Your Next Car Might Not Come With A Spare Tyre. How Will You Fix A Puncture Then?

The Ministry of Road Transport And Highway (MoRTH) recently issued a notice stating that passenger vehicles don’t need to have spare tyres provided they come fitted with a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). There are certain conditions that need to be met, which you can read more about in this report on CarDekho, our sister channel. 

No Spare Tyre! How Do I Fix A Puncture?

Don’t panic if you end up having a puncture. A tyre sealant kit will be present under the boot floor instead of a spare tyre. Using a tyre sealant kit is much easier than replacing a punctured tyre with a spare one, provided you read the instructions properly. 

Let Us Explain

“During an incident of tyre puncture (tubeless tyre), with the use of a repair kit, the sealant poured into the tyre along with the air seals the punctured spot in the tyre tread.” states MoRTH.

The tyre sealant kit consists of a plug-in air compressor, which draws power from your car’s charging socket, warning stickers and a tyre sealant liquid. From now on, you need to listen to these steps carefully, so stick around for a bit. 

• First, locate the puncture and assess the damage to the tyre. If extensive, do not use the tyre sealant and call for roadside assistance. 

• After locating the puncture, move the vehicle to ensure that the point of puncture is positioned in the top half. Also ensure the air valve is on the top half to stabilize the sealant.

• Insert the tyre sealant bottle to the valve and insert the other side of the sealant to the tube on the compressor. 

• Plug the compressor in the car, start the car and voila, it starts filling up air. This process could take as long as ten minutes. 

• Once a sufficient amount is filled in, switch off the compressor and check if it has obtained the optimum pressure. 

• If yes, you’re good to go. If it hasn’t or if it’s dropping pressure, you need to call up roadside assistance for help. 

So now you know how to use a tyre sealant kit. But...

… A Disadvantage 

And a big one at that. If you don’t know how to use a tyre sealant kit or if you’re out of sealant or if the compressor decides to act up one fine day, it’s equivalent to getting stranded on the road. You’ll also be stranded if your puncture is a big one. And your only choice is to crawl to the nearest puncture wallah or call up roadside assistance. 

You’ll also need to drive your car slower than your regular pace. And once you reach your destination, your tyre does eventually need to be fixed. So it’s as good as replacing the punctured tyre with a spare one. 

What Will Happen To That Empty Space Below The Boot Floor?

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Generally, most manufacturers could use this space for battery packs in electric or hybrid vehicles. Most luxury cars have their subwoofers placed here for better sound effect. In most mass-market cars it is used as a giant cubbyhole to store some knick knacks beneath the boot floor. This will also make way for a false boot floor arrangement where you can adjust the boot floor for more room. 

What Do We Think? 

Using a tyre sealant kit is much easier than replacing a spare tyre. This move from the government could also increase the sale of run-flat tyres as these can be used for around 80km even with a loss of all inflation pressure at a limited speed. And since there isn’t any spare tyre in the boot, you’re getting more storage as well. All in all, a practical solution.