When you experience a tyre blowout or a sudden puncture while driving then you definitely know about it! But, how can you preempt this or take steps to stop this from happening? If you have a slow puncture then it can be hard to detect, however in this blog we’ll provide you with some key tell-tale signs.

What is a slow puncture?

Before we discuss anything else, let’s first take a look at what a slow puncture actually means. A slow puncture is a damage to the tyre that causes air to be released slowly. Often it results in a gradual loss of tyre pressure.

While a slow puncture doesn’t cause dramatic results straight away, it can prevent a tyre from performing correctly and compromise safety and comfort for both passengers and drivers. A slow puncture is definitely a problem that you shouldn’t ignore.

What causes a slow puncture?

Slow punctures can be caused by a sharp object piercing the rubber of the tyre. Or, it can be caused by a faulty valve or from a sudden and severe impact such as hitting a kerb or driving over a pothole.

How do you know if your car has a slow puncture?

If you have a newer car then it is significantly easier to see whether there are problems with your tyre pressure. Most, if not all, new cars come with a tyre pressure monitoring system. This notifies the driver when there’s a drop in tyre pressure. Although this system doesn’t specifically tell you if there’s a puncture in your tyre, it can warn you when the tyre pressure is below the optimum level.

If you don’t have a newer vehicle, then there are a few key questions that you can ask yourself:

• Does the suspension feel harder and the steering less responsive?
• Have you noticed the vehicle pulling to one side?
• Is the steering wheel vibrating?
• Do you have to keep topping up the tyre pressure?

Contact Longbridge Tyres

Experiencing tyre pressure issues? Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with Longbridge Tyres today. You can call us on 0121 457 7582, alternatively, you can fill out our online contact form and we’ll be in touch.