Can a flat tire be repaired?
A flat tire does not always mean buying a new one. Many punctures can be repaired properly, but some damage makes a tire unsafe to keep using. The difference usually comes down to three things: where the damage is, how big it is, and what happened to the tire after it lost air.
When a flat is usually repairable
A tire is generally a good candidate for repair when all of the following are true:
- The puncture is small and in the center of the tread. The tread area is thick and built to carry the load, so a small hole from a nail or screw there can commonly be sealed for good.
- The tire was not driven far while flat. If you noticed the problem quickly and pulled over, the structure inside the tire has a much better chance of being undamaged.
- The tread still has life left. Repairing a tire that is already close to worn out rarely makes sense, because it will need replacing soon anyway.
When a tire usually needs replacing
Some damage cannot be fixed safely, no matter how small it looks from the outside. Replacement is the usual answer when you see any of these:
- Damage in the sidewall or shoulder. The sidewall flexes constantly as the tire rolls, and a repair there is generally not considered reliable.
- A puncture larger than about 1/4 inch (6 mm). That size is a commonly cited industry guideline for the largest hole that should be repaired.
- The tire was driven flat. Rolling on a tire with little or no air crushes and overheats the sidewall from the inside, sometimes with very little visible damage outside.
- A bulge or bubble, or signs of separation. These point to damage in the layers of the tire and are a reason to stop using it.
- Very worn tread. A repair does not add tread back.
- Repairs that would overlap an earlier repair. Patches placed too close together are generally not recommended.
What a proper repair involves
A complete repair is more than pushing something into the hole. Done properly, the tire is taken off the wheel so the inside can be inspected, because damage on the inner liner is often invisible from the tread. The puncture channel is then filled, the inner liner is sealed over the injury, and the wheel and tire are rebalanced before going back on the car.
A plug inserted from the outside alone is generally not considered a complete repair. It may stop the leak for a while, but nobody has looked inside the tire to check for hidden damage, and the inner liner has not been sealed.
Do not keep driving on a flat
It is tempting to limp a few more blocks to somewhere convenient. The problem is that every bit of distance on a flat makes it more likely that a repairable puncture turns into a tire that has to be replaced, and it can also damage the wheel. If the tire is losing air quickly or is already flat, pull over somewhere safe and put on the spare if you have one and know how to fit it.
If you are not sure what you are looking at, take a photo of the damage and call the shop. Describing where the hole is and how far you drove helps us tell you whether it is worth bringing in for repair.
If you are stranded
If the car cannot be driven safely, do not drive it to the shop on the flat.
Mobile tire service, answered 24 hours. Call or text 561-971-9869.
A service call fee may apply. We confirm it before we dispatch, and it may be waived depending on the service.
Mobile service is performed by our own truck or by independent technicians in our dispatch network.