Repair or Replace? When Can a Tire be Repaired?

Owning a car has a lot of benefits, but on the other hand, for the vehicle owner, it is important to carry out regular maintenance on the vehicle. Maybe in the past, you had a flat tire, took it to a repair shop to have it fixed, and been told that it needed to be replaced. What makes tires repairable? There is a specific area of the tire where a repair is possible. That area is on the tread face of the tire, between the outermost circumferential grooves. Also, puncture repairs are limited to holes of 1/4 or less in diameter. Also, cuts are not repairable if they are deep enough to have cut into one of the steel belts inside of the tire.

Generally said, the tire is repairable if:

It is punctured by a small object. Small objects can generate small holes on the tire which leads to a slow puncture. Despite small holes do not necessarily mean severe damage, they must be fixed immediately. –  The puncture is less than 5 mm in diameter. As it is actually tiny, the puncture can easily be patched and sealed. Soon enough, the vehicle will be back on the road. – The puncture occurred in the central portion of the tread. It is generally a rule of thumb that if punctures happen in between the tire’s shoulders, it can be fixed.

And, of course, the tire is not repairable if:

The puncture is huge and deep. In that case, tires will never function correctly, so they should be replaced. – There is internal damage to the tire. When the puncture is too deep, it is likely that the tire could also be damaged on the inside. This can influence the tire’s function and risk the car’s safety in general. – The tire’s sidewalls are punctured. The sidewalls can’t be repaired as the tread area. The sidewall is important for the performance and structure of the tire. Any damage to this part is a red flag and a replacement would be required.

Need a tire change or tire repair? Contact our experts and make it happen!

Also, read:

4 Symptoms of Unbalanced Tires in Your Car

Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires

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