Should you repair or replace leaky tire?

Nothing deflates a driver’s spirits like coming out to their ride for the morning commute to find a flat (or extremely low) tire.

And consumers are shocked on a regular basis when they’re told their tire will have to be replaced, rather than repaired.

There are some ways to know which scenario — repair or replace — you might be faced with when you have a flat tire.

The only proper way to repair most passenger or light-truck tire punctures is with a permanent plug or patch.

These are small, round rubber patches with a reinforced rubber stem protruding from the centre.

The stem is inserted from the inside of the tire after the inner surface is prepared with some abrasive buffing.

The rope-type plugs inserted from the outside with a tool that looks like an oversized crochet hook won’t cut it, and should never be used.

They won’t reinforce the area around the puncture, and will risk another leak, tread or belt failure, or a blow out.

If your tire shop suggests this, it’s time to find another service centre.

Moving your car any distance risks rendering the tire unusable.

When the side walls are collapsed, the vehicle’s weight on those rubber folds will shred material off the inner surfaces, causing the tire to bulge when re-inflated.

If you have a pump or a portable air compressor, try inflating the tire to see if the leak is slow enough to let you get to a tire shop.

If not, you’ll have to put on your spare tire — if your vehicle has one — or call a roadside-assistance provider.

When using a hand pump, jacking up your car will make refilling the tire much easier.

With air in the tire, listen for the telltale hiss of a puncture. Try to locate the leak by running your hand near the suspected area, or as most technicians do, use a spray bottle filled with soapy water to confirm a leak’s position.

If the puncture is in the tread face close to the edge or on a side wall, it won’t be reparable and you’ll need to replace the tire.

But if the puncture is away from the edge, you can mark the spot with a grease pen to simplify your technician’s search.

If your ride doesn’t have a spare tire and you use an aerosol sealant for a temporary repair, let the shop know this before they try to break the tire off the rim.

This stuff will spray all over when the bead seal is broken, so you won’t make any friends if you forget to mention this.