Tire Services

Flat Tire Repair

Bring us a flat and we will find out why. Where the damage can be repaired safely, we will repair it. Where it cannot, we will tell you straight.

  • 30 min typical
  • At every branch
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What is flat tire repair?

Most flats come from something sharp picked up off the road, and a good number of them can be repaired and put back into service for years.

A proper repair is not a plug pushed in from the outside at the roadside. We take the tire off the wheel and inspect it from the inside, because that is the only way to see whether the casing has been damaged by running on it flat. Where the puncture qualifies, we fit a combined patch-plug that seals the hole and the inner liner together.

There are punctures that cannot be repaired safely. We would rather lose the sale than send you out on a tire that might fail at speed.

What we do

  • Locate the leak, including slow leaks that need submerging to find
  • Dismount the tire so the inside can be inspected
  • Check the casing for damage from running underinflated
  • Assess whether the puncture is in the repairable tread area
  • Fit a combined patch-plug from the inside where the damage allows
  • Re-balance the wheel
  • Reinflate to the correct pressure and refit
  • Explain the options if the tire cannot be repaired

When do you need this service?

  • You have picked up a nail or screw
  • One tire keeps going down over a few days
  • The pressure warning light is on for a single tire
  • You have used a spare or a repair kit and need a permanent fix
  • A tire looks visibly softer than the others

How it works

  1. Find the leak We locate the puncture, including slow leaks.
  2. Dismount The tire comes off the wheel for a proper look inside.
  3. Assess We check the position of the damage and the state of the casing.
  4. Repair A patch-plug is fitted from the inside where the damage qualifies.
  5. Balance The wheel is re-balanced after the repair.
  6. Refit Pressure is set, the wheel is torqued to spec and rechecked.

Important information

Not every tire can be repaired, and this matters for your safety. We cannot safely repair punctures in the sidewall or shoulder, punctures larger than about a quarter of an inch, damage where a previous repair overlaps, or a tire whose inner liner has been chewed up by being driven on flat. In those cases the tire needs replacing. Industry repair standards exist for a reason and we follow them - a repaired sidewall can fail without warning at speed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a flat repair cost?

The inspection is free. If the tire can be repaired we will quote you before we start any work.

Can every puncture be repaired?

No. Punctures in the tread area under about a quarter inch can usually be repaired. Sidewall and shoulder damage cannot be repaired safely, and neither can a tire that has been driven on while flat. We will show you the damage and explain.

Is a repaired tire as good as a new one?

A correctly fitted patch-plug in the tread area is a permanent repair and the tire can run out its normal life. It is not a temporary measure.

I used a can of sealant. Can you still repair it?

Usually yes, though it makes more work - the sealant has to be cleaned out before we can inspect and patch properly. Tell us at check-in so we can allow the time.

How long will it take?

About 30 minutes in most cases.

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Ready to get your vehicle back on the road?

Book a slot at your local branch and we will have you sorted.

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