If you’re a movie buff, you may have encountered scenes where tires suddenly blow out during an intense race or chase scene. While they make for cool television and big screen moments, it does leave the lingering question in some viewers’ minds: is it possible for my tires to explode?
Is It Possible for Tires to Explode?
Yes, tires can explode. Tire blowouts can occur due to a handful of reasons, but it’s mostly because of the rapid loss of pressurized air caused by heat. The pressure of escaping air tears through the tire’s surface, resulting in an explosion.
How Common Are Tire Blowouts?
Tire blowouts are a rare occurrence.
From 1996 to 2002, tire blowouts only occurred in 6.5% of the cars that represented more than 80% of the vehicles involved in crashes. It’s actually more common for vans than trucks, as 22% of blowouts happened to vans compared to 2.5% of trucks.
While it’s rare, blowouts are still dangerous as you won’t have any control of your vehicle. In 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 738 fatalities due to exploding tires.
Why Did My Tire Explode?
Some of the possible causes of a tire explosion or blowout include heat, incorrect inflation, reckless driving, faulty tires, and excessive vehicle weight.
Heat
As mentioned, heat is the most common reason why tires explode. When temperature builds up inside the tire, it causes the pressurized air to warm up and expand. Once the tire reaches a certain threshold, the rubber starts to degrade and rupture. It’s why tire blowouts are more common during summer or when driving in warmer climates.
Incorrect PSI
Incorrectly inflating your tire can also result in blowouts, especially if it’s under inflated. There’s a proper psi (pounds per square inch) for every tire, and it’s crucial you meet the indicated amount.
Under-inflation results in the tires suffering from excessive flexing, increasing the amount of contact they make with the road. This leads to friction and overheating, hence the explosion.
Over-inflation has similar effects. For one, driving in high-temperature conditions, such as during the afternoon in summer, can cause over-expansion.
For reference, the pressure inside the tire can increase up to 1,000 psi before an explosion occurs. However, that shouldn’t be too big of an issue since tires normally only require somewhere between 30 and 50.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving results in two major causes of tire blowouts: high-speed driving and rolling on sharp objects.
Tires can only withstand specific speed-ups to a certain point. Going over the speed limit rating increases the risk of a tire blowout.
Sharp objects are another concern. Whether it’s a pothole, a jagged rock, or sharp-edged pavement, driving over them can cut or tear the tire. As a result, the pressurized air inside the tire will quickly escape.
Faulty Tires
Tires that have manufacturing defects or are nearing the end of their lifespan are more prone to exploding. Physical damage on the tires, such as cuts, cracks, and bulges, can lead to blowouts.
Typically, tires can last up to 50,000 miles, but you should still check their conditions now and then to ensure you avoid potential danger.
Vehicle Weight
Lastly, pay attention to how much weight your car is bearing. If it’s too much, it could put excessive stress on the tires.
Constantly overloading your vehicle can result in uneven tread wear and lead to the weakest tire blowing out. It’s ideal to calculate your car’s payload to prevent overloading.
Weather Cracking
Weather cracking is when cracks forms in the tires because the rubber breaks down. Rubber in tires deteriorates naturally under the many conditions tires typically have to face, including frequent UV exposure, contact with chemicals, oils from the road, and more.
How to Prevent Tires From Exploding
To keep your tires from exploding or blowing out, you must ensure proper tire inflation, replace worn tires immediately, rotate the tires often, and drive safely.
Properly Inflate the Tires
Maintaining proper psi not only prevents tire blowouts but also ensures you have a good braking distance and get more response from steering and handling. Thankfully, it’s easy to check your tire’s psi:
- Step 1: Remove the cap from the tire’s air valve.
- Step 2: Press the tire gauge against the valve stem.
- Step 3: Read the gauge.
To see the recommended psi, check inside the driver’s door, the owner’s manual, or the sidewall of your tires. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Put more air in if they’re slightly under.
Replace Worn Tires
As mentioned, tires can last up to 50,000 miles, but it’s still ideal to regularly check and replace them once they show signs of wear. Look at the treads and see if they’re still deep enough to get better traction.
To determine if the treads are still good enough, stick a penny in the groove with Lincon’s head pointing down. If you can see his entire head, then it’s time to look for new tires.
Rotate Tires
Tire rotation involves switching the location of each tire on your vehicle to ensure even tire wear and prolong tire lifespan. The manufacturing company has a recommended interval between each rotation, but it’s generally around every 5,000 miles.
Remember, uneven tire treads can increase the odds of a blowout, which is something rotation can decrease.
Drive Safely
Driving safely decreases the risk of driving over sharp objects. It also makes you less susceptible to accidents, such as collisions. So, always follow the speed limit and keep a safe distance between your car and the one in front.
To calculate the safe following distance, look for an object down the road and start counting to three. Passing the object before making it to three means you’re too close, and you’ll have to slow down to widen the distance between you and the car in front.
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Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.
