Screw in tyre thread

**paulcito** · 13-08-2010, 09:33 PM

Hi
The other day I was driving along slowly and kept hearing a regular "clicking" noise that would slow and increase in frequency depending on the car's speed.
Managed to find that the noise was due to the head of a screw firmly implanted at the top of the rear passenger tyre thread ie not at the trough of the 2 threads.
The tyre pressure indicator has not lit up nor does the tyre look like it's loosing air.

Not sure if I should leave it because (hopefully) the screw has not penetrated enough to leak air (since it';s at the top of the thread).
Not sure what the tyre shop will say with such a simple problem.

Any suggestions please ?

Thx

**Corey_R** · 13-08-2010, 09:45 PM

If it's in one of the "tread blocks" and hasn't penetrated through into the carcass, then you can simply "unscrew" it and it'll be fine. If it has gone all the way through, then you can get the tyre shop to "plug it", which would probably only cost $20 to 30.

If you wanted to be extra safe, you could then replace the tyre - but keep in mind that you'll also need to replace the other tyre on the same axle to "keep the balance".

**Maverick** · 14-08-2010, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by paulcito

Hi
The other day I was driving along slowly and kept hearing a regular "clicking" noise that would slow and increase in frequency depending on the car's speed.
Managed to find that the noise was due to the head of a screw firmly implanted at the top of the rear passenger tyre thread ie not at the trough of the 2 threads.
The tyre pressure indicator has not lit up nor does the tyre look like it's loosing air.

Not sure if I should leave it because (hopefully) the screw has not penetrated enough to leak air (since it';s at the top of the thread).
Not sure what the tyre shop will say with such a simple problem.

Any suggestions please ?

Thx

Don't rely on TPMS, check the tyre pressure yourself manually ESPECIALLY if you haven't set the TPMS yet.

The TPMS fitted to Australian cars will not give you an instant alert of tyre pressure loss - Volkswagen Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Fitting a direct Tyre Pressure Management System (TPMS)

Either unscrew the screw yourself (and risk have the tyre deflate) or take it in to get it checked out. I'd take it in just for piece of mind as it may have mostly penetrated and you could have a future failure point.

Driving along with the screw in the tyre can be causing irreversible internal damage to the tyre, I wouldn't leave it in there for any longer then absolute necessary.

**hooba** · 14-08-2010, 07:03 PM

What Maverick said.

Take it into a tyre place and get them to remove the screw - if it starts losing air at least you can get the problem sorted there and then. They'll most likely pull it out and spray it with some detergent to check whether it is losing any air. Depending on the hole and where it is they may be able to repair it.

**ian** · 14-08-2010, 07:10 PM

I had the same thing happen to me a few weeks back.i was rotating the wheels front to back when i discovered a teck screw i screwed it out but it started to leak air so i threw it in the back of my Ute and took it to the tyre shop he plugged it for $16.50.

**prise** · 15-08-2010, 09:20 AM

Don't take a chance on it - if its penetrated the belt and works out at highway speed the tyre will deflate rapidly and be permanently damaged by the time you get a TPMS warning and are able to pull over.