My wife's car(s) have had 5 flat tires in the last 3 years or so. All left rear. All screws in the tire. Accidents or deliberate? Left side faces away from the house when parked on the street.
What's the average rate for getting a screw in one of your tires? How many screws have you had in your tires in the last 3 years?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I tend to get a few a year but there's alot of new construction in my neighborhood.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Very little construction around our house.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Id there any construction going on the route she usually takes? When the development across the street went from vacant fields to houses, we were getting flats about once a month or better. Some of the workers were even parking on our landscaping gravel (no curb & gutter) and there were still drywall screws showing up 2 years later.

Despite many complaints to the developer by many of the existing residents, nothing ever changed, until they started getting some of their own screws in their tires. Poetic justice.

That said, an acquaintance told me that her son had "psycho ex-girlfriend" that bought a box of screws and was putting them in his tires. They got suspicious when he kept getting flats and finding the exact same type of screw each time. Some creativity involving a hunter's game camera resulted in serious legal trouble for her.


just a couple of thoughts.

The hunting game camera has crossed my mind. No new construction on my wife's regular commuting route.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I got a nail in my tire the after one of my Mercedes Benz GTG's hmmmmmmm

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Kerry,

It's hard to know the answers to your Q.

However, it would seem to me that a malicious puncture penetration could be done by strategically placing a screw at the ready for forward motion between the tire and the road surface. With that much frequency, always on the left rear, you may have malicious intent going on. That said, I would think that malicious intent, would either slash a sidewall, or use nails - not screws. What do you think of that theory/assessment?


My right rear on the Mercedes had a puncture penetration on the inside of the tread, which caused a slow leak. I discovered it a couple weeks ago, and Discount Tire fixed it free of charge as usual.

I guess that I would say that I get a puncture every 3 years or so, to answer your Q. The last several have been on the tread face, on the RIGHT side of the car. They are rarely a "screw" that stays in place, but sometimes are screws.

30 years or so ago, I got a spark plug penetrated AND fixed in place in a right rear steel belted tire. The tire shop guy said that a spark plug would be set in motion by the leading tire, then poised to enter the following tire on the road. Made sense to me. Perhaps that is why the punctures by screws or nails are found in the rear tires?

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Interesting theory about the front tire setting something in motion. The suspect is a female nutjob who lives on our street. I'm thinking it's easier to screw something into a tire rather than pushing it in with brute strength.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I carry a good 12v compressor and tire plug kit, so no need for a tire shop. I live in the middle of nowhere and frequent construction sites, so nails/screws/bolts/pliers are common in my tires.

I have a plug kit. I fixed this one on the vehicle in a few minutes.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

So that's the way you made your fortune Free tire fix
Is that the place you got your charity coupon for a free cookie from Sam's Club?

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"If women are so bloody perfect at multitasking how come they can't have a headache and sex at the same time?"
Billy Connolly

I agree with your assessment about the strength needed to physically puncture an inner or outer sidewall. Since I've done it on my own car's tires a time or two with a hunting knife. And I'm not exactly a wimp in upper body strength for a guy of 200 lbs. I would guess that most households do not possess an ice pick, (I do not) which could get the job done more easily on malicious intent. The time necessary to lie down on the pavement and screw a screw into a tire's tread face would leave the affected owner always thinking the penetration was always an accident. The time necessary to do the act I would think places the suspect at greater risk of discovery, especially if on a public street - even in the dead of night.... To tell you truth, screwing a screw into a tire never crossed my mind - but perhaps the psycho girl's mind functions differently than a 59 year old guy's.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

hmm knocking on wood here but after nearly ten years of driving (Probably a good 150,000 miles, if not more) I haven't had any punctures. My father on the other hand seems to manage at least one or two every year.

I was present for one odd one which was a screw that was attached to a rather large piece of plastic. We were in the van and could actually feel it traveling round.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I park on or next to construction sites every day and I haven't gotten a nail in a long time. I think I got one in one of my trucks tires over a year ago, but my current set of tires has been on for a year and no punctures.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

That statement demands an explanation.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.