#Hopefully no drivers

Spare tires simply do not handle as well as full-sized tires.

Avoid quick maneuvers and cornering too fast wherever possible.

The smaller size of some spare tires makes driving at faster speeds hazardous.

Limit vehicle speed to 50 miles per hour when using the spare.

If you are purchasing a new vehicle, ask whether it comes with a spare tire or, if not, whether you can purchase a spare suited to your vehicle.

Do not assume your vehicle includes a spare tire.

#Hopefully no drivers

What should drivers know about maintaining temporary tires? Spare tire guidelines: Spare tire replacement is recommended whenever they show signs of wear such as cracking, sidewall damage (bubbles), and worn tread. Yet, using temporary tires properly and keeping them pressurized ensure that they can be kept for years. The places spare tires are stored-such as trunks, outside and under the vehicle-expose them to heat and weather. They aren’t steel-belted, and they don’t have the same durability and speed capability of a regular tire. Drivers should check pressure on all tires-including the spare-about once a month, tire experts say.Ĭonsider: Temporary tires aren’t built as ruggedly as the standard tires. They are sometimes stored under vehicles, in the trunk or somewhere else exposed to the elements.Īs a result, they need to be properly maintained so they are ready when you need them. Most drivers never check their spare tires for proper inflation.Įxposure to elements also creates potential problems for spare tires. Spare tires also get neglected, according to the US Tire Manufacturers Association. A study conducted by AAA discovered tire-inflator kits cannot provide a temporary fix for tire-related problems such as sidewall damage or blowouts. Lacking a spare can put families in aggravating situations, Nielsen says.įurther, some automakers are including tire-inflator kits that can temporarily repair small punctures in flat tires. “The relatively routine process of changing a tire at the roadside has turned into an inconvenient and costly situation that requires a tow to a repair facility,” says John Nielsen, managing director of AAA Automotive Engineering and Repair. That presents problems for families planning a road trip. Yet, all of the problems and precautions needed for your regular tires also apply to spare tires.Ĭonsider: Your spare tire has one job to do that is, it allows you to get to a service station when you’ve had a tire problem.Īccording to a AAA study, almost one-third of vehicles no longer come with a spare tire. Does your spare tire show signs of age–lack of air cracks and thin tread? Take a look before your next road trip.Ī spare tire, also known as a “temporary tire,” is out of sight and easy to forget.