How far can you drive on a flat tire?
The honest answer is: as little as possible. An ordinary tire is not designed to carry the car without air, and every bit of distance on a flat increases the chance that a repairable puncture becomes a tire that has to be replaced, and that the wheel is damaged too.
Short answers
Is it OK to drive on a flat tire?
Only as far as you need to reach a safe place to stop, slowly. Driving further usually ruins the tire and can damage the wheel.
Can a tire be repaired after driving on it flat?
Often not. Driving on a flat crushes and overheats the sidewall from the inside, which is a common reason a tire has to be replaced instead of repaired.
What if I have run-flat tires?
Run-flats are designed to be driven a limited distance at reduced speed after losing air; the limits are in your owner's manual.
What happens to the tire
Without air, the tire's sidewall is squeezed between the wheel and the road on every turn. The rubber and the cords inside it flex far beyond what they were built for and heat up. This damage starts on the inside of the tire, where you cannot see it, and it can happen within a short distance. A puncture that could have been repaired properly is often no longer repairable once the tire has been driven flat, because the sidewall structure may be weakened.
You may also see the tire come partly off the wheel, the tread separate, or the sidewall tear. At that point replacement is the only option.
What happens to the wheel
With no air cushion, the edge of the wheel (the rim) can contact the road or be pinched against potholes and curbs. That can bend or crack the rim, scrape the finish, or damage the seat where the tire seals, which can cause slow leaks later even with a new tire. A bent wheel can also cause vibration. Wheels usually cost more to replace than tires, so stopping early protects the more expensive part.
Damage to other parts is possible too, from the car leaning on one corner or from a tire coming apart, but the tire and wheel are the parts most often affected.
The exceptions: run-flats and spares
Run-flat tires are designed to carry the car for a limited distance at reduced speed after losing air. The vehicle and tire makers set those limits; they are in the owner's manual. Even then, many makers recommend replacing a run-flat that has been driven without air: see can a run-flat tire be repaired?.
Temporary spares also have speed and distance limits, usually printed on the spare. They are meant to get you to a tire shop.
What to do instead
- Slow down gently with your hazard lights on and get to the nearest safe place to stop: a parking lot, a wide shoulder, or the next exit if you can reach it slowly.
- If you are on a highway, follow the steps in flat tire on I-95 or a Florida highway.
- Fit the spare only if you can do it safely away from traffic.
- Otherwise, call for help and have the tire inspected before using it again.
Slow leaks count too
A tire that is low but not completely flat is still being damaged if you drive on it, just more slowly. If the pressure warning comes on, check all the tires with a gauge and add air to the pressure on your door placard. If one tire keeps losing air, it has a leak that should be found and fixed. Our guide to correct tire pressure explains where to find the right number.
FlatFixVault repairs flats and sells new tires at 1919 NW 19th St, Suite 204, Fort Lauderdale. Shop hours are Monday to Friday 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 2 PM; prices are quoted by phone at 954-760-7276.
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.