If you have absolutely no other options, and you're only driving a short distance (only a few blocks), then you're usually safe attaching a front spare tire—just make sure you drive defensively and refrain from taking any further risks.
You should not drive over 50 mph and no more than 50 miles with a donut-type spare tire. Driving for long distances on a spare tire can potentially cause damage to other car parts, including the transmission.
Most cars weigh more in the front, so you'll be putting less stress on it by using it in the back. Your braking force comes mostly from the front. The donut tire has very little traction compared to your normal tires. You will not stop as straight or as quickly in an emergency if you have the donut on the front.
Given the importance of mounting new tires on a vehicle's rear wheels, the potential risks involved with putting them on the front instead, and the dearth of exceptions to this rule, tire manufacturers and retailers must clearly inform consumers that no matter what, a new pair of tires should always be mounted on the ...
Since spare tires are built smaller and lighter, going 50-70 mph causes the tires to wear out quickly. As mentioned earlier, it is dangerous to drive on a spare tire too long because it can cause damage to other parts of your car, such as brakes, transmission, steering system, suspension, and even car heating.
Space-saver tyres have a limited travel distance because manufacturers design space-saver tyres as emergency equipment. The tyres only have a range of 100-450kms before they become worn out and need to be replaced. Space saver tyres are only good for speeds up to 80km/h.
You can typically drive a few hundred kilometres on a space saver tyre, depending on the brand and type. Ideally, they should be put on the back wheels as opposed to the steered wheels. Space saver tyres don't grip the road as well as normal tyres, which reduces steering and stopping ability.
If two of your tires wear out faster, it may only be necessary to replace those two instead of replacing all four. If you do, it's important to have the two new tires installed on the back and the partially worn tires moved to the front – even on front-wheel-drive vehicles.
Let's Recap: If your tires' tread depth will be within 4/32” of each other, you can get away with replacing just one or two tires. If you drive an AWD vehicle, the tires must be within 2/32” of each other. But you should always check the vehicle owner's manual to see what the manufacturer recommends.
Ideally you should not mix tyre makes and tread patterns on the same axle – it's important for the front two to match and the rear two to match. That's because driving with mismatched tyres can pose a risk; causing an imbalance in steering, braking and rolling resistance.
It's a bad idea to drive even a short distance with a donut for a front wheel. Many vehicles weigh more in the front due to the engine being housed there, but the front wheels also do the bulk of the braking, turning, and acceleration.
If you can't make it in for a new tire, though, a full-size spare is ideal. How long can you drive on a spare tire? Most space saver — or “donut” — spare tires are good for no more than 70 miles.
If you use the spare tire for too long, there is a good chance it will end up flat. In fact, you should only use the spare to drive for about 50 miles at most. However, before you use the spare, check with your manufacturer to see the recommended mileage – it could be more or less.
Your Spare is NOT a Long Term Solution
While there are different sizes and types of spares, we suggest you keep speeds at or below 50 miles per hour and drive no more than 50 miles on a spare tire before getting your flat fixed.
If you're wondering how many miles you can squeeze on your flat tire. It's 50 miles or 80.4 kilometers. However, you should drive slowly on a flat tire since it doesn't have much traction or durability.
As noted, driving on a spare is not a long-term solution. It can wear out your full-sized tires faster and, if driven for too long, can throw your car out of alignment.
For all-wheel drive to work properly, all four tires must have the same tread design, make and model. If they don't, the computer won't be able to get the correct reading, which could burn out the drivetrain.
Ideally, you'd replace all four tires. But if only two need to be replaced, the new tires should go in the back, says Michelin.
But should tyres be replaced in pairs? The answer is ideally, yes. Replacing just the one tyre without changing the tyre on the opposite side of the axle at the same time may cause an imbalance to the vehicle – potentially leading to wheel misalignment and excessive tyre wear.
Owning a second set of tires also lengthens life of your all-season tires, as you'll be putting miles on the winter tires instead, as well as avoiding the added wear and tear of driving all-seasons under conditions that aren't optimal for their use case.
It's always best to replace all 4 tires at the same time. This is because all 4 tires spin independently of one another, and different tread depths and/or styles can cause them to spin at different speeds. That could potentially damage the drive train, and possibly affect an indirect TPMS system if the vehicle has one.
Of course, it isn't illegal to not have a spare in your car, but the benefits are obvious. If you know how to even change a spare tyre, then carrying one will help you get out of any tricky situation should you find yourself in the event of a puncture or blowout on the side of the road.
Under normal conditions, the 2-second rule is an easy way to make sure you've allowed enough following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, no matter what speed you're travelling at.
A front-tyre blowout will usually cause the vehicle to 'pull' towards the side with the blowout. A rear-tyre blowout will usually cause the vehicle to sway from side to side. You can try to avoid having a blowout by checking your tyres regularly.
So if you want to know the exact answer to “how long can you drive on a spare tire,” you should consult the manual. But there is a general range that most car experts agree on: approximately 50 to 70 miles, with 70 as the absolute maximum. To be as safe as possible, stick closer to 50.