Run Flat Tyres - Can they be repaired

nheather

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Really miffed.

Picked up a new BMW on 16th Dec. On 19th December, basically having only driven it 15 miles back from the dealer I took it out and got a tyre monitoring alert. Checked them and the rear offside was slightly low - filled it, reset the alert and didn't think any more off it.

Haven't used it much since because work commute has been by train and car use has been quick jaunts to the local shops with the wife so have gone in her car.

Went to use it again this weekend and same thing, tyre monitoring alert, real offside down about 0.3 bar. Only done about 90 miles in total - topped it up again but this time got my wife to inch it forward while I looked at the tread.

There is a nail in the centre area of the tread.

Feeling really unlucky - 16 years of company car use, 20k miles per year, never a puncture. As soon as I get my own car, a puncture within the first two days of ownership - in fact it may have even been there before I drove it off the forecourt but can't prove that.

Anyway a new tyre will cost around £200, not a huge deal, but miffed because the tyre is practically brand new.

I am going to ask at the tyre dealers but sceptical whether they would admit if it could be repaired.

So what I have is one small nail in the centre of the tread pattern. The tyre has not deflated at any time, has lost a little air (about 0.3 bar - down from 2.2 to 1.9) and topped up each time the alert has been triggered. Not even noticeably flat to the eye. So there should be no rim or sidewall damage. Have you had similar - can it be repaired?

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Really miffed.

Picked up a new BMW on 16th Dec. On 19th December, basically having only driven it 15 miles back from the dealer I took it out and got a tyre monitoring alert. Checked them and the rear offside was slightly low - filled it, reset the alert and didn't think any more off it.

Haven't used it much since because work commute has been by train and car use has been quick jaunts to the local shops with the wife so have gone in her car.

Went to use it again this weekend and same thing, tyre monitoring alert, real offside down about 0.3 bar. Only done about 90 miles in total - topped it up again but this time got my wife to inch it forward while I looked at the tread.

There is a nail in the centre area of the tread.

Feeling really unlucky - 16 years of company car use, 20k miles per year, never a puncture. As soon as I get my own car, a puncture within the first two days of ownership - in fact it may have even been there before I drove it off the forecourt but can't prove that.

Anyway a new tyre will cost around £200, not a huge deal, but miffed because the tyre is practically brand new.

I am going to ask at the tyre dealers but sceptical whether they would admit if it could be repaired.

So what I have is one small nail in the centre of the tread pattern. The tyre has not deflated at any time, has lost a little air (about 0.3 bar - down from 2.2 to 1.9) and topped up each time the alert has been triggered. Not even noticeably flat to the eye. So there should be no rim or sidewall damage. Have you had similar - can it be repaired?

Cheers,

Nigel

The main reason for not repairing a runflat is that if it's been driven very far or very fast at zero/low pressure the sidewall will have overheated and suffered damage.

PROVIDED you haven't driven on a deflated runflat it can be safely repaired in exactly the same way as any other tyre.

ATS quoted me £15.00 for a repair last time on a non-run flat.
 
Yes they can but some won't, I had a rear runflat repaired for £10 yesterday on our 5 series. If your safe in the knowledge that the tyre hasn't been run deflated its safe to repair.
Mine was similar, usually run 2.4bar rear and car flagged up at 2.1bar. Filled it up and it lost 0.3bar over night.

This was mine, thought typical as well as the car goes back in 3 weeks. Luckily got it repaired and saved having to buy a new tyre at £150
 

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Some manufacturers say they can be repaired, others say they cannot, probably worth checking the website of the manufacturer, I know I've seen a poster in a tyre shop before that had a paragraph for major manufacturers on the subject.

If you are prepared to change all 4 the car will ride better on non run flats anyway - the run flats have very stiff sidewalls to support the weight should it deflate, this has a negative effect on ride quality.
 
I've had runflats repaired a couple of times, as previous posters say, if it's in the middle and car has never been driven with the tyre deflated, then you should be OK. Might be better going to a local tyre bloke rather than a chain but don't take no for an answer.
 
Great - thanks for all the advice.

Mine has never gone flat - in fact never lost more than 0.3 bar.

I will enquire tomorrow but wanted to go armed because the cynic in me can hear them thinking "Now should I tell him it can be repaired for £10 or should I sell him a new tyre for £200"

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Just tried the three main tyre companies local to me and they all have a "we don't repair run-flats" policy. Not even interested in the circumstances

ATS - "we don't repair run flat" - no explanation.

National - "we don't repair run flats, the plugs we have are specific for normal tyres and won't work on run flats because they are made from a different material"

Elite Garages - "we don't repair run flats because we don't have an X-Ray machine to see the extent of the damage"

Broadbridge Heath Garages (a smaller independent) - ""we don't repair run flats" - no explanation

Any idea who I should try? I guess small independents but not sure how to go about locating them.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
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Had no end of trouble getting a run flat repaired. Manufacturer said it was fixable but I couldn't find anyone who would do it.
Check the manufacturers websites and print the advice, then ring around until you find someone who knows what they're doing and will fix it.
If you've got a spare then I would drive it in on that to reduce the chance of the "you've driven on it so it's ruined" argument or just bring the wheel in another car.
I was so miffed at having to pay for a whole new tyre when it had a puncture that could have been and would have been repaired on a regular tyre that I swapped runflats for regular tyres asap. As above the ride and handling are substantially better. I carry a can of tyre weld as the Mini has no room for any kind of spare.
I genuinely don't see the logic of RF tyres when using them as described renders them useless in the time it takes to go to a tyre fitter :(
 
Tend to agree with you on run flats - not seeing the point myself.

Normally, if I had a puncture it would be a fair way through the life so I wouldn't even contemplate a repair. But this one is practically brand new so it is rather annoying.

The normal scenario is that I replace tyres because they are worn and do both at the same time. When that happens I'm certainly thinking of going with traditional tyres.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Where are you located? I can point you in the direction of at least 3 places I know that will repair run flats in Leicester.

Just seen your in sussex so not much use. Google tyre repair near you and start ringing around, you'll find someone.
 
Hi.
Try event tyres and etyres.

Had mine done by them previously .
Nb though event tyres have been taken over by the aa so may not do them anymore.
Failing that try other mobile fitters near you
 
Tend to agree with you on run flats - not seeing the point myself.

Normally, if I had a puncture it would be a fair way through the life so I wouldn't even contemplate a repair. But this one is practically brand new so it is rather annoying.

The normal scenario is that I replace tyres because they are worn and do both at the same time. When that happens I'm certainly thinking of going with traditional tyres.

Cheers,

Nigel
Again this is not as simple as it should be. I tried a couple of fitters who claimed it wasn't possible but couldn't explain why :confused:.
In the end I ordered from Black Circles. I then got an email from them telling me I'd chosen the wrong tyres, followed by a voicemail saying the same thing.
I had to reply to agree that I knew what I was doing before they'd process the order - I can half see the logic in this if someone inadvertently ordered non-RF for a RF car and didn't know the difference it would waste everyones time and energy.
BC processed the order then the fitting place rang me and said they would do it but wanted to do all 4 tyres or "it wouldn't be safe" :rolleyes: and it would "invalidate my insurance" :devil:
Spoke to Aviva who agreed as long as the new tyres were the same size and load speed rating as the old RF it would be fine and added a note to the account to indicate I'd told them what I was doing and they'd agreed it wasn't a "modification". Rang the fitters and told them they could do the two worn tyres or nothing at all - at which point it became "safe" as I was doing the front pair on a FWD car :rolleyes:
A complete pa larva.

The only defence I have seen for fitting these was a pal of mine who ran over some metal on the motorway at 70mph. There was a bit of a bump and the tyre pressure warning light went on. He got off at the next junction and saw a fairly substantial rip through the centre of the tyre. He decided it wasn't wise to carry on and got the RAC to recover the car to a fitters and had it replaced. A non RF would have been a lot more dramatic.
 
A run flat is safer then a normal tyre. The reason they don't like to repair them is liability. It doesn't take long to wreck a non run flat with zero pressure and the damage is easily seen.
A run flat wouldn't show the same damage but may have been compromised if driven on flat, if you were to go get a repair then a couple miles later have a side wall blow out who's the first person your going to blame. Some tyre fitters just don't want the hassle so say no you can't repair them.
 
Puncture caused by car key on motorway at 70mph. Non runflat tyre is trashed, alloy needed refurb.


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Found some local independents that will do the repair. Getting it done tomorrow or Thursday. If it is successful I'll post the company here for info should other need a similar service.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
I genuinely don't see the logic of RF tyres when using them as described renders
I suppose it depends why you have them fitted. If the car has dove for a spare of any size then the run flats aren’t worth it IMO. If no space at all then it may still be a toss up between RF and non with tyre weld.....

Presumably if no space and RF from maker the ‘encouragement’ would be that you ‘must’ fit RF?
 
That's the Mini dilema in a nutshell. No room for a spare. However after writing off a tyre with 1000's of miles of wear left because of a puncture that could be repaired in a regular tyre I switched and added a can of Tyreweld. The punctured tyre had only dropped about 7psi.
I have GreenFlag full recovery anyway and we rarely go far in this car.
I've also read horror stories about tyre fitters refusing to deal with Tyreweld but as it just washes out with water I'll be arguing that case if it ever happens :eek: :)
 
I seem to remember tyre weld originally was a more difficult beast and many moons ago it caused hassles. I believe it has been refined to specifically be washed out and not damage the tyre material but historical and urban myths remain in the tyre fitting world.

Or it still does ruin the tyre but I can’t see the makers continuing to sell the stuff to a savvy public with choices :)
 
If we went back to solid rubber tyres, we wouldn't need to worry about punctures.
 
Pretty much all new BMW's don't come with the space for a spare wheel. You can choose to purchase a spare wheel kit for around £300 but it sits in the boot. You can now normally spec run flats or not and if you don't then you get the tyre weld.
The skoda order we cancelled came with normal tyres and tyre weld but again you could spec a spare wheel for around £100 that sits under the boot floor.
The Qashqai was the same but as it has the bose sound system theres no space for a spare wheel as the bose subwoofer goes in its place.
 
I’ve got run flats and staggered wheels and no one stocks the tyres not even BMW[emoji15]. If I get a puncture in one tyre, I would have to replace both tyres on the same axle as it can cause gearbox problems if the wheel circumference is materially different.
I ended up getting a tyre fixing kit and a compressor from Amazon, just in case I had a puncture on a long trip. Can’t use tyre weld etc as it knackers up the sensors in the wheel.
 
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I had a puncture in a runflat on my BMW X3. It was a screw that I had noticed before the tyre actually deflated. The car was new and done around 400 miles so I was pretty annoyed. I went to SAVA Tyres (Scotland) and after I assured the guy that it had not been run deflated he went ahead with the repair. It depends on where the puncture is though, some they will not do due to position on the tyre. For those who are not aware if you have an AWD car like a BMW X drive and you trash a tyre that is part worn by over 2mm then you will need to replace all 4 tyres or risk wrecking the gearbox and/or drive train. The difference in circumference will switch the car into permanent 4WD which the car is not designed to do.
 
I knew I shouldn’t have posted on this thread [emoji849]. Had a puncture on Saturday, run flat got me home ok but have to wait until Tuesday for new tyres. They all need replacing so nit worth trying to find someone to repair it.
 

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