Tyres are susceptible to damage both from glass, metal or rock debris on the road as well as impacts with curbs, potholes and bumps. In the event of a punctured tyre, there’s no need to panic, just contact your local Donnellans team and we can inspect the tyre and perform the necessary repairs.
Most punctures to the centre section of the tyre tread can be repaired with minimum fuss, while damage to the sidewall and the shoulders of the tyre should not be repaired, as those parts of the tyre are under far more stress.
While a sidewall or shoulder repair can be performed in an emergency situation, it’s very unlikely to be a reliable, long term solution.
Even the most careful drivers can get a punctured tyre, it’s nothing to be ashamed or worried about, but it’s worth dealing with it as soon as possible, as under inflated tyres are the leading cause of tyre blowouts.
What to do if you get a punctured tyre.
If you notice one of your tyres has a slow leak and changing out your spare is not an option, you can drive it slowly to the nearest fuel station if it’s nearby, keeping off highways and high speed roads and refill your tyre back up to normal pressures.
Typically in the greater Melbourne area, you’re never more than a few hundred metres away from a fuel station at any given time, which is an acceptable distance.
After the tyre is either swapped out or inflated back up to the pressures recommended by your tyre placard (often found in your driver’s door jamb or owner’s manual), bring your vehicle into Donnellans to get the issue resolved properly.
We will inspect the tyre and either repair the tyre, or source and fit a replacement tyre.
What types of tyre damage can be repaired?
Generally, punctures to the centre section of the tyre tread can be resolved without any issues.
Scrapes to the tyre sidewall look unsightly, but generally don’t affect the integrity of the tyre unless you can see a missing chunk or cuts in the tyre.
Many tyres have a portion of sidewall designed to help prevent wheel damage, any damage to the rim protector strips is cosmetic and does not affect the safety of the tyre.
A proper puncture repair involves removing the tyre from the wheel and inspecting the inside of the tyre for extra damage. While we have your tyre unmounted from the wheel we will clean and prepare the inside of the tyre for a patch to be installed.
This type of repair is very durable and will often outlast the rest of the tyre, giving you absolute peace of mind.
Use the contact form on this page to enquire about a tyre repair, or call your nearest store to talk to our team about a tyre inspection and leak test.
Tyres that are completely flat are unsafe to drive on, and you should change out the tyre for your spare.
