It’s glowing yellow in my Polo’s digital instrument cluster. “Rear right tire pressure loss”. Ah, wonderful. I’m on vacation in Sweden right now, I’m going straight to the next gas station. check pressure. And then the error: “only 0.3 bar loss, not so wild”, I think. Make up for the loss and move on. I’m still on the road for at least 100 kilometers, at least no faster than 80 km/h, until the warning lights up again. Only now do I start to check the affected tire properly and recognize a small metal object in the tread.
Shock moment in the workshop
Okay, so let’s go to the next workshop. Another 50 kilometers. And there the big shock: It wasn’t just a small metal object, but an eight centimeter long metal rod, the tip of which was almost in front of the carcass.
The extent was not visible from the outside. The metal pin was just before the critical point, the carcass.
Here only a stronger blow would have been enough, then the sidewall would have been punctured and the tire might have burst. In the end, the tire could be repaired for the equivalent of 40 euros. My misconduct could have turned out much worse and more expensive.
Flat tire: react immediately, don’t wait
Therefore: The first reactions after a flat tire, yes – and if it’s just the indication of pressure loss, react consistently.
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Check the tires thoroughly, drive to the nearest workshop or get help, possibly change the tires yourself and not act like me, according to the motto: “It’ll work, it’s not so wild.” I will never repeat that mistake!
