Tip #17: Run-flat tires buy you limited miles at limited speed, not a free pass
A run-flat tire can carry the car for a limited distance at reduced speed after losing air, as set by the tire and car maker. It is a way to reach a safe place or a tire shop, not permission to finish your week on it.
Tip #17 in one line
A run-flat tire can carry the car for a limited distance at reduced speed after losing air, as set by the tire and car maker. It is a way to reach a safe place or a tire shop, not permission to finish your week on it.
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Call nowHow run-flats work
A run-flat tire has stiff, reinforced sidewalls that can hold the car up for a while with little or no air inside. Cars that come with them often have no spare, so the tire itself is the backup plan.
Because the tire does not sag much, you may not feel the puncture. That is why cars with run-flats rely on the tire pressure monitoring system to tell you. When that warning appears, believe it.
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Call nowKnow your limits
The maximum distance and speed you can drive on a deflated run-flat are set by the manufacturer and depend on the tire, the load and the conditions. Look them up in your owner's manual now, not when the light comes on.
Carrying passengers or cargo, hot weather and higher speed all shorten what the tire can safely do. Treat the published figure as the best case.
Drive gently once it is deflated: no hard cornering, no sudden braking, and no highway speeds beyond what the manual allows.
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Call nowAfter a run-flat has been driven flat
A run-flat that has been driven deflated may have internal damage you cannot see, and many tire shops will not repair one. Plan on replacement, and ask whether the tire should be matched on the same axle.
Keep an eye on the pressure even when nothing seems wrong. Run-flats can hide slow leaks for weeks because the sidewalls hold the shape of the tire, and a tire that runs low for long periods wears unevenly and can be damaged internally. Check them with a gauge regularly, and do not ignore the TPMS light because the car looks and feels normal.
Run-flats can still fail outright, from a sidewall cut, a blowout or a pothole strike hard enough to damage the wheel. If the tire is visibly shredded or the car is pulling badly, stop.
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Call nowWhen to call
If you have reached the limit, the tire is destroyed, or the nearest shop that stocks your size is far away, do not push it. A flatbed tow to the tire shop or dealer you choose is a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate, quoted on the call to (908) 444-0129. See the flatbed towing guide for when a flatbed is the right truck.
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Call nowMore on tires
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flat tire on a New Jersey highway: what to do
- Tip #2: Cold weather lowers your tire pressure overnight
- Tip #13: Driving on a flat ruins the tire and the wheel within a short distance
- Tip #14: Find your spare, jack and wheel-lock key before you need them
- Tip #22: The tire pressure light is a warning to check, not proof of a flat
- Tip #86: Rotate your tires on the schedule in your owner's manual
- Tip #92: Check the spare tire's pressure, because a flat spare is no spare
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- All posts
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