Cosmetic Sidewall Damage on My Tire: Dangerous? What Should I Do?

A flat tire is a common problem that's annoying to deal with. A flat tire needs to be replaced so you can continue driving. But what about damage to your tire's sidewall? Sometimes the damage seems to be purely cosmetic. The tire might remain inflated, and may not even bulge. Is this kind of tire damage dangerous? What should you do about it?

Sidewall damage, even cosmetic, can pose a risk to your safety. Once there is damage to the tire's sidewall, the structural integrity of the tire is compromised and its strength is reduced. The tire might last some distance, but there is no way of telling when the tire will fail.

In this article, we'll take a look at the different types of sidewall damage, and how to deal with each type.

What is Sidewall?

The sidewall of the tire is exactly what is described by the name. It's the side wall of the tire. Specifically, it refers to the part of your tire that rests against the rim up until the edge of the trim. This is the part of the tire that is visible from the side.

Apart from contributing to the iconic look of a wheel, the sidewall also gives the tire its structural integrity and strength. The sidewall helps hold the tires together against the air pressure in the wheel, supporting the weight of the car in turn.

This makes it evident that the sidewall performs an important function in supporting your tires and keeping your car moving from place to place. Damage to the sidewall is a serious issue for the tire, but how dangerous is it exactly?

How Does Sidewall Damage Happen?

There are a few different way sidewall damage can happen. Usually, it is the result of scraping the tires against a surface like a curb. It can also happen when driving over potholes roughly or at high speed.

In some cases, sidewall damage happens as a result of dry rot. This is especially common with tires exposed to direct sunlight in hot environments. The heat and sunlight degrade the rubber of the tire, causing it to crack and break apart.

While there are many different causes, sidewall damage can generally be broken down into two main types.

Types of Sidewall Damage

Scraping your tire against a curb or hitting the side of your tire against any surface or object is always a nerve-wracking experience. It feels even worse when you get down to inspect your car and catch sight of damage to your tire.

There are different types of tire damage, and these apply to the sidewall as well. Knowing the type of damage you're dealing with will help choose your next steps correctly.

Cosmetic damage: Cosmetic damage is superficial damage to the sidewall. This can take the form of scratches, scuffs, and minor peeling. With cosmetic damage, you will only be able to see more rubber underneath the affected area.

Structural damage: Structural damage is more serious. Structural sidewall damage can involve the removal of several layers of rubber, and might even expose the tire's supporting structures underneath the outer layer of rubber. Once structural damage has occurred, the tire is completely unsafe to drive on. It should be removed immediately and replaced with a spare.

Is Cosmetic Sidewall Damage Dangerous?

All sidewall damage should be treated with caution. This is because the sidewall plays an important part in holding the tire together. It holds back the air pressure from the weight of the car and helps the tires maintain their shape. Even a seemingly cosmetic scratch can be deeper than it appears, or grow in size due to the strains and stresses on the tire during daily driving.

First of all, you will need to confirm that the damage to your sidewall is only cosmetic. If the damage is limited to shallow scratches or scrapes, then it is cosmetic. Any damage that is deep enough to expose the tire's underlying support structures is structural damage that will cause damage to the tire.

This doesn't mean that only cosmetic damage can be excused, however. If the cosmetic damage is deep or if it covers a wide area of the tire, then there is a risk of structural damage. If there are any scratches or cuts deeper than an eighth of an inch, the sidewall should be considered too damaged, and the tire should be replaced.

If the tire bulges outward at the site of the damage, then the structural integrity of the tire has been compromised. You should stop driving immediately and replace the damaged tire as soon as possible.  

Cracked or peeling sidewall should not be taken as cosmetic damage. This could be the result of dry rot, or it could indicate that the tire is old and expired. Either way, the tire is no longer suitable for driving, and cannot be relied on to hold up for much longer.

An acceptable form of cosmetic damage is if the sidewall is only lightly scratched. If the extent of damage to your tire's sidewall is a light scratch or a set of scratches, then you can continue driving on it. However, you should stay alert and continue to observe the scratches to see if they change in size or depth. If the scratches seem to lengthen or deepen, consider the tire ruined and have it replaced. 

You can also continue to drive if the extent of the damage is a slight scuff on the tire's sidewall. If the rubber of the sidewall is slightly abraded, without peeling off too much of the tire, then the structural integrity of the tire is still intact. However, you should continue to monitor the extent of the damage to make sure it doesn't worsen.

What Should You Do About Cosmetic Sidewall Damage?

If the damage to your sidewall is one of the more acceptable forms of sidewall damage, then you can continue to drive, but make sure to look out for any changes to the size of the damage. Acceptable forms of sidewall damage are shallow scratches (less than an eighth of an inch deep), scrapes, and scuffs. If the size of the damaged area deepens or increases, or the damaged area begins to bulge, you should change the tire as soon as possible.

If the sidewall damage is in the form of cracks, cuts, deep scratches, or peeling rubber, then the damage is too severe, and the tire should be replaced as soon as possible. Driving on tires in this condition is unsafe, as there is a serious risk of a blowout occurring.

What Are the Risks of Driving with a Damaged Sidewall?

The major risk of driving with a damaged sidewall is suffering a blowout. This is when the structural integrity of the tire fails, and the pressurized air in the wheel escapes as a minor explosion.

Apart from destroying the tire, a blowout is a dangerous situation, because they make the car much more difficult to control. A blowout is also sudden and loud, which can leave the driver disoriented and unready to bring the car back under control. This makes a blowout a dangerous situation for not only the driver but pedestrians and other cars on the road.

Can You Patch the Damaged Sidewall?

If the damage to your sidewall is a significant crack, scratch, or tear, you might wonder if it can be patched to preserve your tire. After all, a puncture in the tread can be patched, so it stands to reason that cosmetic damage to the sidewall can be patched too, right?

Unlike the tread, the sidewall can't be patched easily. The sidewall holds a lot of pressure and bends and stretches as the wheel rotates. The sidewall is put under considerable stress when the car is moving at high speeds. This makes any patches on this part of the tire unlikely to stay in place for long.

How to Prevent Sidewall Damage

Sidewall damage is the worst type of tire damage that you can deal with. This is because tread damage can be patched and dealt with, while minor sidewall damage compromises the tire in most situations.

Fortunately, sidewall damage is easy to avoid if you watch out and take good care of your car. Here are some ways to avoid damage to your tires' sidewalls.

• Don't parallel park too close to the curb.
• Watch out for potholes while driving.
• Watch out for the curb while turning.
• Avoid parking with your tires in direct sunlight to prevent dry rot.

Conclusion

Damaging your tire's sidewall is an annoying occurrence, even if the damage is just cosmetic. Understanding whether the sidewall damage is dangerous depends on the extent and severity of the damage to the tire. If the damage is superficial and made up of shallow scratches or scrapes, then you can continue to use the tire, though you should monitor it for any changes.

If the damage is in the form of cracking, cuts, or peeling, or if the tire is bulging, you should replace it. There is a high chance of a blowout occurring at some point.