When Can You Plug a Flat Tire?

Jan 3, 2018

It’s happened to all of us. We drive to the store and come out five minutes later to discover a flat tire. Hopefully, you’ve got your spare, but will you need an expensive new tire? Delve into these occasions when you can repair the tire with a plug and be on your way.

When Can You Plug a Flat Tire?

For the best chance of a using a plug, never drive on the flat. You don’t want to damage the sidewall. Make sure your tires are in decent shape, with at least 30 percent tread life remaining. The puncture must be in the tread and less than a quarter of an inch in diameter. Don’t attempt to plug the sidewall. It’s much weaker than the tread and may not hold.

The Perks

The advantage of patching a leaky tire is that, if you’re handy around the garage, you can plug the tire yourself. There are many different tire patch kits sold at automotive stores and an abundance of how-to videos online. Fixing the flat yourself could save you hundreds over purchasing a new tire.

The Drawbacks

If you’re not confident plugging your tire, you should hire an automotive professional. If you don’t install the plug right, your tire could leak, or the plug might work loose. Having a blow-out on the highway could be dangerous.

Different types of flats call for different repair methods, but using a tire plug may prevent you from plunking down big money for a brand-new tire.