No. A plastic bottle by a parked tire is not an evidence-based way to prevent theft, flat spots, tire damage, or heat damage. The bottle advice circulates online, but the reviewed reporting found no credible support for those claims. For security, follow practical steps from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); for tire care, check the pressure and condition of your tires.
What is the plastic-bottle-on-a-tire advice supposed to do?
Online versions of the advice attach several explanations to the bottle: that it prevents theft, stops tires from developing flat spots, protects against tire damage, or regulates tire temperature. The reporting reviewed for this article found no credible evidence supporting those uses. A bottle is not a recognized tire-maintenance step or established theft deterrent.
One version claims that a bottle placed near a tire will make a noise and lure a driver out of the car. The available reporting does not establish this as a documented or prevalent crime method, and it should not be presented as official police advice. That is different from proving no one has ever tried it: the reviewed sources provide no reliable count or named study of bottle-related incidents.
Where did the viral advice come from?
COR Wheels traced a widely shared “Always Put a Plastic Bottle…” ad to 2021 and reported that the slideshow associated with it did not actually contain the recommendation. That account offers a trail for one widely circulated version, but the original author and motive are not established. COR Wheels’ account of the ad and slideshow is secondary reporting, not proof of the rumor’s precise origin.
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SlashGear likewise reported no recorded instances or reputable statistics substantiating the bottle-theft story. That describes the evidence it reviewed; it does not prove that no individual incident has ever happened. SlashGear’s explanation of the claim should be read with that distinction in mind.
What to do instead to protect a parked vehicle
NHTSA’s vehicle-security guidance recommends straightforward precautions. These are more useful than relying on an unsupported bottle claim:
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- Take the key with you and lock the doors and windows.
- When possible, park in a well-lit area.
- Keep valuables out of sight.
See NHTSA’s vehicle-theft prevention guidance for its security recommendations. NHTSA’s guidance is practical advice, not a direct agency ruling on the bottle rumor.
The scale of vehicle theft is real, but the available national figures do not connect thefts to bottles. In a July 1, 2025 release, NHTSA reported that more than 850,700 vehicles were reported stolen in the United States in 2024, a 17% decrease from 2023. Those figures cover vehicle theft overall, not bottle-related incidents. NHTSA’s 2025 release includes the figures and broader prevention message.
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How to care for tires while the car is parked
A bottle cannot tell you whether a tire is properly inflated or damaged. Use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure in the owner’s manual or on the driver-side door placard, not the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall.
- Check tire pressure monthly, as NHTSA recommends.
- Measure when the tires are cold. NHTSA defines cold tires as tires on a vehicle that has not been driven for at least three hours.
- Check the tires’ visible condition as part of ordinary maintenance. A tire-pressure gauge kept in the vehicle can help you take a reading.
Details are in NHTSA’s tire-safety guidance. It recommends cold-pressure checks and keeping a gauge in the vehicle; follow your vehicle maker’s pressure specification.
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Bottom line: skip the bottle
You do not need to put a plastic bottle on or against a tire when parking. For vehicle security, use NHTSA’s locking, key-control, lighting, and valuables guidance. For tire care, check cold pressure against the vehicle’s recommended figure and inspect tire condition instead of relying on an unverified online hack.
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