What are Run Flat Tyres, and How do they Work?

Have you ever heard of run flat tyres? Do you know what they are? Are you aware that your car may be fitted with them?

When it comes to tyres, there’s a lot of technical jargon around which can be confusing. Run flat tyres are just such an example. You may have heard of people talking about them, or seen them mentioned online, but no one clearly explains what they are.

If this sounds familiar then don’t worry. In this article, Kwik Fit will make things clearer for you. We’ll also provide you with the important info you need to know when it comes to changing your run flats.

Firstly, start by opening the boot of your car. Lift the floor cover up, what do you see? If it’s a spare tyre nestling in the cavity or a foam filler tyre repair kit then your car isn’t fitted with run flat tyres. However, if you don’t see either then there is a good chance that your car is fitted with run flat tyres – or should be.

Run flats tyres have specially reinforced sidewalls that mean – even when you have a puncture – you can continue driving on them at a limited speed and for a limited period (a maximum speed of 50 mph for a maximum of 50 miles). This is typically within easy reach of a Kwik Fit centre.

The big difference with run flats is that they feature a reinforced sidewall construction which continues to support your car even if you have a puncture. It’s this super-tough construction that allows you to keep driving, safely. It’s a technology that tyre makers like Continental have developed to improve safety and the driver experience.

Continental’s SSR (Self-Supporting Runflat) technology can be found in many of their tyres, including the popular ContiPremiumContact 5. 

What’s important, however, is that run flats must be used in conjunction with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). This is important since without the automatic alert the TPMS provides, how would you know you’ve got a puncture?

Also important is that, if you do get a puncture, you must not to ignore the run flats’ 50 mile range limit. It’s vital to get the tyre changed as soon as possible, otherwise you risk damaging the wheel itself – a much greater expense than simply replacing your tyre.

While this may seem tempting (after all, run flat tyres are more expensive) it’s not a good idea.

Run flats often come as ‘Original Equipment’ – the tyres the car is fitted with when it leaves the factory. This often means that the car’s designers will have repurposed the space that would have ordinarily been for a spare tyre, with no spare tyre cavity and hence no spare tyre. If you replace a run flat with a non-run flat and then have another puncture, with no spare tyre in your boot you’d be stranded.

This is why – if you purchased your car second hand and you’ve discovered there’s no spare wheel in the boot – you must check to see if your tyres are indeed run flats.

If you’re not sure how to tell if the tyres on your car are run flats or not, or to get other useful tyre advice and support, head down to your local Kwik Fit centre and get in touch with one of our expert tyre professionals. You can find your nearest centre here.