A proper flat repair means taking the tire off the wheel. It's the only way to see the inside, where driving on low pressure can grind down the liner even when the outside looks fine. Once it's off, we clean out the puncture, fill the hole and seal the inner liner with a patch-plug.
A plug pushed in from the outside, with the tire still on the car, is a roadside fix. It can get you home, but it doesn't seal the liner and we don't treat it as a permanent repair.
Not every flat comes from a nail. Plenty of winter slow leaks in Toronto come from road salt corroding the edge of an alloy wheel where the tire seals, or from a cracked or corroded valve stem. We find the source before we fix anything.
Why it matters
Low tires wear out fast
Running underinflated builds heat and flexes the sidewall. A tire driven flat, even for a short distance, can be damaged inside beyond repair.
Some punctures can't be fixed
Repairs are only reliable in the tread area, away from the shoulder, for holes up to about 6 mm across. Sidewall damage or a tire that was run flat means a replacement.
Slow leaks have more than one cause
A tire that needs air every week could have a nail, a leaking bead, a bad valve or a rim bent by a pothole. Fixing the wrong one wastes your time.
Signs it's time
- A nail or screw in the tread
- TPMS light on, or one tire visibly lower than the rest
- A tire that needs air every week or two
- A sudden pull to one side
- Flapping or thumping from one wheel
What's included
- Leak test to find the source
- Tire removed from the wheel and inspected inside
- Patch-plug repair from the inside for tread punctures
- Corroded bead seat cleaned and resealed
- Valve stem replaced if cracked or leaking
- Wheel rebalanced after remounting
- Pressure set and TPMS checked
How often
As soon as you spot it
If you see a nail, leave it in and drive gently to the shop. Pulling it out usually lets the air go faster. Checking your pressures once a month catches slow leaks early.
