Cooper Tire & Rubber Company - Proper Tire Repair

Proper Tire Repair

A proper tire puncture repair must include both a plug and a patch. Don't ever consider only plugging a tire!

Proper tire repairs should be performed by trained tire service professionals using manufacturer approved procedures. If a tire continually loses inflation pressure or has lost all or most of its inflation pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to check for damage. For vehicles equipped with dual tire assemblies (duals), if one of the dual tires becomes significantly under inflated or flat, the other tire will carry the load for both tires, resulting in an overloaded condition for both tires. Consequently, both tires should be inspected by a tire service professional for damage.

Never have a tire repaired with an injury that is greater than ¼ inch (6 mm) in diameter. Do not repair an injury outside the puncture repair area as shown below.

Puncture repairs are limited to the tread area as generally depicted above.

Only specially trained personnel using the proper tools and procedures should repair tires.

When having a tire repaired, be sure the repair personnel:

Never perform a tire repair on-the-wheel
Never use only a plug (stem)
Never use only a patch
Never use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair


If a tire continually loses inflation pressure or has lost all or most of its inflation pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to check for damage. Driving on damaged tires is dangerous. A damaged tire can suddenly fail, including by tread/belt separation, even at a later date, which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death. Never perform tire repair without removing the tire from the wheel assembly for an internal inspection. Do not perform an outside-in tire repair or an on-the-wheel repair. The photo above is an example of a tire that was operated in an underinflated condition with a puncturing object that caused dangerous, non-repairable damage to the innerliner and body ply material. This type of damage would not have been visible from the outside of the tire. Every tire must be removed from the wheel for an inspection to assess whether it can be repaired or needs to be replaced.

If a tire continually loses inflation pressure or has lost all or most of its inflation pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to check for damage. Driving on damaged tires is dangerous. A damaged tire can suddenly fail, including by tread/belt separation, even at a later date, which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death.

Never perform tire repair without removing the tire from the wheel assembly for an internal inspection. Do not perform an outside-in tire repair or an on-the-wheel repair.

The photo above is an example of a tire that was operated in an underinflated condition with a puncturing object that caused dangerous, non-repairable damage to the innerliner and body ply material. This type of damage would not have been visible from the outside of the tire.

Every tire must be removed from the wheel for an inspection to assess whether it can be repaired or needs to be replaced.


Improperly repaired tires can fail while in service, such as by tread/belt separation, which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death. Tires must always be properly repaired as described in the RMA wall chart, "Puncture Repair Procedures for Passenger and Light Truck Tires."

Improperly repaired tires can fail while in service, such as by tread/belt separation, which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death.

Tires must always be properly repaired as described in the RMA wall chart, "Puncture Repair Procedures for Passenger and Light Truck Tires."

Speed Ratings. When a Cooper-produced speed rated tire has been repaired, the speed rating no longer applies. The speed capability of the vehicle is limited by the speed capability of the repaired tire. When a Cooper-produced speed rated passenger tire has been repaired, the tire's maximum speed is 85 mph (137 km/h).