Did a search on run flats...lots of conversation, but couldn't find an answer to this question, so...

I picked up a nail sometime today:


The flat tire monitor light is not on and the tire appears inflated. I never got around to buying a pressure guage so I can't verify the pressures are unchanged.

Can you get a run flat patched? Seems these are too expensive to require a new tire everytime I run over a nail.

Anyone out there patch a run flat?

 

Yes you can repair a run flat tire. But in your case, I say no b/c the puncture is right on the shoulder .

 

It's close to the shoulder, but not really on it...it's on the flat part that hits the road. But I get your point that's it is pretty close to the shoulder and could potentially compromise the integrity of the run flat component of the tire.

 

I'd patch it, but I'm not you.

 

50% tire shops will say you can patch it and will do it, but then 50% shops states you can patch them and they wont do it for you.

 

It looks like it's too close to the sidewall to patch. I had one in almost exactly the same place and it could not be patched. However, if you have low miles on the car, you may be able to get it replaced for free under the tire manufacturer's warranty that ALL new Minis come with. My 2007 MCS came with the Goodyear Excellence tires and Goodyear replaced it for free with 1500 miles on it. I took it to Discount Tire and they made the arrangements with Goodyear.

 

Interesting. I have a few more miles though...I'm at 4550. I'll call around tomorrow and see what I can find out.

Thanks for all the input.

 

The word I had from a guy a Discount Tire is that it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer what they're allowed to do.

If it's a Dunlop, and it's in the repairable part of the tire (on the belt) they should be able do it. I had both my rear tires plugged yesterday as a matter of fact.

But the guy said Pirelli won't let them do it.

 

I had a nail in the same place. Plugged it and still holding after 2k miles. I also drove 50 miles on the flat to the pepboys I got the kit from. I love run flats

 

I had the Pir' EUFORI on my 02 patched/plugged several times b4 I replaced 'em.

BTW - I got an e-mail from the makers of DYNAPLUG
http://www.dynaplug.com/
saying that their tool can now be found at Harbor Freight!

And a quick google search shows the HF site as the first hit for DYNAPLUG so I guess that confirms it.

I highly recommend this plug tool and a small compressor over 'slime' as there's no mess to clean up inside the tire and on the wheel.....

 

Your nail looks to be just on the edge of repairable.

 

This is exactly the reason that I didnt get a r56S instead of the the straight MINI R56 that I have how ( which I am more than pleased with. BTY) It ridicules that those runflats were ever designed into the car. I am glad that I have my DONUT spare to get me home. They are a ripoff.

 

thank you for telling us about dynaplug! its something ive needed for months now. i have had a little nail in my dunlop rf and it doesnt leak but ive been driving on it. iam getting the dynaplug now and i will pull that nail out to see how far in it is as soon as it gets here.

 

I have the Goodyear tires on my 2007 MC as well. What is the warranty they quoted you on it? I assume there is some kind of road hazard? I'm guessing there is mileage / wear prorate on it?

 

The dealership should replace it no problem assuming you got the tire package.. I did..it's paid for itself almost..and the runflat works just fine! if there's a puncture of any kind, they replace the whole tire!

 

Well, yes, I can, (and I have, many times, without any failures) and so can you.

 

Discount Tire took care of it with Goodyear, so I'm not exactly what part of the warranty applied. This was NOT the dealer's rip-you-off tire warranty that they wanted $750 for, I didn't buy that. It was just the standard new car tire warranty that's included with the car.

 

An update on the tire front...

I took the car to the Goodyear dealer today (because they're Dunlop tires). They agreed with all of you that run-flats can be patched (not plugged--that's different, and not a good idea) if the puncture is in the right place. Turns out the nail wasn't deep enough to even puncture the tire. The tire had no leak (guess that's why the flat tire monitor light never went on). I've driven all day on the tire sans nail without any problems. It seems the integrity of the tire was preserved.

One glitch in the overall experience...turns out NO ONE had my tire...not the Mini dealer, not Goodyear. Mini claimed the tire was new this year and not yet available for them to order, that they have just started seeing it on the newest deliveries. Goodyear said they couldn't order it, no warehouse locally had it, and it was discontinued. Hard to know who to believe. Luckily, I didn't need a new tire, but what if I had???? I think if Mini put out-of-production tires on my brand new car, they should replace them all. They insist the Goodyear guys are nuts...I guess I'll find out in the future when it comes time for a replacement.

 

And by the way...

According to the Dunlop warranty information I was able to find, punctures are not covered. I would have had to pay to replace the tire, regardless of its level of wear, etc. Road hazards, in particular, are not covered...

 

In our experience, 'some' tire shops will patch runflat tires provided it exceeds a certain minimum tread depth - assuming of course the puncture is on the tread and away from the sidewall. Some shops refuse any repairs on runflats...

Your experiences may vary.

 

Regarding mushroom plug repairs near the shoulder of a tire (non-runflat), check out my plug.... which seems to holding up perfectly. CLICKY

 

I've never had a plugged tire fail. (but I don't do track days)
Been plugging nail holes frequently for over 20 years.

 

Which Dunnie did your car come with?
My early production (12/06) R56 came with Excellence ROF's and my later production (6/07) came with DSST-01 ROF's. The Excellence tires were much better.
I picked up a nail in the DSST's and plugged it; it held until I put on my winter non-rof tires. I also now have a separate set of wheels and tires for summer.

The reason that manufacturers don't advise repairing a rof tire is that they are rated for only 50 miles on zero pressure. If your car picks up a nail and slowly loses air, the old pressure monitors don't alert you --- you could easily drive on that tire for quite some time before you realize it. After a few miles of zero pressure, the heat that builds up will begin to degrade the tires integrity and it might delaminate.
I'd rather just have real tires and carry a good repair kit (or two). I've never shredded a car tire so bad that I couldn't get myself to help; if I do, I have AAA.
With real tires your car will stick to the road better, brake better, be more comfortable, and be quieter.

 

I reluctantly stir the pot here

Do no confuse a manufacturer's warranty against defects

No tire maker is going to warrant their tire against punctures....but many tire retailers will sell you an insurance policy against that very thing. Insurance to cover road hazards is not warranty coverage.

With a 'road hazard' policy that you may get from many sources, including now....MINI dealers...you can get new tires following everyday 'crap'. Never ones to miss a $ making opportunity they R now willing to suck your $ for a road hazard insurance policy.

A road haz' warranty may replace your tire while a manuf' warranty may say "don't patch" which is alternate wording for : we don't replace a patched tire under warranty cuz that ain't a defect.....

Secondly, a run flat is as patch/plugable as any other (comparable) tire. And, if you run any tire, deflated, it trashes the side wall and the tire should not be repaired. For a "normal" tire, running it a mile (or less) deflated makes the damage obvious. Running a run flat 30 miles with zero air pressure may not be noticable, but is that where the '50 mile' limit comes from? ....any store can be leary of repairing any runflat for this reason.

Several years ago I had a blow out and the tire was run too long, flat. They saw the trashed sidewall. I asked the tire store to put a tube in it so I could use it as a spare just until I bought a new set all around. They were VERY reluctant to do so..... Someone watches this? I dunno.... They said this tire was NOT repairable.

But a run flat that has a nail in it, but has not lost significant pressure, & has not been "run on the RF side wall" has not had the sidewall damaged and there is NO reason why it can't be patched/plugged....other than worry or lawyers.... THEY WONDER: "how long did this yahoo drive on this flat run flat? 1 Mile or 75?" What is the cautious path?

{btw, I've used DynaPlug closer to the sidewall that the tire stores can/would do, and run the tires for another 20k}

 

Just had my first warning on my 2002 MC, 25,000 miles in (Dunlops). Had a huge lag bolt through the bottom, and driving it to the tire store caused the tire to crack clean through about half way around (but it got me there!). Will be replacing all four tires because of brittleness, but currently have non-runflat loaner. Tire warning light still flashing.

Will it stop flashing when that one (and the others) are replaced with new runflats? Do I have to take it to the dealer to have the light turned off?