So as the title states this morning I just get to my new job and just my luck I found a nasty slash on my passenger rear tire. I have no clue if someone slashed my tire or it was from the numerous potholes and road debris on my states highway. What do you guys think?

Notice the slash is very clean and no damage to any of the surrounding areas. I did hit a nasty pothole on the highway.

 

How old are the tires. Is it leaking air now?

 

Gonna need a forensic investigator to figure this one out.

 

The tires are 2 and half years old. No leaking air. TPMS Monitor says 34 PSI. They are Taiwanese Tires.

 

i think it's a pot hole

 

I agree...pinched on a pot hole or curb

 

Going with the pothole theory as well. It would have to be a pretty dumb vandal.

 

the slash isn't straight enough for a knife cut... Pothole is your key suspect. If it were a person, id expect more sidewall damage.

 

what if it was a curved blade

 

Agreed, either a pothole or road debris.

 

Well good news is I just got done from an 8 hour orientation at my new job and the tire has not leaked any air whatsoever. Is it worth replacing with a new tire or do I need an entire new set? My TL is FWD. I did hit the pothole pretty hard on the highway.

This is my tire pressure after 8 hours of sitting in my job’s parking lot.

 

At the very least, replace in pairs. that's always my rule of thumb

 

I was thinking of doing that and saving the good tire as a full size spare.

 

Yeah, just leave it in the trunk for the next time your tire gets slashed you hit a pothole.

 

Crazy thing is a few days ago I was parked in my parking spot in my apartment complex and this same tire had ripped a chunk asphalt from the ground.

That entire missing chunk from the ground was attached to my tire from the immense heat. All I heard was a knocking sound from the rear of the car. Thought I had a flat for sure!

 

Replace if pairs, keep the one for a spare as you mentioned.

 

The last thing you want is to have the damaged/weakened tire doing a high speed blowout in the middle of a highway.

Replace that tire ASAP.

 

Definitely will! Waiting for my day off which is Saturday, so hopefully with the luck I’m having it’ll hang on like it has. It Hasn’t lost any air at all and appears to be affecting the upper tread area.