Can a Run Flat Tyre Puncture Be Repaired?

Whenever and wherever it happens, getting a puncture can be a pain. As well as potentially spoiling your plans, it could blow a hole in your finances. It’s especially frustrating if it happens to a tyre that’s practically new. To try to reduce costs, your first thought may be to repair rather than replace the affected tyre - but what if it’s a run flat tyre, rather than a regular model?

Here, we take a look at what sets run flats apart from other tyres, and how this impacts whether or not you can have them repaired.

What exactly are run flat tyres?

The feature that distinguishes run flat tyres is their specially reinforced sidewalls. This characteristic means that even when they are punctured, you can carry on driving on them for a limited number of miles and at a reduced speed. Usually, you can drive for a maximum of 50 miles at a top speed of 50mph on a punctured run flat, allowing you to get to a tyre centre to assess the damage.

This saves you from having to replace your car tyre at the roadside (which may be difficult or even dangerous) or call out emergency roadside assistance. As an added bonus, because you don’t have to carry a spare tyre with you in your car, you can benefit from a larger boot space and - thanks to the reduced weight - greater fuel efficiency and mileage. Importantly, run flats also make it easier to keep control of your vehicle in the event of a puncture, reducing the risk of an accident.

Because of their reinforced sidewalls, it can be difficult to tell that you’ve got a puncture if you’re driving on run flats. This means all vehicles that use these tyres must also have a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) fitted. Often, an alert from this monitoring system is the only thing that indicates to drivers that they have a puncture.

If your car has run flats and your TPMS warns you that you’re losing pressure in one or more tyres, it’s vital that you stick to the speed limit and mileage specified by the manufacturer and get your tyres changed as soon as possible. Your handbook will give you the details of these restrictions.

The fact is, run flat tyres aren’t designed to be used over long distances or high speeds after being punctured. Even though they may look fine to the untrained eye, it’s essential that you get to a tyre centre and have a specialist technician check them out. If you don’t, there’s a danger you’ll damage the wheel itself, which is much more costly than replacing your tyre.

Can I get mine repaired?

Unfortunately, almost certainly not. The vast majority of tyre technicians won’t agree to repair a run flat; instead, they’ll offer to replace it.

Tyre manufacturers actually advise not to repair these tyre models for a very important reason. Thanks to their reinforced design, it can be difficult to spot any secondary damage that has occurred as a result of a puncture. In other words, any potential harm to the tyre wall may be masked by the added strength of the tyre. Simply by assessing the tyre, it can be impossible to tell if a motorist has continued to drive their car at an unsafe speed or for too many miles after the puncture occurred, therefore compromising the overall structure and safety of the tyre.

Because of this uncertainty, carrying out minor repairs to run flats can be a waste of money to the vehicle owner or, even worse, it can prove to be dangerous. At Kwik Fit, we don’t offer to repair run flat tyres for this reason. In order to comply with manufacturer guidance and to help keep our customers safe, we replace punctured run flats instead.

What's my next step?

If you have a run flat tyre and your TPMS is warning you that you may have a puncture, it’s important to get your tyres looked at by a professional as soon as you can.

At Kwik Fit, our technicians are on hand to provide a free tyre safety check and can tell you if you need a replacement. If it’s convenient for you and you can reach your nearest fitting centre without exceeding the mileage limit on a punctured run flat, simply pop in with your car to speak to our experts. If you can’t reach us though, don’t worry. We also offer a mobile fitting service, meaning we can come out to your home, workplace, or another location of your choosing at a time that suits you.

Replacing a run flat tyre may not cost you as much as you think. We offer a wide range of cheap run flat tyres with options to suit all budgets, and should have exactly what you’re looking for.

A warning

Unfortunately, some drivers mistakenly think that because they’re called run flat tyres, these tyres are designed to keep functioning as normal even with a puncture. For the reasons explained above, it’s really important that you don’t fall into this trap. If you try to keep using a punctured run flat as you would normally, you could land yourself with a bigger bill than simply replacing a tyre - and you might put your safety and the safety of others at risk.

If you’d like to find out more about these tyres, including their advantages and their limitations, don’t hesitate to get in touch.