[BOXOUTBM]

I got a flat tire yesterday while trying to rush home to make a dinner appointment. Luckily I was not driving, as the tire was flat when I got to my car. Huge metal spike in between the tread. Well I changed it, Did not have the time to wait for Roadside assistance. Nothing better than changing a tire in a Parking garage in a newly cleaned and pressed suit .

Well my question is how fast can you drive on a spare tire. I looked in the manual and all it says is how many miles you can dirve with one on (approximately 3,000.00) . Because I could not find it I jumped on the 110 Freeway and drove 65 all the way home scared to death that the spare tire will fly off my car. Luckily I got home safely and now have an appointment to replace the tire on Saturday (took a secondary car to work today). Does anyone know the answer to this question, or is it in the manual and I somehow didn't see it during my rush to get home.

 

[melgish]

I dunno... maybe low-rolling-resistance also = low puncture resistance but in 25 years of driving, I've had 4 flat tires... all of them on the Prius

 

[tochatihu]

spare tire

I believe that the limited service (donut) spare is rated for 55 mph. Note that this thing is supposed to be inflated to 60 psi.

It may be that Toyota will repair your tire for free under the road hazard warranty - check into that.

DAS

 

[jeromep]

Some Toyota dealers do their job and will act as the conduit to fix or replace the tire on your car under the road hazzard warranty. Others couldn't care less about your tires and they will send you off to a Goodyear dealer where you often times have to beg and pleed for them to honor Goodyear's road hazzard warranty.

Frankly the factory tires suck. I don't think they are more or less succeptable to road hazzards, but they are economy rubber on a not so economy car.

If you are fed up with your tires, this might be a good chance to get better rubber on your vehicle. May I suggest just about anything from Michellin.

As for the temp spare, the general recommended max speed is 55. That is mostly to do with the fact that the tires is not nearly as robust as a regular tire in terms of belting and sidewall construction and tred thickness. If you bolted down the spare very well on the vehicle, the liklihood of it coming off the car at high speeds is no worse than a regular tire.

I hope you have success getting warranty service.

 

[mrv]

Some Toyota dealers do their job and will act as the conduit to fix or replace the tire on your car under the road hazzard warranty. Others couldn't care less about your tires and they will send you off to a Goodyear dealer where you often times have to beg and pleed for them to honor Goodyear's road hazzard warranty.

There is no road hazard warranty from Goodyear, or Bridgestone. As part of the 3 years/36,000 miles of Toyota Roadside Assistance that comes with all US Prius, you also get a tire and wheel road hazard warranty.

The important text bits of it is here:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Pri ... sage/31089

Now, some Toyota dealers will be nice and repair a flat for you (or a tire replacement), and do the calling for authorization and such, no charge to you. Others will charge you for the flat repair/new tire, and then it is up to you to file the paperwork for the road hazard warranty. Some dealers will just send you to a tire store and have them do it (and again you will have to do the paperwork yourself).

On the flat on my 2001, I brought it to the closest dealer, and they nicely repaired the flat within the hour, and charged me ~$16. I submitted the paperwork, and had a reimbursement check mailed to me within 2 months.

On the flat on my 2004, I brought it to (a different) dealer. They hadn't heard of the road hazard warranty. For liability reasons they refused to repair the tire, and sent me off to a tire store. Brought it to a nearby Town Fair Tire (chain in MA, NH, RI, CT, http://www.townfairtire.com/ ), and they repaired the tire for free (they just asked that we'd remember them the next time we need tires). Seems that it is store policy to do free flat repair under their "free maintenance" program, tire purchased there or not. So, didn't need the Road Hazard warranty in this instance.

 

[mrv]

Well my question is how fast can you drive on a spare tire. I looked in the manual and all it says is how many miles you can dirve with one on (approximately 3,000.00) .

On the same page as you found the 3000 mile treadlife (depending on driving style and road conditions), there is a big yellow warning box that says not to drive faster than 50mph with the compact spare. (US 2004 Owner's Manual, page 245, Section 5, "If case of an emergency - If you have a flat tire")

 

[mrfredsporty]

because im a lttle paranoid and have had two flats (leaks from nails picked up where i work) ive done 2 things. i carry a cigarette lighter powered inflater and have put Slime in all tires. after doing that i found that they dont recommend it in all tires due to balance problems. so far ( thousand miles or so) no problems. those little tack and nail problems wont be as serious as they were. 8)

 

[LowCO2]

Well my question is how fast can you drive on a spare tire. I looked in the manual and all it says is how many miles you can dirve with one on (approximately 3,000.00) . Because I could not find it I jumped on the 110 Freeway and drove 65 all the way home scared to death that the spare tire will fly off my car. Luckily I got home safely and now have an appointment to replace the tire on Saturday (took a secondary car to work today). Does anyone know the answer to this question, or is it in the manual and I somehow didn't see it during my rush to get home.

It says in the manual and on the spare tire that the maximum speed rating is 35 MPH. When I had my flat at on the freeway (and VSC saved my bacon) last year, I took surface streets the rest of the way home to avoid driving too fast on the spare.

 

[DanMan32]

I think you should look again. My understanding was 50-55.
Yes, it should be printed on the tire itself.

MRV is correct in what's in the owner's manual:


The compact spare tire was designed
especially for your Toyota.
Do not use it on any other
vehicle.

Do not use more than one compact
spare tire at the same
time.

Do not exceed 80 km/h (50
mph) when driving with the
compact spare tire.

Avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden deceleration and sharp
turns with the compact spare
tire.