Can a Car with a Spare Tire Drive on the Highway?
2 Answers
Can a Car with a Spare Tire Drive on the Highway? A car with a spare tire can drive on the highway. Spare tires for cars are divided into full-size spare tires and non-full-size spare tires. Full-size spare tires have no restrictions on mileage or speed and can replace any temporarily or permanently unusable tire. Non-full-size spare tires can only be used on non-driving wheels, and the maximum speed must not exceed 80 kilometers per hour. Since spare tires are not frequently used, they should be regularly removed to check for insufficient tire pressure or other signs of wear. If small cracks are found on the sidewall of the spare tire, it should be replaced with a new one. In the storage area for the spare tire in the car, avoid placing oil containers such as engine oil or brake fluid, as leakage of these oils can corrode the tire and reduce its lifespan.
I often drive long distances and have changed spare tires several times, so I'm quite familiar with them. Can you drive on the highway with a spare tire installed? Of course, but you need to be careful. Most spare tires are non-full-size small tires, designed for a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. If you push it to 120, the risk increases significantly. Overheating can cause a blowout, poor handling can make the car feel unstable, and you might notice wobbling when taking turns. Once, I had a flat tire on the highway while driving out of town, and after installing the spare, I could feel the car shaking noticeably at 90 km/h. I immediately slowed down to 70 km/h to safely reach the service area. My advice is to avoid using a spare tire on the highway if possible. If you must, keep the speed under 80 km/h, check the tire pressure to ensure it's not too low or too high, and regularly inspect the spare for aging or cracks. A spare tire is only a temporary solution—after installing it, find a repair shop as soon as possible to fix the original tire. Highways are busy, speeds are high, and accidents happen. Safety should always come first. If you don't handle it properly, you'll be the one at risk. Driving slower and getting home safely is what matters most.
