# Spare Tire Check, Mounting and Repair

> We check your spare pressure, age and carrier, mount it when you need it, and fix or replace the flat. Know your donut spare limits before you need it.

Source: https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/spare-tire-service/  
Last updated: 2026-09-22  
Business: Goodyear Elite Tire Upland, 1775 W Foothill Blvd, Upland, CA 91786, (909) 608-7699

**TL;DR:** A **temporary spare** has speed and distance limits printed on it. We check **spare pressure**, age and the **carrier**, and swap it back once your tire is fixed.

A temporary or donut spare is built for short, slow trips to a shop. Its speed limit, commonly 50 mph, and its pressure, often about 60 psi, are printed on its own sidewall. Check it a few times a year, because a tire loses roughly 1 psi a month on its own. We inspect spares, mount them when needed, and swap them back.

## What kind of spare does your vehicle have?

Vehicles come with one of four setups: a temporary compact spare, a full-size spare, run-flat tires with no spare, or a sealant and inflator kit with no spare. Each one gets you home differently. Checking the trunk floor, under the cargo area, or under the rear of a truck tells you which one you have.

| Setup | What it is | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary compact spare | Small, narrow tire, often a different wheel | Low speed and short distance only |
| Full-size spare | Same size as your road tires | May not match tread or wheel style |
| Run-flat tires | Tires that carry weight briefly with no air | Limited distance and speed once flat |
| Sealant and inflator kit | Goo plus a small compressor | Does not work on large holes or sidewall damage |

A full-size spare gets measured like a road tire when it comes out. Wear bars sit at 2/32 inch, which is where NHTSA advises replacement, and wet grip is already fading by around 4/32 inch.

Owners of cars with only a kit sometimes add a spare later. Ask us whether one fits your vehicle and what it would take.

## How far and how fast can you drive on a donut spare?

Read the sidewall of your temporary spare. Most list a maximum speed, commonly 50 mph, and the owner manual lists how far you should drive on it. These tires have shallow tread and a light build, so treat them as a way to reach a shop, not a way to finish a road trip.

While the spare is on:

- Stay under the speed printed on it
- Avoid long freeway stretches when you can
- Expect longer stopping distances and softer handling
- Check its pressure, often about 60 psi, which is far above what your road tires take
- On AWD vehicles, follow the owner manual, since some limit distance to protect the drivetrain

Get your regular tire repaired or replaced soon. Our [flat tire repair](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/flat-tire-repair/) page explains what happens next.

## What should a spare tire check include?

A spare can be flat, cracked or years past its prime when you need it most. Pressure also falls about 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit the outside air drops, so a spare that read right last August can be low in January. We check its pressure against the number on its sidewall, read its date code, look for cracks, and make sure the jack and wrench are present. On trucks with an underbody carrier, we also check the cable and winch, which can rust and seize.

Our spare check:

1. Pressure set to the spare's own rating
2. Date code read. See [tire date code guide](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/tire-date-code-guide/).
3. Sidewall and tread inspected for cracks and damage
4. Jack, wrench and wheel lock key located
5. Underbody winch and cable checked on trucks and SUVs
6. TPMS sensor noted on full-size spares that have one

Ask for a spare check with any tire service or [oil change](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/services/oil-changes/).

## What happens when you bring the car in on a spare?

We look at the damaged tire first to see if it can be repaired. Then we mount the repaired or replacement tire, balance it, torque the lugs, and put the spare back in its place with the right pressure. If the TPMS light is on, we check whether a relearn is needed after the swap.

If the tire cannot be repaired, we quote a replacement that matches your others. On AWD vehicles, tread depth matching matters, and the gap is measured in 32nds of an inch against the other three. Whether the old tire can be fixed at all comes down to published repair standards: a puncture 1/4 inch (6 mm) or smaller, in the tread crown only, never the shoulder or the sidewall. See [patch versus replace](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/patch-versus-replace/) for how that decision works.

If sealant was used, tell us. We clean it out and check the sensor.

## How do you change to the spare safely?

Get fully off the road first, even if that means rolling slowly on the flat for a short distance. Turn on your hazards, set the parking brake and put the car in park. On a freeway shoulder with traffic close by, stay in the car and call for roadside help instead of working next to live lanes.

Basic steps:

1. Find the spare, jack and lug wrench. The owner manual shows the jacking points.
2. Loosen the lug nuts a half turn while the tire is still on the ground.
3. Raise the car only enough to remove the flat tire.
4. Mount the spare and snug the nuts by hand in a star pattern.
5. Lower the car and tighten the nuts in the same star pattern.
6. Check the spare's pressure as soon as you can.
7. Have the lug nuts torqued to the foot-pound figure for your vehicle and the flat inspected soon. A re-torque about 50 to 100 miles later is standard practice.

If you have wheel locks, the key is usually in the glove box or with the jack. Without it, that wheel stays on. Our [wheel lock page](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/lug-nuts-wheel-locks/) covers what to do if the key is lost.

## Where is the spare on trucks, SUVs and EVs?

It depends on the vehicle, and some cars have none. Pickups and many SUVs carry the spare underneath, lowered by a crank through a hole near the bumper or tailgate. That lowering mechanism can rust and seize after years without use, which is a bad thing to discover on the side of the road.

| Vehicle type | Common spare location | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan or hatchback | Under the trunk floor | Pressure, jack and wrench present |
| Pickup truck | Under the bed on a cable winch | Winch turns, cable not frayed |
| SUV | Under the rear or on the tailgate | Winch or mount bolts, sun cracking |
| Minivan | Under the middle of the floor | Winch access tool present |
| Electric vehicle | Often none, with a repair kit instead | Sealant date, compressor works |
| Performance car | Often none, with run-flat tires | Your run-flat distance limit |

If your car has only a sealant kit, learn how it works before you need it. Sealant can make a later repair harder, so tell us if you used it. Our [electric vehicle](https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/vehicles/electric/) page has more tire notes for EV owners.

## Needed now versus can wait

### Needed now
- Inflate a spare that is low before relying on it
- Replace a spare with deep cracks or damage
- Free a seized underbody spare winch

### Can wait
- Replace an old but uncracked temporary spare
- Add a spare to a car that came with only a sealant kit
- Full-size spare included in the rotation

## Our process

1. **Locate the spare:** Trunk, cargo floor or underbody carrier, plus the jack and tools.
2. **Inspect:** Pressure, date code, cracks and carrier condition.
3. **Report:** Findings written up with photos, need or want marked.
4. **Mount or store:** Spare mounted when needed, or returned to its place at the right pressure.

## What's included

- Spare pressure set to its sidewall rating
- Date code check
- Crack and damage inspection
- Jack and tool check
- Underbody carrier check on trucks
- Spare mounting or swap back

## Frequently asked questions

### Can you check the spare too?

Yes. Ask for it with any tire visit. We set its pressure, read its date code, look for cracks, and on trucks check that the underbody carrier still lowers.

### How long can I drive on a donut spare?

Only as far as needed to reach a shop. Follow the speed limit on the spare sidewall and the distance in your owner manual. Temporary spares have light construction and shallow tread.

### Why is the spare pressure so high?

Many temporary spares are designed to run at a higher pressure than regular tires to carry the load with a smaller tire. The correct number is printed on the spare itself.

### My car has no spare. What are my options?

Many newer cars use a sealant kit or run-flat tires instead. Ask us whether a spare fits your vehicle. If you use sealant, tell us when you come in so we can clean the tire and check the sensor.

### Can you get the spare down if the winch on my truck is stuck?

Yes, bring it in. We work the spare free, check the tire, and tell you whether the winch can be serviced or needs replacing. It is worth testing the winch at home once a year so you are not surprised on the roadside.

## Related pages

- https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/flat-tire-repair/
- https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/tire-date-code-guide/
- https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/tires/lug-nuts-wheel-locks/
- https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/vehicles/pickup-trucks/
- https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/contact/book-appointment/

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Call (909) 608-7699 or book at https://goodyearelitetireupland.com/contact/book-appointment/