Fix-a-Flat or The Spare?

Fix-a-flat works, but unless you’re a “hyper-miler” who needs to shed excess pounds from the trunk to save gas, our advice is to go with the spare tire set.

Fix-a-flat in a can is a propellant (Butane, Propane or Isobutane) mixed with glue; A sticky, poisonous and milky solution that you spray into the tire through the valve stem, to pump up your tire and seal small punctures in an emergency.

It’s temporary relief that will probably ruin your tire, the tire pressure sensors and our technicians day (if we don’t tell them you’ve used a liquid sealant, that could come shooting out the valve stem at a high pressure while they’re servicing your tire).

The original Fix-A-Flat® in the yellow can is the most common type; Ingredients are sketchy and this is nasty stuff, despite what the manufacturer tells you on the back of the can, which is not much. 

Although some say that tires can be fixed after using a tire sealant, most reputable tire stores will say you need a new tire because they don’t want to be exposed to the chemicals, or the liability, in fixing a tire that’s been run flat with a hazardous liquid inside it. 

Fix-a-flat in a can, can be a lifesaver, but remember to tell the shop fixing your tire that you’ve used a tire sealant, so they can take precautions during service. They’ll thank you.