CAN RUN-FLAT TYRES BE REPAIRED?

The short answer

A run-flat tyre can sometimes be repaired, but in practice many are replaced. The puncture itself is rarely the issue. A run-flat is built to carry the car on its reinforced sidewalls after it loses pressure, and that is exactly what makes it hard to repair with confidence: once it has been driven on deflated, the sidewall structure may be damaged inside in ways an inspection can't reliably rule out.

What the rules and the manufacturers say

The UK repair standard, BS AU 159, sets the limits for any puncture repair: central tread only, a small hole, and a tyre that is sound inside. For run-flats it defers to the tyre manufacturer's own guidance, and that guidance varies. Some brands allow a single repair if the tyre was never run at very low pressure and passes an internal inspection. Others say their run-flats should never be repaired. Several car makers also advise replacement.

So a responsible fitter asks two questions before anything else: which tyre is it, and how far and how fast was it driven after the warning came on?

When a run-flat might be repairable

• The puncture is in the central tread and is small.
• The pressure warning was caught early and the tyre was not driven on at zero or very low pressure.
• The inside of the tyre shows no scuffing, creasing or rubber dust on inspection.
• The tyre manufacturer permits repair for that model.

When it has to be replaced

• It has been driven on flat for any real distance. Most run-flats are rated for roughly 50 miles at up to 50 mph with no pressure, and using that range is what uses up the tyre. Check your handbook for the exact figures.
• You don't know how long it was run soft.
• The damage is in the sidewall or shoulder.
• The manufacturer says no repairs for that tyre.

How to tell if you have run-flats

Look at the sidewall. Each brand uses its own marking: RFT, ROF, SSR, ZP, EMT, RSC or MOE are the common ones. Another clue is that the car has no spare wheel and no repair kit, only a tyre pressure warning system.

Can I swap run-flats for normal tyres?

In most cases you can, but think it through first:

• You lose the ability to keep driving after a puncture, and the car probably has no spare. Carry a repair kit or a space-saver if one is available for your car.
• Don't mix run-flat and standard tyres on the same axle. Changing all four is the tidy way to do it.
• Tell your insurer, and check your lease or finance terms if the car isn't yours outright.

What we do at your door

We take the tyre off the wheel and inspect it properly. If it is repairable within the standard and the maker's guidance, we repair it. If it is not, you get a straight answer and a like-for-like run-flat replacement fitted in the same visit where we have the size, or as soon as it can be sourced.