Spare wheel for the car: you have to consider that

If you have a flat tire on your car, the spare wheel will help in an emergency. We show you what you need to know about the spare wheel and what alternatives there are.

All information and regulations for spare wheel in the car

The days when cars were still delivered with a full replacement are long gone. In the meantime, cars only have a spare wheel or use another technology. Above all, this saves weight and thereby also fuel. There is no spare wheel requirement in Germany.

• In the worst case, you can drive the emergency wheel at a maximum of 80 km / h. The bike should only take you safely to the nearest workshop and is therefore not suitable for long distances.
• If you drive carefully, longer distances of 100 km are possible. Due to the different tires, however, the differential can be damaged, so you should really only drive short distances.
• The tire pressure on the emergency wheel must be significantly higher, usually over 4 bar. Since the temporary spare wheel is stored in the trunk for a very long time, you should check the tire pressure regularly and adjust it if necessary. During an inspection, this task is always taken over by the workshop.
• The spare wheel is usually a summer tire. So you can drive in the event of a breakdown even in winter. In slippery, snowy and rainy conditions, you should drive the emergency wheel all the slower, more carefully and with shorter distances.
• You will find all the individual information and regulations for your temporary spare wheel either directly on the tire or in the manual of your car.

Breakdown set and run-flat tires instead of spare wheel

• A breakdown set is a good alternative to a spare wheel. With compressed air, a sealant is pumped into the tire via the valve. This temporarily closes small holes and damage. However, you should not trust the repair for too long.
• The run-flat tires are much more comfortable. These make the spare wheel completely unnecessary. The sidewalls are reinforced so that there is no damage to the tire if the pressure drops. The breakdown is displayed directly on the on-board computer, and you can drive to the nearest workshop at a maximum of 80 km / h. In some cases, distances of up to 300 km are still possible.
• However, such run-flat tires are also significantly more expensive and heavier. The tires are currently only used in the high-priced models.