Nail or Screw in Your Tyre in Switzerland — Drive On or Stop?

You’re driving along and suddenly notice a nail or screw embedded in your tyre. Do you pull it out? Drive to the nearest garage? Or call breakdown assistance? The answer depends on a few key factors — and getting it wrong can turn a minor inconvenience into a dangerous blowout.

The golden rule: never pull the nail out yourself

It sounds counterintuitive, but the nail or screw in your tyre is actually doing you a favour — it’s acting as a plug, slowing or stopping the air from escaping. Pull it out and the tyre can deflate rapidly, leaving you stranded or, worse, causing a blowout at speed. Leave it in and get to a garage.

How to tell if your tyre has a nail in it

A puncture isn’t always immediately obvious. Watch for these signs:

• TPMS warning light on your dashboard (tyre pressure monitoring system)
• A faint clicking or tapping sound while driving
• The car pulling to one side
• A soft, spongy or sluggish steering feel
• Visibly lower tyre on one corner of the car

If you notice any of these, pull over safely and inspect your tyres.

Can you still drive with a nail in the tyre?

It depends entirely on whether air is escaping:

• Tyre pressure is stable → a short, careful drive to the nearest garage is usually safe. Check the pressure first at a petrol station.
• Tyre pressure is dropping slowly → drive directly to the nearest garage, no detours. Monitor the pressure.
• Tyre pressure is dropping quickly or tyre is nearly flat → stop immediately. Do not continue driving. Call breakdown assistance.

Never drive on a completely flat tyre — even at low speed it can damage the wheel rim and suspension components, turning a CHF 150 repair into a CHF 1,500 bill.

Can a punctured tyre be repaired?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A tyre can usually be repaired if:

• The damage is in the central tread area (not the shoulder or sidewall)
• The hole is no larger than 6 mm in diameter
• The tyre has not been driven on while flat
• There is no internal structural damage

Sidewall punctures cannot be repaired — the tyre must be replaced. A garage technician will remove the nail, inspect the inside of the tyre, and advise on whether a patch repair is safe or a full replacement is needed.

Run-flat tyres: different rules

If your car is fitted with run-flat tyres (common on BMW, Mercedes and MINI models), you can typically continue driving for up to 80 km at a maximum of 80 km/h after a puncture — but check your vehicle handbook for the specific limits. Run-flats also usually cannot be repaired after a puncture and must be replaced.

Find a tyre repair garage in Switzerland

Whether you need a quick patch repair or a full tyre replacement, CarGPT’s garage finder lists over 16,000 Swiss workshops and tyre specialists, searchable by canton and service type. Find the nearest garage to you — fast, free, no registration needed.

👉 Find a tyre repair garage near you — CarGPT