Getting your tire patched up after a screw gets lodged in it is supposed to be a straightforward repair. But a Land Rover owner is questioning a garage’s decision after they refused to repair a tire with a screw stuck in it.
The owner shared their experience on the subreddit r/tires, explaining that they wanted the tire removed for a proper repair rather than using an at-home repair kit.
However, the garage apparently rejected the work and refused to repair the tire, arguing that the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive system and weight would make the repair unsafe and leave the shop liable if the tire failed and caused an accident.
The owner said they understood the garage’s concerns about the repair but questioned whether a professional repair would actually pose a safety concern. The 2012 LR4 weighs about 2.5 metric tons, or 5,617 pounds.
Safety Concerns Justified?
Garage said they wouldn’t repair.. because my car is too heavy
by
u/z430 in
tires
According to the owner, the screw was lodged in the main part of the tire’s tread, which they believed would make it a relatively straightforward repair.
The owner also says the car is fitted with Bridgestone Blizzak 6 tires measuring 255/55 R19, with a load index of 111 and a W speed rating. They shared photos of the lodged screw in the post, placing an 18 mm socket beside it to show its size.
They asked other Reddit users whether the garage was justified in refusing the work and whether a professional repair would be safe.
Insight From Others
In the comments, they shared their thoughts on the situation, with some suggesting the owner should simply find another shop willing to perform the repair.
One commenter explained they had a similar experience involving a 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, claiming that they had recently been refused an oil change because the shop did not want the liability associated with the vehicle.
They further explained that the shop’s manager said their Cruiser was rare and not worth the risk of working on something unfamiliar. The commenter pushed back on that notion and stated that roughly 200,000 FJ Cruisers were sold in the U.S. over seven years and that the vehicle shared an engine with the Toyota 4Runner and Tacoma.
Another user argued that, based on the photos, there was no obvious safety reason to refuse the repair. They recommended a patch-plug repair, which seals the puncture from the inside.
The garage’s reported liability concern may explain its decision to refuse the repair, but the available information does not establish that the tire was really unsafe to repair simply because the vehicle weighs around 2.5 tons. There hasn’t been an update to the post yet regarding if the owner ever got their tire fixed.