Tried to inflate my tires, which are still the original ones, and saw this weird stuff come out. Is this nitrogen? If it is, do I have to go to a shop to fill it back up?
Nope… that’s tire sealant. The pump you’re using has two settings: one for regular air and the other for the sealant used to patch small holes. If the white stuff got into your tire, it will patch small leaks, but you’ll need to get the tire replaced soon because the sealant hardens over time.
@Christian
Wait, are you saying this came from the pump that came with the car?
Edit: Oh no… I must’ve used the wrong setting.
Quillan said:
@Christian
Wait, are you saying this came from the pump that came with the car?
Edit: Oh no… I must’ve used the wrong setting.
Yep, that’s it. The pump has an A and B option. If you used the wrong one, the sealant went in. Try contacting your dealership—they might help, especially if it’s unclear instructions that caused the problem. The sealant could damage your tire or rim if left too long.
@Christian
It’s a holiday here, so everything’s closed. I guess I’ll wait and see. After realizing my mistake, I switched to the other setting and finished inflating the tires fine. If I need a new tire, so be it. Thanks for the quick response! I feel silly for not double-checking the pump before using it.
@Quillan
Same thing happened to me! I thought it was nitrogen too, but my tire seems fine a month later.
Harlem said:
@Quillan
Same thing happened to me! I thought it was nitrogen too, but my tire seems fine a month later.
Why would anyone think nitrogen is colored or liquid at normal temperatures? It’s just a gas.
@Kase
I think it’s because dealerships push nitrogen for tires, so people hear that and assume anything weird coming out of a pump must be nitrogen. Poor labeling doesn’t help either.
@Kase
Yeah, air is already mostly nitrogen anyway.
Harlem said:
@Quillan
Same thing happened to me! I thought it was nitrogen too, but my tire seems fine a month later.
Your tire is fine, just like this person’s. Some people don’t understand how tire sealant works. It’s just a temporary fix for leaks and doesn’t damage the tire if there’s no leak. It’s meant to hold you over until you can get a proper patch at a shop.
@Christian
That’s not how it works. Sealant doesn’t ruin your tire in 24 hours. It’s a temporary fix for small leaks and just coats the inside of the tire if there’s no hole. Whoever told you otherwise probably wanted to sell you a new tire. It’s fine to drive on until you can get a proper patch.
@Ansel
I think mechanics hate dealing with cleaning the sealant, so they’d rather sell you a new tire.
Chance said:
@Ansel
I think mechanics hate dealing with cleaning the sealant, so they’d rather sell you a new tire.
Yeah, it’s messy, but replacing the tire immediately doesn’t make sense. The sealant will still be there whether you replace it now or later.
I accidentally used this sealant stuff once while inflating a pool for my kid. The instructions on those pumps are so confusing.
King said:
I accidentally used this sealant stuff once while inflating a pool for my kid. The instructions on those pumps are so confusing.
I feel a little better about my mistake after hearing that 
You don’t need to replace the tire right away just because of this. Down the road when it’s time to change the tire, the shop will probably curse you under their breath for the mess, though.