Can a slow leak in a Run flat be plugged?

I believe that I have a very slow leak in one of my tires. I've read that you can't repair a run flat tire but I was wondering if a slow leak could be repaired. I wouldn't want to buy a new tire due to a slow leak.

usually a slow leak is at the rim vs the tread or at the valve...

I'd bring it to a tire shop so they can dunk it in water to see if the leak can be found... if none are seen, I'd leave it be and top it off, consider nitrogen fill (they claim it minimizes leaks - but I don't know) or have it unmounted and remounted and the rim cleaned..

if the leak is at the tread through a hole, you can repair it... since it's never been driven with extremely low pressure (or has it)...

Thanks for the info. I've never driven it with extremely low pressure. I've only owned it for a little over a month so I'm not sure what was done before I owned it. I'll take it to a tire shop soon.

+1 - as long as it's not in the sidewall. When the tire comes off to be repaired, be sure there is NO crease in the inside of the sidewall (this would indicate the RFT has been used), in which case, I'd suggest getting a new tire.

I agree with all here. A slow leak could be nothing more than a bad seal (I experienced that with a SC430 once) and remounting the tyre will fix it. Personally, I do not recommend plugging a run flat (this is where raod hazard insurance for wheels and tyres pays off).

Good luck!

i once plugged a runflat tire while on a roadtrip. I was going to replace it once i returned home but got curious as to how long it would last. 23,000 miles later i replaced it!
Never once had any indication that it was a plugged tire.

*it was hell getting the plug in it though, that's one stiff Mother!!!*

it all has to do with sidewall damage when the tire is driven with no pressure... since the manufacturer can't tell if the tire was driven in this condition or not, they (for liability purposes) recommend against plugging (also increases sales of a low volume tire)...

but if you are 100% sure it was never driven without pressure, then plugging a hole in the tread area should be no different than non RFT... a tire wall puncture is a different issue...

But I have hazard insurance so I for one will be getting a new tire if I get a hole...

yes it can, i just had mine plugged 2 days ago.

Patch mine good hear for a year

Originally Posted by docpaulo

but if you are 100% sure it was never driven without pressure, then plugging a hole in the tread area should be no different than non RFT... a tire wall puncture is a different issue...

This is also my opinion of patching RFT's.

Better off patching. Plugs are not an acceptable repair for run flats as per my tire dealer.

I'd suggest you first get the tire and the wheel it's mounted on tested in a dunk tub. I had a similar problem last summer and made the assumption it was the tire. Nobody here would accept patching it, so I could either get a new RFT tire (approx $500 for the tire and mounting) or I could buy all new non-RFTs all around (the RFTs looked like they only had about 10,000 miles left on them). So I replaced all the tires with non-RFTs (cost me $1100). A week later one of those new tires was low on pressure. Turned out my rim had a small little crack all along that was causing slow pressure loss. It took $50 and a couple of days for a local shop to have the rim repaired. No issues since.

i get punctures every month & just take it to the tyre shop to get it fixed. Of course if there is any damage to the tyre wall then it's a new tyre.

With regards to filling it with nitrogen it does reduce road noise and I noticed a slight improvement in mpg. But I still got punctures though.

Had a slow leak that I filled two times in the past three weeks. went and got it patched for free today at Discount Tire

I had a 545i sport with 18" runflats years before I knew about this forum or the differences in runflats other than that they ran flat. I had my tpms light come on and had the tire plugged for $10 at a gas station. I must have put at least 10k more on those tires before I sold the car.

Would I do it again? No, but I didn't have any problems with mine and I drove that thing like I stole it daily. Now I would probably just use it as an excuse to upgrade to some nice non runflats.