How dangerous is a tiny sidewall puncture on the highway?

Hi guys, long time lurker, first time poster... 2013 Tacoma with BFG KM3s that are 5.5 years old with like 15-20% tread life.

Some tweaker tried to slash my tires in LA where I live (not the first time it's happened to people in our building), and he mostly failed, but he did put a tiny pinhole in the sidewall of the front driver's side tire. It leaks at the rate of a fully flat tire every ~72 hours.

How dangerous is it to drive on the highway with this? I've read that sidewall punctures can cause blowouts. My tire shop won't repair it.

These tires are at the end of their life (42,000 miles), they're badly cupped, and need to be replaced anyway. But I don't have $1k lying around at the moment, and would otherwise put off replacing them until they're truly done (I have a 2nd car for daily driving). I am supposed to go to a campout this weekend (2-3 hours away). I am wondering if I can squeeze one more trip out of them, or would I risk a blowout on the interstate? I typically load 1-2 dirtbikes in the back so a blowout could be especially bad.

My instinct is that the hole is so small it will be fine, and I can just keep pumping them up indefinitely until I am ready to pull the trigger on 4 new ones. Please tell me if I'm being an idiot.

Thanks...

 

Slap your spare on and make that your spare

Replace them all when you can

 

Sidewall puncture or gash damage requires new tire. This is a dragster tire so its a way more extreme then a truck tire will do but it shows what the sidewall gets put through and you do not want to compromise its structural integrity.

Can't recommend this cause why would you put a known leaking tire as your spare.

 

You ever change a tire on the side of the 405 during rush hour? If not then go ahead and save yourself from that experience and throw on your spare now.

 

Appreciate the responses. Because I'm a cheap bastard my spare is not a full size. Well, it's a real tire but it's not a 31" mudder. I think I may just bite the bullet and replace all 4.

 

your being an idiot....
Yeah, I said it...
To much drama to keep filling a tire every couple of days...

I know youre not suppose to, but its been done many times without an issue at all.
Ive done it personally....
LA meaning Los Angeles?
If so find a small tire shop Garcias, Joses, Fernandos, etc...

You get the point....
They will plug it $20, cash, tell them you just need it to hold you over just a bit till you can get tires...

The big shops wont touch it, liability...

Find a shop that will plug it & turn those tires into drag slicks, then replace...
We've all been strapped for money, it will by you time...
I hate spending money on tires & wear them down to nothing before replacing...

 

Plug and then patch inside the tire with one of the reputable shops mention above. Use your credit card to charge four new tires on sale

 

Seems kinda sketchy. Why not just get a shop to throw on a cheap used full size tire to use until you’re ready to upgrade the whole set.

 

Twice I've had similar punctures happen (not from scumbags w/knives, but from sticks & bushes while offroad)... Both times I put a plug in it (knowing tire shops wouldn't touch it) and never had a problem, even offroad & aired down. Both times they went over 30K miles too (1st one held until the tread wore out, 2nd one pictured, still going). YMMV.

 

We cant promise you it will be fine, at worst you can plug it and keep an eye on it.

Sidewalls typically don't explode without warning, you'd see a bulge/ripple, but if you don't catch it, thats the risk.

I get it, shits expensive, so repair at your own free will, but if you do, check it every re-fuel at minimum.

 

42,000 on KM3’s; I only got ~16,000 on mine. Plug and run, I’ve had a 3” slice on a sidewall and didn’t even know until I slowed down to under 45 MPH. I’ve had over 20 sidewall failures to date. One trip I came back from the desert with three flats - the final was the one mentioned above.

 

I’d plug it and move it to rear passenger.

 

If its prone to a blow-out, you want it in the front...
Yes, it may not make sense...
But, that is the way...
Thats what all the people much smarter than us say...

Mind-set is, easier to lose control & spin-out if you have a blowout in the rear.

Your mind-set may be less stress on the sidewall if its not the steering tire...
I get that too.

End of the day im 100% confident he can plug that sidewall & be fine till the tires are bald, regardless what corner the tire sits.

 

No shop will plug or repair a sidewall. Got a hole in the sidewall and you must replace the tire. Dumber than shit (and dangerous) to drive on a tire with a damaged sidewall.

 

Five - Replace all five.
If you are in a 2013 and the spare is original in that size, then it is already more of a liability than the tire with the hole in it. Replace all 5 and then next time you get a sidewall issue, you won't be stuck with an off size spare.