A slow puncture is a gradual loss of air, often so slow you only notice the tyre looking soft every week or two. The usual culprits are a small nail or screw in the tread, a leaking valve, a corroded or buckled wheel rim, or a previous repair that's failing. Caught early, most are cheaply repairable.
Signs of a slow puncture
- One tyre that repeatedly needs topping up.
- A TPMS warning light that comes on, especially in cold weather.
- The car pulling slightly or feeling vague at one corner.
- A faint hiss, or a nail head you can see in the tread.
Common causes
Sharp objects like nails and screws are the most common. Valve faults let air seep out around a perished or damaged valve. Rim corrosion (the "alloy rim leak") is common on older alloy wheels where the bead no longer seals. And a poor previous repair can weep air over time.
Why you shouldn't ignore it
A slow puncture that's topped up and ignored can fail suddenly, and driving on a repeatedly under-inflated tyre causes uneven wear and overheating. If it goes fully flat and you drive on it, a repairable puncture becomes a new tyre.
How it's fixed
The wheel comes off, the tyre is removed and inspected, the cause is found and either the puncture is patched to standard or the valve/seal is replaced. Our mobile fitters do this at your home or work across London and Birmingham, usually in well under an hour. Book a check.
