If you‘ve ever had a flat tire, you know the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you hear that rhythmic thumping and feel your vehicle slow to a crawl. Flat tires are one of the most common vehicle issues drivers face, with over 220 million flat tire service calls made each year in the United States alone, according to a study by AAA. On average, each American driver will experience a flat tire once every 7 years.
When a flat tire strikes, your first thought might be to head to your nearest AutoZone. After all, the ubiquitous auto parts retailer has over 6,000 locations across the U.S. and offers a wide range of free vehicle maintenance services like battery testing, "check engine" light scans, and wiper blade installation. But does AutoZone actually repair or replace damaged tires in-store?
As an expert in retail consumer services with over 15 years experience analyzing the automotive aftermarket industry, I‘ll give you an inside look at exactly what tire-related services AutoZone provides, what they don‘t, and where you can turn for complete flat tire fixes and new tire installation.
AutoZone‘s Tire Services: The Short Answer
If you‘re looking for a place that will repair or replace your punctured tire from start to finish, AutoZone is not the destination for you. While AutoZone will gladly sell you a new tire, they do not provide in-store tire changing services. The retailer will also diagnose your flat for free and sell you tire repair kits and sealants to patch small holes yourself, but they stop short of actually completing the fix for you in-store.
In short, here is what AutoZone will do in regards to flat tires:
- Inspect the tire to assess the severity and location of the damage
- Determine if the tire can be repaired or needs full replacement
- Sell DIY tire repair kits, plugs, patches, sealants, and inflators
- Install any patches or plugs you purchase for a small additional fee (~$10-$20)
- Sell new replacement tires (but not mount or balance them)
- Fill up your tires with free compressed air if they are just low on pressure
And here is what AutoZone will NOT do when it comes to flat tires:
- Complete the entire tire repair process for you in-store
- Remove the tire from the wheel and install a purchased patch or plug
- Mount, balance, or install a replacement tire you buy from them
- Provide services for larger tires like commercial trucks or tractors
- Accept your old, damaged tires for recycling or disposal
So why doesn‘t the country‘s leading auto parts chain provide complete tire repair and replacement services? The answer mostly comes down to their core business model and in-store setup.
Why AutoZone Doesn‘t Do Tire Changes & Repairs
Flat tires are a pain, but they‘re a normal part of vehicle ownership. With an estimated 1 billion tires on U.S. roadways, flat tires alone lead to roughly 76,000 crashes, 16,000 injuries, and 400 deaths each year. You might assume the go-to DIY auto parts store would offer robust tire services, but several key factors limit AutoZone‘s scope when it comes to flats:
Specialization
First and foremost, AutoZone is a retailer, not a service center. Their business is optimized around selling auto parts, accessories, and fluids for DIY-minded vehicle owners to install or add themselves. Changing and balancing tires requires specialized equipment and training that goes beyond their core focus as a parts store.
Space & Cost
Mounting and balancing new tires requires hydraulic lifts, rim clamps, balancing machines and other bulky, expensive devices that take up a good deal of square footage. AutoZone‘s in-store layout is built for aisles of shelves to hold their wide inventory of parts, not spacious service bays. Adding tire change equipment would mean sacrificing valuable product space.
Liability
Working on customers‘ vehicles adds a whole new level of liability versus just selling parts. A mistake made while mounting or repairing a tire could lead to dangerous failures and blowouts on the road, opening up legal risks AutoZone doesn‘t want to take on. It‘s safer for them to sell you the products to fix it yourself.
Labor & Time
Dedicated tire shops and service centers charge $15-$50 per tire for repairs and mounting because it‘s a labor- and time-intensive job, often requiring 30-60 minutes per vehicle. For a high-volume retailer like AutoZone, it‘s simply not an efficient use of staff time to tie them up with lengthy tire services.
So while you can‘t get a full tire repair or replacement done at AutoZone, they do sell patches, plugs, sealants and even new tires to help you handle some fixes yourself. But how do you know if your flat is a DIY job or one for the pros?
When to Repair vs. Replace a Tire
The first step to dealing with a flat is figuring out if the tire is salvageable with a patch or plug, or if it needs to be replaced entirely. This mostly depends on the location, size, and cause of the puncture or damage.
Generally, punctures in the tire tread less than 1/4" in diameter can be repaired with a patch or plug. The tread is the thick part of the tire that contacts the road, and small holes there can be filled without compromising the strength of the tire. However, if the flat is caused by a puncture in the tire‘s sidewall or a long slash or gash more than 1/4", the structural integrity of the tire is likely too compromised for a reliable repair.
Driving too long on a flat tire, even a short distance, can permanently damage the tire‘s interior cords and belts, necessitating replacement. Front tires tend to last 5,000-10,000 miles less than rear ones due to heavier wear, so you should get a professional opinion on whether a flat front tire can be repaired.
Here‘s a quick cheat sheet for when to repair vs. replace a flat tire:
| Repair If… | Replace If… |
|---|---|
| Puncture is less than 1/4" | Puncture is more than 1/4" |
| Hole is in center tread | Hole is in sidewall |
| Tire was driven flat briefly | Tire was driven flat for a long distance |
| Tire still has good tread life | Tread depth is less than 2/32" |
If your tire falls in the "repairable" category, an AutoZone tire repair kit or patch is an inexpensive, convenient DIY solution. But you need to follow the right steps to ensure a lasting, leak-free fix.
How to Use a DIY Tire Repair Kit
Depending on the type of kit you purchase, you‘ll use either string plugs or sticky patches to seal up punctures in your tire tread. Here‘s a quick step-by-step overview of how to properly install an AutoZone-purchased tire repair kit yourself:
1. Gather Your Tools
You‘ll need the kit itself (with plugs/patches, insertion tools, and cement), an air compressor or tire inflator, and a valve core tool to deflate the tire. A can of soapy water is also helpful to locate leaks.
2. Remove the Tire
Loosen the lug nuts with a tire iron or impact wrench, then jack up the vehicle to lift the flat tire off the ground. Finish removing the lug nuts and slide the tire off the lug bolts. Some fixes can be done without removing the tire from the wheel.
3. Locate the Leak
If the tire still has some air, mix dish soap and water in a spray bottle and spray it all over the tire‘s surface. Look for where bubbles start to form to pinpoint the leak. For a totally flat tire, probe the tread gently with your fingers or the pointed insertion tool until you feel the puncture.
4. Clean and Prep the Hole
Once you‘ve found the offending hole, use a tire plug/reamer tool or round rasp to clean out any debris inside. Make sure the puncture edges are smooth and even for maximum plug adhesion. Some kits require you to apply rubber cement as well.
5. Insert the Plug or Patch
Plugs: Thread the plug through the eyelet in the insertion tool, coat it with the provided rubber cement, then force it into the hole until 1-2" remains outside. Twist and quickly remove the tool, leaving the plug inside the tire.
Patches: Rough up the area around the puncture with a wire brush, clean it with solvent, then firmly press the glued side of the patch against the hole. Roll over it with a tire tread roller tool to fully adhere it. Some combination kits use a patch on the inside and a plug through the outside.
6. Reinflate and Remount
Once the plug or patch is securely in place, use an air compressor or gas station tire inflator to fill the tire back up to its recommended PSI (listed in your car‘s manual or on a sticker inside the driver‘s side door). Put the tire back onto the wheel if you removed it, tighten the lug nuts, and lower the car back down.
While this DIY approach works great in a pinch, it‘s best to have a professional shop inspect any plugged or patched tire to ensure it‘s still holding air and safe to drive on. Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) in newer vehicles will alert you if the tire starts to lose air again.
Preventing Flats Before They Happen
Benjamin Franklin once wisely quipped "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." That holds especially true when it comes to preventing flat tires and avoiding costly roadside emergencies. Fortunately, there are several simple steps you can take as a responsible vehicle owner to minimize your risk of a flat:
1. Check Your Tire Pressure Monthly
Under-inflated tires are one of the most common culprits of flats and blowouts. Make a habit of checking your tires‘ pressure with a digital gauge at least once per month. You can find the recommended PSI printed on a label inside your driver‘s side door or in the vehicle manual. Don‘t forget to check your spare tire too!
2. Inspect Tire Tread Regularly
Give your tires a thorough visual inspection every month to spot any wear issues before they cause a flat. Use the "penny test" to check your tread depth – if you insert a penny into the tread grooves with Lincoln‘s head upside down and you can see the top of his head, your tread is dangerously low and it‘s time for new tires.
Look for any cuts, bubbles, or bulges in the sidewalls as well. If you see anything unusual, have a tire shop take a closer look.
3. Avoid Road Debris When Possible
Nails, screws, glass, and sharp rocks or rubble are common road hazards that cause flats. When you see junk in the road ahead, safely steer around it without swerving dangerously. If you can‘t avoid it, slow down as much as possible before making contact to minimize impact.
4. Rotate & Balance Tires Every 5,000 Miles
Having your tires rotated and balanced according to your vehicle manufacturer‘s recommendations (typically every 5,000-8,000 miles) will ensure they wear evenly, extending their tread life and preventing weak spots that are flat-prone. Tire rotations are often included free with oil changes or available for $20-$50 at most shops.
5. Upgrade to Run-Flat Tires
If you want the ultimate in flat tire prevention and convenience, consider upgrading to a set of run-flat tires. These specially designed tires feature reinforced sidewalls that can support the weight of your vehicle even with zero air pressure, allowing you to safely drive up to 50 miles after a puncture to get to a repair shop. However, run-flats cost significantly more than regular tires and often result in a stiffer ride.
When All Else Fails, Here‘s How to Change a Flat
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, flat tires happen at the most inopportune times and places. If you get a puncture that‘s not immediately fixable and don‘t have a can of sealant handy, you‘ll have to put your spare tire on to get home or to a shop. Here‘s a quick step-by-step guide to safely change a flat on the side of the road:
- Turn on hazard lights and pull as far onto the shoulder or breakdown lane as possible, away from traffic.
- Apply the parking brake and wheel wedges to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Locate your spare tire, lug wrench, and tire jack. They‘re usually under the trunk floor or truck bed.
- Loosen the lug nuts on the flat about 1/2 turn with the lug wrench – don‘t remove them completely yet.
- Place the jack securely under the vehicle according to the owner‘s manual jack points. Raise the flat tire 6 inches off the ground.
- Finish removing the lug nuts and the flat tire.
- Mount the spare tire onto the lug bolts. Hand-tighten the lug nuts.
- Lower the vehicle back down until the spare fully contacts the ground.
- Finish tightening the lug nuts in a star pattern with the wrench for even pressure.
- Check the spare tire‘s pressure to make sure it‘s safe to drive on.
- Stow the flat in your trunk (if you have a full-size spare) and visit a tire shop as soon as possible for a replacement.
Remember that most spare tires are only rated for about 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph before they start to wear out. Driving on a spare for too long can cause uneven wear, put stress on your axles and suspension, and leave you stranded if it fails. Get a real tire put on as quickly as possible.
Key Takeaways on Flat Tire Fixes
Flat tires may be an unavoidable reality of driving, but you have several options when it comes to getting them fixed. To sum up our expert advice:
- AutoZone does not provide flat tire repair services, but they do sell DIY tire plug and patch kits.
- Punctures smaller than 1/4" in the tire tread can usually be repaired. Any punctures in the sidewall or larger than 1/4" require tire replacement.
- You can plug or patch a tire yourself with an inexpensive repair kit and about 30 minutes of work.
- Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to flats – check your air pressure and tread often, rotate tires every 5,000 miles, and avoid road debris.
- If you do get a flat, put on your spare tire and head to a tire shop for a replacement ASAP. Don‘t drive on a spare for more than 50 miles.
While AutoZone might not be the place to go for complete flat tire repairs and replacements, they can still get you back on the road quickly and affordably with patch kits, sealants, and advice. With the right tools, know-how, and a cool head, you can conquer any flat tire and get back on the road in no time.
