A good rule of thumb to remember is this: when the sidewall is damaged- no matter how small- it's time to replace the tire. The sidewall damage can grow and compromise your safety and the safety of the drivers around you.

When should I worry about tire sidewall damage?

Similarly, sidewall damage is very serious when you can see bubbles in or anywhere around your tire. Like said earlier, any sidewall tire damage must be considered too much, since it can aggravate and lead to much bigger issues.

Can you repair a tire with sidewall damage?

The puncture is within the tread area* of the tire – sidewall punctures are NOT repairable. The tire puncture is ¼ inch in diameter or less. ... If any one of the above requirements are not met, then the tire cannot be repaired safely. However, if the tire is repairable, then a patch-plug can be utilized.