Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated in 2021 to reflect current industry standards.
In older cars, every model came with a spare tire that matched the tires already on the vehicle. Over the years, car manufacturers have realized the spare tire is used so infrequently, it does not make much sense to equip every car with a full-sized spare. For this reason, manufacturers began leaving a space-saver spare (otherwise known as a donut) in place of a full-size spare.
Nowadays, spare tires should never be a permanent replacement, begging the question, how long can you really drive on a spare tire? The type of spare tire in your vehicle makes a difference in how long and how far you can drive before fixing your tire or buying a new tire.
These narrow, compact spares are designed to save space and weight in the vehicle, allowing the manufacturers to build a smaller car. However, the tire itself is not built to last. Your owner’s manual will give recommendations for driving time and speed. A general rule of thumb is to drive no farther than 70 miles and no faster than 50 miles per hour before replacing your donut with a new tire.
The biggest reason why you should avoid prolonged use of space-saver or donut tires is that they have little to no tread, making the spare vulnerable to road hazards and projectiles. It is also much smaller than the other 3 tires, making it spin faster to keep up with the moving car.
Run-flat tires are becoming more common as manufacturers realize they cost less to maintain than traditional tires. If you drive a recent model BMW or a MINI, your car likely came with run-flat tires. These tires are tougher than most tires but are not designed to last forever, such as a full-spare tire.
Rather than including a spare tire, these run-flat tires are built to withstand most road hazards, including punctures.
Rather than going flat or blowing out (as traditional tires do), a run-flat tire can continue to drive after punctured for about 50 miles before needing to be replaced. However, these tires cost more to replace than traditional tires.
While you have a bit more room to travel on these types of tires, it is important to inspect your tire as soon as you are aware of any change in tire pressure. This gives you an idea of how long you have until you have no choice but to have your tire replaced.
How Long Can You Drive on a Full-Size Spare Tire?
For years, cars were built with spare tire wells capable of carrying a full-size spare. On many older cars (and a few newer models), this is still the case. If you bought a truck, SUV, or another large vehicle, your car probably is equipped with a full-size spare. While a full-size spare is heavier and requires a larger space for storage, these tires are more durable and can handle a drive similar to a regular tire.
Once you have taken your vehicle to an auto repair shop and learned that the punctured tire is irreparable, you can request the spare tire to be put on the original rim.It is important to note that a full-size spare tire is usually not produced by the same manufacturer as the rest of the tires on your vehicle, meaning it will handle differently than the other tires. We suggest buying a new tire as soon as you can afford to, but this can easily buy you some time.
Christian Brothers Automotive was born out of the idea of not just being an auto repair shop, but also a neighbor. Our mission is simple: to take root in the local communities we serve and to create an uncommonly great experience for customers in need of auto service and repair. To have your tires inspected or to replace a spare tire, please do not hesitate to call or visit your local Christian Brothers Automotive shop. We have 240 plus locations nationwide that are locally owned and operated, providing complete auto care and repair solutions near you.
If you have a flat tire, you know how frustrating a process it is to get your car back to its normal operation. Not only does it disrupt your travel, it also takes time and money to replace a flat. After you change the flat tire and install your spare, you might be wondering: how long can you drive on it?
In this article, we’ll tell you just how far you can drive on a spare tire, what the key differences in types of spare tires are, and best practices for driving on a spare tire.
Let’s jump right in by answering your main question:
You should drive no more than 50 miles on a temporary or donut spare tire if possible. If you absolutely must go longer than 50 miles, avoid driving on it longer than 70 miles. A spare tire isn’t meant to completely replace a tire, rather, its purpose is to tide you over until you can properly replace it.
Additionally, you shouldn’t drive faster than 50 mph on a temporary or donut spare tire, as they have far less traction and durability than a standard tire.
You probably wouldn’t want to drive longer or faster on a spare anyway, as the typical spare can make your vehicle feel more like an airplane ambling down a runway than a car driving down a highway.
Once you are driving your spare, you should replace it with a proper full-size tire as quickly as possible to stay safe on the roads.
Types of Spare Tires:There are several kinds of spare tires, but which one you will use mostly depends on the type of vehicle you’re driving.
These vehicles are significantly heavier than most sedans and mid-sized cars, so the spare tires are usually larger to support the vehicle’s full load, and possibly additional cargo or items being towed.Full-size spares are typically much better quality than a donut spare; however, they still should be replaced as soon as possible. These spares often aren’t as durable, may have narrower wheels than the standard tires, and may not be produced by the same manufacturer as your other tires.
Full-size spare tires should be regularly inspected too, especially if they are secured to the bottom of the vehicle and therefore may be exposed to harsher elements.
How to drive safely on a spare tireRegardless of whether your spare is a donut or a full-size spare, you’ll want to be careful while driving on it. To drive safely on your spare tire, follow these best practices:
Spare tires often have different inflation pressure needs than your regular tires, so it’s wise to check them for proper inflation. Plus, a spare tire isn’t much help if it has low pressure.
Many spare tires have a lifetime of about eight years.As the Midwest’s premier driving school, Top Driver takes pride in preparing our students for everything they encounter on the road and with their vehicle.
With more than 40 locations throughout Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, Top Driver is your best resource for driver education. Each year we provide countless hours of in-vehicle training and classes, not to mention our free blog covering best practices for road safety. If you’re looking for teen programs for new drivers, adult, or remedial courses, Top Driver has you covered.
We’re also going the extra mile to ensure a safe learning space for our students and instructors by providing remote classroom education opportunities and implementing a coronavirus vehicle sanitization process.
Call 1 (800) 374-8373 or enroll online today!
Spare tires are useful insurance, but most are not designed to replace a flat tire indefinitely.
Not all spare wheels are created equal, and to better understand which spare tire your vehicle is equipped with, please refer to your vehicle owner's manual. Temporary spare tires generally do not have the life expectancy that regular tires do. Unlike a normal car tyre, spare tires can only have one polyester ply in the sidewall and two steel belts with a ply of polyester in the tread, meaning they can't provide half the performance and safety that an average tire can provide.
In this article we will try to describe all types of spare wheels available, and tell you how long you can drive on each of them.
These little spare tires are commonly referred to as donuts or space savers. They are very popular because they are lightweight and do not take up much space in the luggage compartment of your car. Due to the low weight, even a person who is not at all predisposed to physical activity will not find it difficult to lift and install such a spare wheel.
By the way, how to do it in the field, without the help of specialists, read here.
However, because the donuts are smaller and lighter, they lack two key features of conventional tires: strength and stability. Most of these spare tires have a speed limit of up to 90 km/h. With such a spare tire, you can expect to cover a distance of 80 km, some of them can cover up to 110 km. This should be enough to find the nearest tire shop and fix the damaged tire, or find a shop where you can buy a brand new tire if the previous one is no longer repairable.
From the above, we can conclude that the donut spare wheel is not recommended for long trips or pulling with its replacement with a normal, standard wheel.
Some car manufacturers fit their vehicles with full size spare tires. They are, of course, heavier than space savers and take up much more space in the trunk, but they are more durable and durable. They are able to last you much longer than donuts.
However, these tires may have a different tread pattern or rubber compound than a conventional tire. This can affect overall handling and safety on the road.
Although these tires are more durable, they are primarily designed to get you to your destination before you deal with the tire problem. In addition, do not forget that the place for the spare wheel in the car is empty, and it should be filled as soon as possible before another tire is punctured.
If you do not have a spare tire in your vehicle, then your vehicle may be equipped with run-flat tires. BMW and MINI typically install these tires during production. This type of tire is tougher than other tires and can withstand a puncture and keep going. However, they are also not designed to be ridden forever.
Most run-flat tires recommend replacing as soon as you notice a puncture. As a rule, they are designed for a distance of up to 100 km in a punctured state, then they must be replaced.
Compared to regular tyres, running-flat replacements are not cheap. Some craftsmen can patch run-flat tires, but manufacturers do not recommend going down this path.
One of the advantages of these tires is that you can get to the nearest car wheel shop at speeds up to 80 km/h, i.e. almost like a breeze.
Every motorist should remember that any type of spare tire is only there to keep you moving forward and replace a punctured tire as quickly as possible. The spares are a temporary replacement, and s, while full-size spare tires may look exactly like the rest of your car, they don't have the same performance as s and can get you in trouble on the road.
Remember, your car's tires are the only thing that keeps you and your passengers on the road, so you should never speculate on your own safety or the safety of those around you.
On the road, various troubles can happen to a car and a rubber puncture on a car is a common case.
The absence of a spare wheel or a standard "roll-in" seriously complicates the situation. If the driver has the skills, you can put a temporary patch on the puncture, otherwise you will have to order a tow truck.
We recommend that you carry a spare wheel, a repair kit for various occasions, and the necessary tools, then you can get out of any traffic situation with dignity. If all this is not there, then you can drive on punched rubber a short distance to a service station or tire fitting. We are not talking about hundreds of kilometers of travel, we are talking about a short distance.
Leakage of air from a car tire can occur in different situations. At the same time, punching is not necessary, there are other unforeseen and unpleasant situations. Most common:
In this situation, if a puncture is detected, you can slowly drive to the tire fitting, having previously pumped up air. Potholes or bumps in the road can be a serious problem. Hitting such an obstacle at high speed can lead to deformation of the car disk, subsequently to damage to the rubber.
Very serious damage, which is impossible to fix on your own, without the use of special equipment, you need to go to a tire service.
Use of used car tires - follow manufacturer's specified service life. Otherwise, the wheel may deflate due to high wear. There is a risk of explosion directly during operation.
Problems exist with tubeless tires - the fitting sometimes does not fit well on the disc, air leaks occur.
The main causes that lead to damage to car tires and air leakage are indicated. Whether it is possible to drive on a flat tire is determined by the driver himself, taking into account his experience and capabilities.
Driving with a flat tire is not recommended. Driving a car is significantly more difficult, there is a risk of getting into an accident, creating a threat to other road users.
Among the main problems that can lead to driving with low tire pressure are:
A flat tire is a serious hazard. Each driver must understand this and take all necessary measures to eliminate the problem. In no case should a puncture be ignored, at high speed the situation can completely get out of control. The ideal would be to replace the wheel with a spare, repair at the nearest tire shop.
A car tire is a complex system. Consists of different elements. Manufacturers use special technologies and materials to provide the declared driving characteristics of the car. The special pattern on the main part of the tire has its own functionality, and does not serve solely for beauty. Any deviation from the norm leads to a decrease in the functionality of the tire, respectively, the car loses its qualities. Its use becomes unsafe until the problem is solved.
Winter Drive protection
Tires Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 SUV
Winter Drive Protection Sound Comfort
Rating:
4.
5
Tires Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
Winter Drive protection
Tires Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ SUV
Winter Drive protection
Tires Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2
Winter Drive Protection Run On Flat Sound Comfort
Tires Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
It should be noted that under no circumstances should you drive with a completely flat tire.
The situation can get out of control of the driver at any time, the tire will fly off the disk, he will receive damage that will lead to new problems. It's best to call a tow truck, no matter the cost.
An exception to the rule may be a tire that still has some air left in it. You can try to get to a service station or tire fitting. You can also try to inflate the tire to give yourself more time.
Low pressure driving is possible subject to the following rules:
The average driving distance allowed with a half-flat tire is 10 kilometres. This is only allowed if the above rules are observed.
If the problem of low tire pressure, puncture or other damage is not addressed in a timely manner, it leads to negative consequences.
The following systems may experience problems:
A vehicle with flat tires is a hazard to other road users and its driving characteristics are affected.
It must be understood that movement with insufficient pressure leads to deformation of the rubber. You run the risk of completely damaging the tire, subsequently replacing it with a new one. Therefore, the decision to drive on half-flat tires must be made carefully, carefully evaluate all the consequences and alternatives.
