What does this cost in your state?
California is the costliest state and Arkansas the cheapest; each square shows that state's midpoint of the estimate.
Lower-cost states ($35)MiddleHigher-cost states ($44)
What it shows: CA is the highest at $44 and AR the lowest at $35, across 51 states.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is under 50,000 (80%), against 60% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is under 3 years old (53%), against 40% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
737 owner complaints name this part.
Owners say the dealer could not fix or repeat the problem. If it comes back after a repair, ask what was tested before you pay again.
How do tires fail, and which failure do owners report most?
Blowout leads at 16.
Owners most often describe the failure as "blowout". Use the same wording when you describe a problem to a tire shop.
Which tire on the car fails most often?
Passenger-side rear leads at 23.
Check that tire first, but look at all four: every position is in the reports.
Which tire sizes show up most in complaints?
*215/60R16 leads at 2.
What it shows: *215/60R16 is the largest at 2, followed by 235/45/R18 at 1; the smallest shown is 235/45/R18 at 1.
How old were the tires when owners reported the problem?
2 to 3 years leads at 18.
A tire's age is printed on its sidewall as a four-digit date code (week and year): check yours.
Which other parts do owners name in the same complaint?
Among the 737 owner complaints naming this part, rim is named in 9% of them, more than any other part.
Other parts named in the same complaints. Rim: 9%; Tire rotation: 5%; Tire installation: 4%.
Owners name the rim most often in the same complaint, which is not proof that one caused the other. Ask the shop whether it checked the rim too, so you are not quoted twice for one visit.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster leads at 45%.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
Among the 644 owner complaints naming this part that state a model year, complaints cluster in a few model years instead of spreading evenly.
What it shows: 2017 is the largest at 111 (17%), followed by 2015 at 97 (15%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 19 (3%).
Do flat tire repair problems track days at or below 32°F across states?
Across U.S. states, NHTSA owner complaints about flat tire repair run higher where freezing days are higher, after adjusting for the makes sold in each state. This is an association across states, not proof that freezing days causes this repair.
How to read it: Each dot is a state. Further right means more days at or below 32°f; higher up means more complaints for this repair than expected (1.0 is average). If the dots climb to the right, reports of this repair rise with days at or below 32°f.
What it shows: States with more days at or below 32°f tend to sit higher on the chart across 21 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.
- The 7 states with the most freezing days (Minnesota, Nevada, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio): reports of this repair run 35% above what the makes sold there would predict, and 7 of 7 are above expected. The 7 with the least (Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee): 3% below, and 3 of 7 are above expected.
- Exceptions: Arizona (33% above expected) is among the lowest but above expected.
- Split the states into thirds: the third with the least freezing days runs 3% below what the makes sold there would predict, the middle third 21% above, and the third with the most 35% above. It steps up steadily.
- For freezing days, after allowing for the 1562 comparisons we ran, luck alone would produce a pattern this strong about 1 time in 6. Take out any single state and the freezing days pattern still holds.
- Weak spot: compare only states with similar chloride in rain and snow and the pattern keeps about 62% of its strength, so part of it may come from chloride in rain and snow instead of freezing days.
Road salt and slush corrode exposed metal and seize moving parts, and freezing weather stiffens rubber, so repairs to exposed parts can follow harsh winters.
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new passenger car tires rose 34.1% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
Prices of new passenger car tires, as shops buy them from makers, since December 2019, against consumer prices for motor vehicle repair. New passenger car tires: +34.1%; All motor vehicle parts: +17.4%; Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together: +55.2%.
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 5 foreign recall campaigns that name flat tire with NHTSA since 2015 (matched by the filing text); the latest, from Manac in 2023-07.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07 | Manac. | 133 | Defect in certain SAF-HOLLAND Tire Pilot Plus models This notice is being sent in accordance with one of the EWR requirements. |
| 2017-06 | Chrysler (FCA US) | 110 | FCA FlAT CHRYSLER AUlOMOBlLES June 14, 2017 Mr. |
| 2019-05 | Mercedes-Benz | 105 | Identification of Vehicles Make Line Model Year Inclusive Dates of Manufacture Mercedes-Benz May 2016 � current production E-Class (213 platform) 2017, 2018, 2019 Total Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected Approximately 44,977 Model Year ("MY") 2017-2019. |
| 2019-02 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 043 | Foreign Safety Recall / Other Safety Campaign Report Certain Lexus Vehicles Date: February 27, 2019 Foreign Safety Recall / Other Safety Campaign Report Subject: Run-flat tire issue on certain Lexus vehicles 1. |
| 2020-02 | Nissan. | 036 | More specifically, certain GCC countries require a spare tire be included for all vehicle tires except run-flat tires. |
Was my tire a known defect, and which tire lines has NHTSA recalled?
NHTSA lists 49 tire recall campaigns filed since 2015 (tire recalls that name air loss, bead or sidewall), covering 1,030,223 tires; the largest, Cooper Discoverer At3 4s in 2021, covered 430,298.
What it shows: Cooper Discoverer At3 4s is the largest at 430,298, followed by Primewell Valera Touring Ii at 394,378; the smallest shown is Yokohama 504c at 6,992.
Does vehicle age change how underinflated tires are?
NHTSA's 2001 measurement of 11,530 vehicles found 8% of tires on cars 3 years old or newer underinflated by 8 psi or more against 15% on cars over 6 years old, and 12% against 24% on pickups, SUVs and vans.
Share of tires deviating 8 psi or more from the maker's pressure, by vehicle age, measured in 2001. 3 years or newer, pickups and SUVs: 12%; 3 to 6 years, pickups and SUVs: 15%; Over 6 years, pickups and SUVs: 24%.
How many potholes do big-city drivers report each year?
New Yorkers filed 30,624 to 49,909 pothole requests a year to 311 from 2020 to 2024, and Chicagoans filed 43,237 to 132,939 a year from 2012 to 2018; these are requests in two cities, not a national count.
What it shows: Chicago 2014 is the largest at 132,939, followed by NYC 2020 at 30,624; the smallest shown is NYC 2020 at 30,624.
Where are the roughest state highways in Colorado?
Colorado DOT's 2018 pavement survey puts 20.0% of its 11,345 state highway miles in the LOW drivability-life class, with the share highest in Lincoln County (46.4%), Morgan (42.3%) and Jackson (40.1%); this is one state, not a national figure.
What it shows: Lincoln is the largest at 46.4%, followed by Morgan at 42.3%; the smallest shown is Moffat at 30.5%.
Which metro areas drive the most miles per resident?
FHWA's 2022 urbanized-area table shows the most driving per resident in Nashville-Davidson, TN (41.9 vehicle miles a day), Knoxville, TN and Birmingham, AL, against a median of 21.3 across 493 urbanized areas.
What it shows: Nashville-Davidson, TN is the largest at 41.9, followed by Knoxville, TN at 33.0; the smallest shown is San Antonio, TX at 28.0.
If this part was recalled, is the repair free?
Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120) requires a maker to fix a recalled defect without charge for cars first bought within 15 calendar years (tires within 5), and NHTSA lists 1 recall campaigns for parts matched to a flat tire repair since model year 2015, covering about 6,296 vehicles.
| Rule or count | What it says |
|---|---|
| Age limits | The free-remedy duty does not apply to a car first bought more than 15 calendar years, or a tire first bought more than 5 calendar years, before the recall notice. |
| Failure to fix | A repair not done adequately within 60 days of presentation is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time; the maker must then replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price less depreciation. |
| Free remedy | A maker must fix a recall defect without charge. |
| NHTSA recalls matched to a flat tire repair since model year 2015 | 1 recall campaigns covering about 6,296 vehicles |
How old is this tire? Read the date code.
Under federal rule 49 CFR 574.5 every tire carries a DOT identification number whose final four digits are its date code, two digits for the week and two for the year it was made, so a code of 3524 means week 35 of 2024 and tire age can be read before you buy.
Reading the DOT date code on a tire (49 CFR 574.5). Last four digits of the DOT number: the date code: two digits for the week, two for the year of manufacture what (3524 = made in week 35 of 2024); First two of the four digits: week of the year; 01 is the first full calendar week (Sunday to Saturday) what (35 = the 35th week); Last two of the four digits: year of manufacture what (24 = 2024).
How many miles a year does my kind of vehicle really drive?
In the 2022 National Household Travel Survey, Van owners report driving an average 15,194 miles a year against 13,298 for Pickup owners, and 24.5% of Van owners drive 15,000 miles or more (reported mileage, survey-weighted).
| Vehicle type | Average miles per year | Share driven 15,000 miles or more | Vehicles surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van | 15,194 | 24.5% | 648 |
| Car | 14,950 | 20.6% | 6,232 |
| SUV | 14,351 | 21.5% | 4,479 |
| Pickup | 13,298 | 22% | 2,331 |
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V-134 | Lexus LS 2018 | 6,296 | If the tire tread layer separates from the vehicle, vehicle handling and stability may be affected, increasing the risk of crash. |
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
Approximate cost to replace is $3,500.00-$4,000.0 The Pirelli P Zero PZ4 is a run-flat tire that comes on the front of the 2023 BMW XM Base.
All punctures occurred on the wall of the tire resulting in necessary full tire replacements costing about $320 each tire.
It will cost me $400 to fix—I am on Social Security and don’t have $400–and I don’t have access to my spare tire if I get a flat tire.
I had a flat tire one week after I bought the $ 60.000 car.
Check your car
Our estimate for a standard tread puncture, fixed with the plug-patch method, is $30–$50, with labor and materials included. Two things move it: the shop type, and whether the tire can be repaired at all. If it can't, a single-tire replacement is a different job at a different price.
What does a flat tire repair price cover?
The estimate covers one puncture in the tread, repaired with a plug and patch together, with labor and materials in the number. If the shop finds the damage is not repairable, the job turns into a replacement and the price changes.
Ask: "Is that for one puncture, plug and patch together, with the tire taken off the wheel?"
How much does it cost by repair type and shop?
Every range below comes from the calculator, one setting changed at a time.
| What you change | Estimate | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Independent shop | $25–$45 | Standard tread puncture, plug-patch, labor and materials |
| Dealership | $50–$75 | Standard tread puncture, plug-patch, labor and materials |
| Full replacement | $120–$280 | Single tire, parts plus mounting and balancing, tire size affects range |
The dealership costs more for the same puncture repair. The replacement range is wide because tire size drives it, so put your own size into the calculator rather than reading the middle of that range.
Before you agree: ask whether the price changes if the tire turns out to be a replacement, and by how much.
Can my tire be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Repair is for a puncture in the tread. Damage in the shoulder or the sidewall is generally not repairable, and neither is a tire that was driven flat for a distance, because the inside can be damaged where you can't see it. A proper repair means the tire comes off the wheel so it can be checked inside and out.
That is why a quote given over the phone is only a guess. If a shop says the tire can't be repaired, ask where the damage is and ask to see it.
How urgent is a flat tire?
Stop driving on it. A tire driven flat can turn a repair into a replacement. A slow leak buys you a little time, and an air top-up only delays the repair.
Your move: if the tire has lost air, book the repair the same day rather than waiting for it to get worse.
How do I get a fair quote?
Match the quote to the table above on two points: the shop type and the job. A repair quote near the dealership range at an independent shop, or a replacement quote when no one has inspected the tire, is the one to question.
Some tire chains advertise free repairs on repairable tires, even tires bought elsewhere. It costs nothing to ask, and a free repair on a tread puncture beats paying the estimate. Ask whether it applies to your tire.
What does the estimate leave out?
The estimate prices the repair or the replacement. It does not include a second damaged tire, a wheel that has been bent, or a sensor that needs resetting after the tire comes off. Ask about each before you approve the work.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to patch a tire or replace it?
Patching is cheaper when the puncture is in the tread. A replacement costs several times a repair in our estimates, and shop type moves both. If the damage is in the sidewall, replacement is the only safe option.
Can I drive on a tire I have plugged myself?
A plug on its own is a temporary fix. A lasting repair uses a plug and patch together, with the tire off the wheel. Have a shop do that before you rely on the tire.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA recall file file downloaded 2026-10-05
- CalcScrape calculator model scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities data from 2024
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, joined to NHTSA owner complaints file downloaded 2026-10-06
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU07120104); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row file downloaded August 2026
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Tire Pressure Special Study: Vehicle Observation Data (DOT HS 809 317) data from 2001
- NYC Open Data 311 Service Requests (erm2-nwe9, descriptor Pothole) and City of Chicago 311 Service Requests - Pot Holes Reported - Historical (7as2-ds3y) data from 2025
- Colorado DOT, Highway Quality in Colorado 2018 (data.colorado.gov skxn-j975), cond field (drivability life class) data from 2018
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2022, Table HM-72 (urbanized areas: daily vehicle miles per capita) data from 2022
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 574.5 Tire identification requirements (NHTSA) data from 2025
- FHWA, 2022 NextGen National Household Travel Survey, vehicle file file downloaded 2026-10
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Modeled: our estimate, not a quote. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Reported: figures as reported by the publisher, not independently verified. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Not independently checked: no established price guide publishes a general range for this exact job (looked 2026-10-06), so the default has no outside comparison. Methodology