side with the . Just remember, anything that severely diminishes the air pressure and prevents the tire from supporting the weight of the automobile will likely cause a blowout that could lead to a car accident. 3 Ease off the accelerator slowly. The tire will make a loud noise. The size of the hole must be no larger than 0.25 inches and must be located on the tread of your tire. In case of overinflated tires, the most common things that can happen are: 1. Thank goodness modern tires very rarely suffer these kinds of failures. It is hot, was facing the sun, a large truck was . Manolito April 12, 2010, 2:03pm #9. Tire blowouts are usually the result of overloading the vehicle, impact damage (either immediate or delayed depending on severity of the impact), a massive cut that causes rapid air loss, or an unnoticed small puncture that allows the tire to slowly lose air over time until it fails. Causing your joints to get either weak or broken. Allow it to come to a complete stop. A severely bent rim may cause your car to pull to the side when coming to a halt. Tire inadequately overheating and creating blisters between the tire plies. A blowout at 80-90 km/h (50-56 mph) will be far less dramatic than one at 140-150 km/h (87-93 mph). Once tread wears down to below 4/32", traction, especially in wet conditions, becomes a problem. Common signs of a bent rim include poor handling, vibrations when steering, tires keep on deflating, and visible damage on the rim. When you remove your blown out tire, it's going to look like a mess. 1. Tire issues contributed to approximately 12 percent of crashes involving inexperienced drivers. If your vehicle has been sitting for many days in the same place, especially when parked on hot asphalt with a heavy load, your tires are strong . Know the Facts. The best action is to hold the steering wheel firmly and let the car slow down by itself. 99% of the time, the causes of tire failure leading to a blow-out or pre-mature tire replacement was completely avoidable with a little more care and attention during routine maintenance or while driving. How to control your car during a Puncture or Tyre Blowout.