Spare tires may become obsolete

KXLH.com ^ | January 30, 2011 | Evan Weborg

[MamaDearest]

If you're in the market for a new set of wheels, you might be surprised to find out that your spiffy new car may not have spare tire - and instead be equipped with a sealant kit.

In 2010 the U.S. Department of Transportation required new vehicles to meet certain fuel efficiency standards. In order to meet the new mandate, some car makers are doing away with traditional spare tires and the corresponding tools to bring the car's overall weight down.

Tara Hanley of AAA MountainWest noted, "Our first concern was that motorists were aware of it and that they take to proper steps about how to access the repair kit, and how to fix their spare tire if it comes to needing to do that on the side of the road, so our first concern was just making sure motorist were aware of this change."

The new fuel economy standards are set at a combined 29.7 miles per gallon for the 2012 model year, increasing to 34.1 mpg by 2016.

AAA has compiled this list of vehicles that are currently or known to be affected by the change; the list is sure to grow, they say:

Acura

FCX Clarity: Inflator and sealant kit

Aston Martin - All models have an inflator and sealant kit

Audi

A5 (2008 - 2011): Runflats

A6 (2009 - 2011): Runflats

A7 (2011): Runflats

Q5 (2009 - 2011): Spare tire stored w/out air. Inflator is provided

Q7 (2007 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator kit provided when not equipped with a spare

S4 (2006 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator kit provided when not equipped with a spare

S5 (2008 - 2011): Runflats

TT (2008 - 2011): No spare. Inflator and sealant kit

BMW - All vehicles are equipped with Runflats, except:

1M: Inflator and sealant kit

M3: Inflator and sealant kit

X5 (2007 - 2011): Spare tire optional, Runflats are installed when not equipped with a spare
X6 (2009 - 2011): Spare tire optional, Runflats are installed when not equipped with a spare

Cadillac

CTS (2008 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

SRX (2010 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

STS (2005 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

XLR (2004 - 2009): Runflats

Chevrolet

Camaro (2010 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

Corvette (2005 - 2011): Runflats

Cruze (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Equinox (2010 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

Volt (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Chrysler: All SRT models with 20 inch wheels are not equipped with a spate

Dodge

Viper (1998 - 2010): Inflator and sealant kit

Ford

Explorer (2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

Focus (2008 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

GT (2005 - 2006): Inflator and sealant kit

Mustang (2011): Inflator and sealant kit (except GT Base, which has a spare)Vehicles without a spare tire

GM

Terrain (2010 - 2011) Inflator and sealant kit

Honda

Odyssey Touring (2005 - 2010): Runflats

Hyundai

Accent (2011 - 2012): Inflator and sealant kit

Elantra (2011 - 2012): Inflator and sealant kit

Sonata Hybrid (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Veloster (2012): Inflator and sealant kit

Jaguar

XF (2009 - 2011): Spare tire optional, Runflats or inflation kit provided when not equipped with a spare

XK (2007 - 2011): Spare tire optional, Runflats or inflation kit provided when not equipped with a spare

Lexus

LF-A (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

SC series (2003 - 2010): Spare tire optional, Runflats provided when not equipped with a spare

Mazda

MX5 (2006 - 2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Mercedes

R350 BlueTEC (2011): Runflats

GL350 BlueTEC (2011): Runflats

E350 BlueTEC (2011): Runflats

SLS AMG (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

SLR McLaren (2005 - 2009): Inflator and sealant kit

Mini (all models) - Spare tire optional, Runflats or inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a 
spare

Nissan

370z (2009 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

GT-R (2009 - 2011): Runflats

Pontiac

Solstace (2007 - 2009): Tire inflation kit

PorscheVehicles without a spare tire

Boxster (2005 - 2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Carrera GT (2004 - 2008): Inflator and sealant kit

Cayman (2005 - 2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Panamera (2010 - 2011): Inflator and sealant kit
Saturn

Sky (2007 - 2009): Inflator and sealant kit

Scion

iQ (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Smart

Fortwo (2005 - 2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Toyota

Sienna XLE (2004 - 2011): Runflats

Volkswagen

Touareg Hybrid (2011): Inflator and sealant kit

Volvo

C30 (2008 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

C70 (1998 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

S60 (2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

XC60 (2010 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

XC70 (2008 - 2011): Spare tire optional, inflator and sealant kit provided when not equipped with a spare

[MamaDearest]

List of vehicles within article.

Another FR thread posted by Liblather In May of last year on the same topic:

Why your next car may not have a spare wheel (/tire - don't get a flat on a Chevrolet Cruze Eco)

[American in Israel]

Spare tires are not obsolete, Congress is.

[American in Israel]

How about they rule that flat tires are now illegal. Then we won’t need the spares they eliminated.

[crusty old prospector]

What do you do if you rip a hole out of the sidewall, which has happened to me several times? A can of Fix-A-Flat ain’t going to cut it.

[knarf]

Like unleaded gas ... leaving lead out was less labor and less expense costs more ... so too the spare out and a $2.99 can of fix-a-flat will make the car $1500.00 more expensive.

[knarf]

I'm still waiting for my bumper, Tom D'asshole !!

No bumper, no gas, no spare ... too old to walk ... I guess I'll just lie down and die.

[cuban leaf]

—Spare tires are not obsolete, —

I would not call them obsolete, but I would call them antiquated. I have driven across the US three times in the last three years. I’ve driven round trip from seattle to almost Minnesota four times. I’ve rented cars all over the nation, driven from central Kentucky to Chicago round trip four times last year, driven from Seattle to LA three times, do a 100 mile a day round trip to my job, and I have not had a flat tire since the 1970’s.

If it was not required to hold up the floor in the back of my scion xB, I’d remove the spare.

[longtermmemmory]

call Obama! he can fix anything!!!!

(/s)

[annieokie]

That was my first thought. Guess you get out your trusty old Duct Tape, go find some road kill, tape it on and then use the reseal kit. easy peasy.

Nothing to say we can't have a spare anyway.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Well, cars haven’t come with spare tires for decades.

A space-saver “spare” isn’t really a spare tire at all, as a real spare is the same size as the rest of your tires. The donut would only allow you to get to a tire repair facility.

A real spare tire would let you continue your road-trip.

[Proud2BeRight]

Fine until you have a tire shred at 75 MPH in the middle of nowhere. Or, until a tire has lost so much air that it is smashed down so far that the bead on the rim is broken and the low volume inflator cannot inflate it. Or, until some Democrat thug slashes your tire where it is parked.

[Dr. Sivana]

I have not had a flat tire since the 1970’s.

I must have had all of your flat tires, then.

Some of us drive or park regularly on gravel roads. When I get a car, I take out the toy spare, and get it a full sized spare. I have never regretted it. I also replace any anti-theft bolts. Those are annoying.

[Stormdog]

“call Obama! he can fix anything!!!!”

Whaddya thinks in the inflator cans? Recycled Obama hot air.

[BwanaNdege]

“...I have not had a flat tire since the 1970’s.”

I’m with you there.

I am a “Belt AND Suspenders” type of guy, (be prepared!) but I have not needed a spare on this continent in several decades.

The other issue is, how many of today’s drivers could even CHANGE a tire, if needed? I guess the spare is there for the tow truck/service truck driver to change. Of course, the tow operator would rather get paid for a tow than simply a tire change.

[Marie Antoinette]

New tires ping! ;)

[snowsislander]

Normal full-size spare tires may not be available as standard equipment from certain automakers, but good spare tires are certainly not obsolete equipment.

I always stock a regular, full-size tire as a spare, no matter what the original equipment was standard with a vehicle. I have had several flats over the years that a can of "fix-a-flat" would have done nothing for.

[hadaclueonce]

After 12000 miles on my Vega, I took the spare tire out.

It would not go far enough where I could not walk home.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

In 2010 the U.S. Department of Transportation required new vehicles to meet certain fuel efficiency standards. In order to meet the new mandate, some car makers are doing away with traditional spare tires and the corresponding tools to bring the car's overall weight down.

BMW's been doing this for a while - the tools are there but the spare tire is gone, replaced with a can of fix-a-flat. Thank you, federal bureaucracy - next time I get stranded in the middle of nowhere with a gasher to my sidewall that no can of sealant can fix, I can reflect on how much fuel I'm saving.

[cuban leaf]

—The other issue is, how many of today’s drivers could even CHANGE a tire, if needed?—

Funny you mention that. Although I’ve not had a flat, I’ve changed a flat for several people on the side of the road that I can remember. Usually women...

Oh. I DID have a flat on my motorcycle once. This may not surprise you, but I didn’t have a spare. ;-)

[MisterArtery]

I recently bought a new Hyundai Elantra. The trunk is designed to hold a spare and the tools which I got at the parts department for $200. You’re correct. Fix-a -Flat is useless for a lot of tire failures.