Guys - I got a flat tonight in my right rear runflat (Bridgestone 245/40/18). I hit a really bad pothole on the highway coming home from Atlantic City. I went to the nearest gas station, filled it up and drove off. 2 minutes later, the sensor went off again. I made it home no problem, but the tire clearly has no pressure in it.

What's the deal with run flats? Can they be repaired or am I going to find myself buying a new tire tomorrow morning? If it's a nail, is it repairable? I know if it's the sidewall, I'm screwed, but the outside looks fine.

For some reason, my mechanic told me during my last visit that with runflats on a new car, it's best to go back to the dealer where I bought it and see if they can fix or replace it. However, I'm pretty sure these tires are not under warranty and that my BMW dealer won't do jack.

Any suggestions or advice?

Thanks!

 

You can repair a runflat just like a regular tire, however if there is no apparent tire damage that you can find it might be a cracked rim. Some of us have had that problem.

 

Yeah, I'm afraid of that too. Good news is, my wife curb rashed this wheel and I've been going back and forth about ordering a new one. This might be my opportunity.

 

Uh......congrats then? LOL......

 

hahahaha! I know. It kind of worked out. Only thing that sucks is how long I'll have to wait for the new wheel now.

 

Manufactureres recommend runflats are not repaired becaue it is difficult to asses sidewall damage caused by running when flat.

You may well find a tyre shop who will repair it despite this, but if the repair should fail and an accident ensue your insurance company might consider your repair of the runflats against manufacturer recommendations and refuse to pay out.

 

I agree it's bad practice to repair runflats.

This all sounds, however, like a percentages game involving a driver saving money.

It would have to be a heavily forensically investigated accident (percentages again) to detect that an RFT had been repaired.

There are those on this board (and elsewhere)who have had (insurance undeclared) engine remaps undertaken who are just as likely to invalidate their insurance in such a heavily investigated accident.

Also, I wonder how many (in the UK) have changed their wheel rims and not declared it to the insurers?

ABC

 

I had a nail in one of my RFT last week. I called America's Tire, they told me due to the policy with Bridgestone, they won't repair RFT.

I simply went to a small auto shop, they fixed my tire in few minutes.

 

There are shops which will "fix" bent car frames (chassis) too. It's not down to what can be done - it's whether you want to play the percentages game to make a "saving"

ABC

 

I'd say that if the puncture is caused by nail in the tread, it is OK to repair it if the tyre is not driven for any distance when under-inflated. But if it is driven with more than just a few PSI lost, or the damage is sidewall, then unfortunately a new, expensive, tyre will be needed. With all the aggro & delays this entails.