Dear Doctor: I have a 2008 BMW 5 Series with original tires and 26,500 miles. Over the past few months all four tires have been plugged because of large nail and screw punctures. How safe is it to continue driving on plugged tires, particularly long distances with the hot summer months upon us? Richard
Dear Richard: The tires are safe to drive on. The one safety item is speed. Anytime a tire is repaired from a puncture, the speed rating is void. Some repair shops use a plug from the outside-in, while other shops break the tire down and repair the puncture from the inside. Either repair method will seal the puncture.