tire damage

[AirWreck]

I got a flat tire from a nail. I took the tire off and looked it over closely. The tire split open on the inside sidewall, near the tread. I noticed at the same point, inside sidewall near the tread, a gouge running all the way around the tire. See the 3 pics.

In my very limited knowledge of tires it looks to me that this was pre-existing damage and when the tire started to lose air from the nail hole the stress on the sidewalls caused this weak point to open up. OR, is this possibly damage from driving on it flat? I was on the highway when it happened, and had to cross three lanes of traffic so I was driving about 30 seconds at highway speeds.

[caswcu]

sorry to hear about this. I would say just pony up for a new tire. I was having my tires changed to a new set of wheels and they noticed a crack inside the tire. I took a picture and sent it off to tirerack. I got a response back that said it looks like impact damage ( but not physical damage or marks to the exterior ). If I had tire hazard it wouldve been covered ( since this is my third year of having the tire I would've got back a whopping $30 after accounting for the cost of tire hazard)

[Orient330iNYC]

I got a flat tire from a nail. I took the tire off and looked it over closely. The tire split open on the inside sidewall, near the tread. I noticed at the same point, inside sidewall near the tread, a gouge running all the way around the tire. See the 3 pics.

In my very limited knowledge of tires it looks to me that this was pre-existing damage and when the tire started to lose air from the nail hole the stress on the sidewalls caused this weak point to open up. OR, is this possibly damage from driving on it flat? I was on the highway when it happened, and had to cross three lanes of traffic so I was driving about 30 seconds at highway speeds.

that looks like damage from running on low pressure for too long.
how long was the nail in the tire?

what happens is that when the tire is low on air, the tread cups inward, which makes the weight of the car get supported by the edges of the tire only. the constant flexing and pressure cause the tire to fail catastrophically at the junction of the sidewall and the tread. heat builds up, and the tire rips open. i was behind a car that this happened to, the tire began to smoke and then the tread finally seperated, car went to the shoulder, tread kept on rolling down the highway.

[AirWreck]

That gouge was only on one side of the tire. Shouldn't there be a gouge on the other side, too, if it was underinflation?

[Orient330iNYC]

That gouge was only on one side of the tire. Shouldn't there be a gouge on the other side, too, if it was underinflation?

camber will cause the tire to be canted, inner edge will go first.
i can see the sidewall scrub marks from underinflation damage. you can see this as the sidewall itself being worn down where it was being pressed into contact with the road.