A proper flat repair means removing the tire from the wheel, inspecting the inside, and sealing the puncture with a combined patch and plug from the inside out. AutoTech Clinic repairs flats at our shop on Michigan Ave in Dearborn, usually while you wait.
Not every flat can be repaired. If the damage is in the sidewall or shoulder, larger than a quarter inch, or the tire was driven on while flat, replacement is the only safe option and we will tell you so.
- How Long
- About 30 to 45 minutes.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Flat Repair
- A tire that needs air every week or two
- The tire pressure warning light coming on repeatedly
- A nail, screw or other object visible in the tread
- A hissing sound from a tire
- The car pulling to one side at low speed
- A tire that is visibly low compared with the others
What We Do
- 01
Find the Leak
We inflate and submerge or use a solution to find every leak, because a tire losing air often has more than one hole or a leaking valve or bead.
- 02
Dismount and Inspect Inside
We take the tire off the wheel and look at the inner liner. Damage from running low is only visible from the inside, and a tire with that damage cannot be repaired.
- 03
Assess Repairability
Tread area, under a quarter inch, no sidewall or shoulder damage, no prior overlapping repair. If it fails any of those, we will not patch it.
- 04
Patch and Plug From Inside
We use a combined unit that fills the hole and seals the inner liner. A plug alone from the outside is a roadside measure, not a permanent repair.
- 05
Remount, Balance and Set Pressure
The tire is remounted, rebalanced, the TPMS checked, and the pressure set to the door placard before you leave.
Why We Will Not Repair Some Tires
The industry standard is clear: repairs are only permitted in the tread area, up to a quarter inch in diameter, with no damage to the sidewall or shoulder and no overlapping previous repair. The sidewall flexes constantly and no patch will stay sealed there.
A tire driven while flat is also unrepairable even if the puncture itself is small, because the inner liner shreds against the wheel. You cannot see that from the outside, which is why we always dismount and inspect inside before agreeing to a repair.
A Slow Leak Is Not Always a Puncture
Tires that lose a few pounds a week frequently have no puncture at all. The common causes are corrosion on the wheel where the tire bead seals, a leaking valve stem, or a cracked TPMS sensor valve.
Bead corrosion is very common on Michigan wheels after a few winters of salt. The fix is to dismount the tire, clean the bead seat back to clean metal and reseal it, which is a durable repair.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether the tire can be repaired or must be replaced
- Balancing after the repair, which is always required
- TPMS valve service kits or a sensor that is damaged
- Low profile and run flat tires, which take more care to dismount
- Whether the wheel itself is damaged or leaking at the bead
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.