We’ll help you to understand when you need a tyre puncture repair, when your tyre should be replaced and when an emergency tyre repair kit might come in handy.
What is a car tyre puncture?
A puncture happens when the air inside a tyre escapes through a hole or abnormality in the tyre structure, resulting in a loss of tyre pressure.
This can happen quickly or gradually depending on whether you have a slow or rapid puncture.
What is a slow puncture?
A slow puncture is a puncture that releases air from your tyre very slowly.
What causes slow punctures?
Most of the time, slow punctures occur when sharp objects – such as broken glass, nails or other debris – pierce the tyre and cause air to escape.
Slow punctures can also be caused by driving over potholes or hitting kerbs. These external forces can damage the sidewall of the tyre or the wheel rim.
Sometimes, your tyre valve is the culprit for your slow puncture. If the valve cap doesn’t create a sufficiently tight seal or the dust cap is missing, air can escape.
What is the difference between a puncture and a slow puncture?
A standard puncture usually causes a rapid loss of air which can deflate a tyre quickly. A slow puncture causes air to escape gradually over time. For this reason, they may take days or weeks to become obvious.
How do I know if my tyre is punctured?
If you have a tyre puncture, you may:
- Feel your vehicle drift or pull to one side
- Feel a shaking, shuddering or trembling sensation through the steering wheel, particularly when you are driving at higher speeds
- Hear an unusual ticking or gentle hissing noise
- Notice that you have to top up your tyre with air more frequently
- Notice that your suspension, steering and cornering feel different
These issues could also indicate you have
uneven tyre wear or low tyre pressure. As well as other underlying problems with your vehicle, such as poor wheel alignment.
So, it is important to check the condition of your tyres regularly and if you suspect a tyre puncture, you should seek a professional to see if you need a tyre puncture repair.
Is it okay to drive on a punctured tyre?
Depending on the nature of the puncture and the location of you and your vehicle, it may be possible to continue with your journey by either replacing your tyre with your spare, or administering a temporary puncture repair kit.
EV tyres can generally be repaired similarly to traditional tyres, but you should check your owner’s handbook for specific guidelines and considerations. Remember this is only a temporary and not permanent fix for a tyre puncture.
If you experience a puncture while driving, the advice from National Highways is not to change a tyre by the side of the road, especially in the age of Smart motorways (even if you have a space saver). Instead, find a refuge, get out of the vehicle to a safe place behind the barriers and call a breakdown recovery company. They will typically use the equipment in the car or tow you.
Can you fix a punctured tyre yourself?
No. Puncture repair kits are designed to be temporary measures only, until you can seek professional assistance. The substances in home kits do not last, and the tyre will need professional attention anyway, and in the meantime presents a risk to you and other road users.
We recommend that you always call in a professional. They can detect issues including damage to the sidewall and remaining foreign objects.
Puncture repairs to car tyres must only be carried out by a tyre specialist and in accordance with the current British Standard AU159.
Permanent repairs can only be carried out following removal of the tyre from the wheel to allow a thorough inspection internally as well as externally to ensure there is no hidden damage which could result in a catastrophic failure.
What do I do if I have a punctured tyre?
Punctures should always be examined by a tyre professional immediately. Even in the case of slow punctures, which may seem like a small issue, ignoring the puncture can lead to major problems including leaks and tears causing catastrophic tyre failure, loss of vehicle control and tyre related incidents.
Emergency puncture repair kits
If you experience a puncture, you may be able to get moving again using a space saver or an emergency puncture repair kit.
These are only temporary measures, and you should use them to safely take your car to a professional for a proper tyre repair or replacement.
You should not try to repair a tyre puncture on the side of a road. If you cannot pull over somewhere safe to use your puncture repair kit, you should call for emergency breakdown assistance.
Can tyre punctures be repaired?
In some cases, punctures can be repaired.
Repairs should adhere to the recommendations outlined by the British Standard BS AU 159. These safety guidelines define when a repair can safely take place and depend on what caused the puncture, where on the tyre it is, the type of tyre you have and the condition it is in.
Repairs cannot take place if your tyre has:
- A tread depth below the legal limit
- Damage to the rubber such as splits, cuts or cracking
- Damage to the casing
- Damage to the bead
- Damage caused by under or over inflation
- Exposed cords due to tread wear
- Signs of deterioration on the liner
- Previous repairs that are not in line with British standards
- Been contaminated by solvents
Signs of separation between the tread, side wall or belt
Location of the puncture
To stay compliant with the law, tyre repairs can only be carried out on the central ¾ of the tyre. This is because repairs in this area are less likely to affect your tyre’s performance, wear patterns or overall integrity.
This means that if a puncture has caused damage close to or on the tyre sidewall, a repair is not possible, and the tyre and other components may need to be replaced.
Your repair centre will advise you on the best way to get your wheel and tyre back to full working order.
Condition of the tyre
With the exception of the puncture, your tyre should be in good condition to be repaired. It should meet minimum tread requirements and be free of signs of damage, defects and wear.
Did you know that 70.4% of tyres have a tread depth of 2mm or below at the point of replacement? That’s significantly below the recommended minimum!
Run-flat tyres
It can be difficult to tell just by looking if your car’s run-flat tyres are in a deflated condition. This is because run-flat tyres have a reinforced sidewall.
Run flat tyres are designed only to be used for 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph. They contain emergency technology to get you to your destination safely.
Driving on a punctured or deflated run-flat subjects the tyre structure to high stress, which can weaken and permanently damaged it, making the tyre both unsuitable and unsafe to repair.
A fully qualified tyre repairer may struggle to detect under inflation in a run flat, which is why several associations do not recommend repairing a run-flat tyre.
Cause of the puncture
How your tyre was punctured can impact whether or not it can be repaired.
If there is a nail or screw in the tyre, a tyre professional MAY be able to remove the debris and repair the hole.
If your tyre has suffered more severe damage, like large or multiple tears, a repair may not be possible. You should always get your tyre assessed by a tyre professional.
FAQs
The best way to fix a slow puncture will depend on where it is, how severe it is, and what caused it. If a slow puncture can be repaired, it is usually fixed by either repairing the tyre from the inside with a patch or plug, or by replacing a damaged valve. In some cases, you might be able to use a tyre sealant as a temporary solution.
To use a puncture repair kit, start by attaching the sealant bottle to the tyre valve, then use the compressor to inflate the tyre and push the sealant inside. Once inflated, drive a short distance so the sealant can spread and temporarily seal the puncture.
After that, you should take the vehicle to a tyre specialist for a proper repair or replacement.
Fixing a punctured tyre takes around 15-30 minutes if you are using an emergency puncture repair kit. If you need a replacement at a garage, the time will depend on how busy the garage is, but it is usually a quick process.
In some cases, you may be able to drive a short distance with a punctured tyre, but only at low speeds and for the minimum distance needed to reach a garage or safe location. You should avoid driving at higher speeds or for longer than necessary.