Having been in the tire and auto repair business for more than 35 years, we’ve seen thousands of flat tires come through our doors. A good many of those flat tires have a product commonly known as Fix-A-Flat inside them when we get ready to repair them.
What is Fix-a-Flat?
Fix-A-Flat and similar products are designed to inflate a flat tire via an aerosol can and coat the inside of a tire with a substance that theoretically dries and hardens to fill in a hole that is causing your tire to lose air.
While Fix-A-Flat type products has it’s advantages, there are also some distinct disadvantages of using or attempting to use a product like this to repair a tire.
5 Issues with Fix-A-Flat
Number one, these products are a temporary fix. The idea is that it allows you to get off the side of the road and get home, or get to a tire repair place.
Number two, it won’t work for every flat tire. If you have a gash in your sidewall, or you backed over a spike or sustained any serious damage, a can of Fix-A-Flat is not going to help you at all.
Number three, it can cause damage to your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system). The sealant can clog your sensors.
Number four, it will not work when the temperature is below freezing. The stuff freezes when it’s below 32 degrees outside, so if you have a flat in freezing weather, Fix-A-Flat isn’t going to help you.
Also, there’s not much additional air in that can. So if your tire is really flat and riding close to the rim, the contents of the can won’t give you enough air to drive on.
If you happen to use Fix-A-Flat to get your tire to a repair shop, be sure to let the tire repair shop know the tire contains Fix-A-Flat. If your tire is inflated and contains Fix-A-Flat, deflating the tire to repair it can cause the substance inside the tire to spray from the pressure inside the tire and clean-up is really, really messy.
Only Use Fix-a-Flat When Necessary
Bottom line is, Fix-A-Flat should only be used to temporarily repair a small leak in your tire. Once you’ve used this product, go at once to the nearest automobile shop and have your tire repaired properly by a professional. And always, let your auto repair person know your tire contains Fix-A-Flat.
Postle’s Tire Barn is a local, family-owned tire and automobile repair shop located in Tuscaloosa, AL. We are fully licensed and insured and have been serving the automotive needs of West Alabama for more than 35 years.
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