From potholes to stray nails and screws, your tires can encounter a lot of hazards on the road. And when they become damaged or go flat, you might be wondering whether you should purchase a new set or get the tire repaired professionally.
Not every flat or punctured tire can be fixed, but there are other instances where you can get the tire — and your entire car — back on the road with a quick repair. Read on to learn what kind of tire damage can be repaired and when you should get a replacement.
Puncture location and severity of damage can often be the deciding factors between getting a tire repaired vs. replaced. If you've got a tire that's been punctured in the tread area and it doesn't measure more than 1/4 of an inch (6mm) in diameter, a simple repair may do the trick.
If the tire has two punctures, getting a tire repaired may still be an option as long as the punctures are at least 16 inches apart and the maximum number of repairs does not exceed a total of 2 in the tire. Any more punctures than that, and you should consider getting a new tire. Punctured tires will likely need to be replaced if:
Durable run-flats, such as Bridgestone DriveGuard tires, can often buy you a little more time in a flat tire situation. But if driven on with less than 15PSI, they may not be repairable. To prevent this issue on run flats and otherwise, avoid driving your vehicle if you have a flat or are low on air.
If you notice a bubble in your tire's sidewall, this has likely been incurred by high-impact damage. Factors like driving on a flat, hitting a pothole or curb the wrong way, riding over speed bumps or railroad crossings too quickly, or overloading your tires can all lead to this issue.
Although this tiny bulge may not seem intimidating, tires with side bubbles are not repairable, and you should have the tire replaced as soon as possible.
Repaired tires can often be mended again if the damage doesn't compromise a previously repaired area. For example, if you have a nail-in-tire situation, you may be able to do a quick repair if the puncture location doesn't overlap with a previous tire injury and the repair was done properly. If it does overlap, you will likely need a replacement.
Oftentimes, affected tires will need to be replaced following a major incident. If the tire has sustained serious damage in a crash, such as significant cuts or tread separation, it should be replaced, not repaired.
You might be tempted to do a quick fix when you do have a flat or damaged tire. Here are two that can be used in emergency or short-term situations but shouldn't be considered long-term tire repairs:
These fast fixes are a double-edged sword.
They'll help you get your car to a local Firestone Complete Auto Care, but don't count on them to keep you on the road for very long. Tire sealants can freeze in cold weather, damage your tire pressure monitoring system, and prove ineffective at repairing any tire damage that's more serious than a slow leak or small hole. It's also important to note that our technicians will not be able to fix punctures in tires with emergency temporary sealants.
Again, these are quick fixes that aren't meant to enable long-term use of a punctured or damaged tire. When considering a flat tire patch or replacement, remember that a patch doesn't fill in the hole left by a puncture — while a plug doesn't offer a permanent seal. In short, patching or plugging alone are never adequate long-term solutions. That's why at Firestone, our technicians can use a patch-plug combo to provide an adequate long-term solution for some tire punctures.
To ensure your tire is safely repaired or replaced, it's best to have it inspected and serviced by a trained technician.
Visit your local Firestone Complete Auto Care and ask about our tire repair services. Your safety is our priority, and we back all of our work with a triple promise that guarantees your repair will be Fixed Right, Priced Right, Right on time.
Now that you know when to repair vs. replace a car tire, schedule your appointment today!
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A punctured tire turns into a flat tire very quickly, especially while driving down the road. Since there is nothing holding the air in the tire, it leaks out causing a flat tire. It is not safe to drive on a punctured or flat tire because it can cause a blowout or a car accident. When a tire is flat, the vehicle will pull to that side, making it hard to control.
This is potentially hazardous to yourself and the drivers around you. If you have a punctured tire, it is best to pull over and assess the damage.
Here are some things to look for if you feel like you might have a punctured tire:
The most common cause of a punctured tire is a sharp object that was picked up while driving down the road. This object could be a nail, screw, or even a small rock. Once it punctures the tire, the tire will deflate either slowly or quickly depending on the size of the hole.
A punctured tire can be recognized by a loud noise, the vehicle pulling to the left or right, or the steering wheel shaking uncontrollably. If you experience any of this, pull over right away and see what is happening. Driving longer on a punctured tire can damage the rims, making for an even more extensive repair.
Once you notice you have a punctured tire, pull over in a safe area. Whether this is on the side of the highway or in a well-lit parking lot, it is important that you are out of the lanes of traffic so as not to cause a collision.
If you have a roadside tire repair kit you know how to use, it can be applied it the puncture is small enough. If you do not have this, call a mechanic so you can have them apply a plug or change your tire if need be. This will be a temporary fix until the puncture is repaired or the tire is replaced at the tire store. Additionally, may need to have a spare tire installed, if the puncture is too large for a plug.
Driving with a punctured tire is extremely dangerous as you can lose control and cause an accident. This can injure yourself and those around you, as well as potentially cause a fatal accident. Once you experience a puncture, leaking, or flat tire, pull over to the side of the road as soon as possible. Punctures can be small, so it is best to have your tire looked at by a tire specialist.
The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Spare Tire Installation. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM.
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by Gloria
Toyota Camry V6-3.0L - Spare Tire Installation - Knightdale, North Carolina
Nicholas finished an earlier appointment which enabled him to come by earlier than originally scheduled. I'm very grateful he chose to reschedule. While replacing a flat with my donut spare, he instructed me on how to safely drive to the tire shop for the repair. More importantly to have the shop add air to the donut spare. Nicholas did an excellent job. He as very professional. Thank you
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Ford E-150 Econoline - Spare Tire Installation - Durham, North Carolina
I was VERY pleased with Nicholas' expertise and was more than delighted that he was so prompt. He was very polite and friendly, and he did a marvelous job. If I ever need any repairs to my vehicle in the future, I would definitely ask for Nicholas.
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by Saravana
Toyota Prius L4-1.5L Hybrid - Spare Tire Installation - Prospect Heights, Illinois
Luis attended my car today and help in fixing the issue quickly. He is nice and friendly guy. I will recommend him for any services.
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by Laura
Toyota FJ Cruiser V6-4.0L - Spare Tire Installation - Castle Rock, Colorado
Hugh came to change out a flat tire for my spare today. I have to say that I feel sheepish for calling someone to come help because I know how to change a tire but I was at work and on shift until 2 am and he came to my place of work. Instead of just installing my spare, he took the time to evaluate the situation. I had a nail in my tire and he took the tire to get patched and my vehicle drove better on my way home than when I left this morning.
It was snowing sideways when he showed up to help me. He was a bit of a godsend in the moment and I would recommend him to anyone. I was just distressed because I did not have enough tip to give this guy for overachieving when I needed it. Huge five star review. I only hope to pay his generosity forward. He was more than worth the cost and he did a phenomenal job.
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Honda Civic L4-1.7L - Spare Tire Installation - Smyrna, Georgia
Jonathan was very punctual, friendly, and transparent. He clearly explained everything he did and provided detail about any additional work he recommended. Great work!
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Every experienced driver has encountered a car tire puncture at least once. It is possible to detect a flat tire during a periodic self-inspection of the vehicle or during a long drive. The task of the driver in such a situation is to be prepared for this and make decisions confidently, without delay.
When driving, it is sometimes impossible to feel the moment when the car hits an obstacle and the wheel begins to lose air. Signs indicating that the tire has got into an unpleasant situation are usually:
To find the puncture site not in the “field” conditions, you can resort to the following options:
The reason for a puncture of a car wheel in most cases lies in careless driving on sections of the road that are dangerous for the integrity of the tires. These may be places of construction, the release of technical waste, roads intersecting with railway or tram tracks. On such sections of the road, it is recommended to slow down and avoid obstacles. And if it is not possible to go around, then it is better to keep the course of the car straight, at the lowest possible speed.
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02/22/2018
Despite the objective importance of the spare tire, not all drivers always have it with them.
Some do not carry a spare tire out of hope or belief that their tires are invulnerable. Others deliberately take this step, as they stocked up with a special tool in advance, which, if necessary, can eliminate a tire puncture along the way. What else can be used and how to do it right? Let's figure it out.
Contents of :
Conventionally, all methods for express tire repair can be divided into two categories:
Consider ways to restore a damaged tire on the road. The first three methods are temporary. The latter, with the right approach, allows you to completely restore the tire.
e. preventive). A special sealing compound is pumped into all four undamaged tires. While driving, it is inside the wheel in liquid form. If the tire suddenly loses its tightness, then this composition, leaving together with the air, clogs the slot in a few seconds. This method is relevant if you have a long trip under time constraints. 
After removing the foreign object, the hole is processed with an awl with abrasive edges: this tool must be inserted into the puncture and cleaned and developed with intensive reciprocating movements several times.
Then the raw rubber tow is removed from the package and inserted into the eye of the second awl so that both ends are the same length. The hole in the tire and the raw rubber is treated with an activator. Next, the awl is inserted into the puncture in such a way that small ends of the tourniquet, about a centimeter long, remain outside. After 5 minutes, the excess remaining on the surface is cut off. This method can also successfully eliminate small side cuts.
There is a technique that allows using wire and several bundles of raw rubber to get rid of even extensive side damage to tires. However, it is quite difficult to implement and not every driver will be able to implement it.
Consider a few well-known tools that are most widely used to repair punctures:
It works in the same way as most sealants: the container is thoroughly shaken, after that a hose is attached, and the contents from the container are completely pumped into the tire. The maximum diameter of the repaired hole is 4.5 mm. This is almost always enough to repair punctures caused by nails and screws.
