Do you service commercial fleets?

Yes. Fleet and commercial work is our core, including trailers, box trucks, delivery fleets and construction equipment, with scheduled service and blowout repair.

Which tire brands do you carry?

All major brands, including Goodyear, Cooper, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Michelin, Bridgestone, Toyo, Continental, Pirelli, Hankook, Falken and Uniroyal.

Repairs and TPMS, answered by Empire Tire

What can be repaired and what cannot, why a plug is not a repair, slow leaks nobody can find, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System service. 30 answers, for tire service across Northwest Houston, Texas.

Can you repair a flat instead of replacing it?

Often yes. A puncture in the tread area can usually be repaired properly, while damage to the sidewall or shoulder means the tire has to be replaced. Send us a photo and we will tell you which one you have.

Why can a sidewall puncture not be repaired?

The sidewall flexes constantly and carries the structural load, so a patch there will not hold and the tire can fail without warning. Nobody reputable repairs a sidewall, and anyone offering to is telling you something about their standards.

Is a plug a proper repair?

A plug pushed in from the outside is a temporary measure, not a repair. A correct repair means the tire comes off the wheel so the damage can be inspected from the inside and sealed properly.

How long does a tire repair last?

A correct tread area repair lasts the remaining life of the tire. What does not last is a shortcut repair on damage that should have condemned the tire.

Can you repair a tire more than once?

It depends on where the repairs are and how close together. Multiple repairs in the same area, or too many across one tire, mean it is time to replace rather than patch again.

I have a nail in my tire, what should I do?

Do not pull it out. The nail is currently plugging the hole, and removing it can drop the pressure fast. Note where it is, keep an eye on the pressure and get it looked at.

Is it safe to drive with a nail in my tire?

Short distances at low speed to get somewhere safe, but not as an ongoing plan. The hole gets worse with heat and flexing, and the position of it decides whether the tire is even repairable.

My tire keeps going flat but I cannot find a hole, why?

It is often the valve, the wheel seal or corrosion on the rim rather than the tire itself. Those are all findable, but only with the tire off the wheel.

What is a slow leak?

A leak small enough that the tire goes down over days rather than minutes. It is still a real fault, and it means you are regularly driving underinflated, which is what turns a small problem into a blowout.

Can a leaking valve stem be fixed?

Yes, valve stems are replaceable and are a common source of a leak nobody can find. It is worth checking before anyone condemns the tire.

What is TPMS?

TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System, the sensors that tell your dashboard when a tire is low. It is what turns on that horseshoe shaped warning light.

Do you service TPMS sensors?

Yes, TPMS service is part of what we do for both residential and commercial customers. Sensors have batteries and seals that eventually fail, and a dead sensor means you lose the warning that a tire is going down.

My TPMS light is on, is that urgent?

Check your pressures. A steady light usually means at least one tire is low, which is worth acting on today. A flashing light usually points at a fault in the system itself rather than the pressure.

Why is my TPMS light on when the tires look fine?

A tire can be significantly underinflated and still look normal to the eye, which is exactly why the system exists. It can also be a failed sensor. Either way it is worth checking rather than ignoring.

Do TPMS sensors need replacing when I get new tires?

Not always, but it is the sensible moment to check them, because the wheel is already off and the labour is already happening. A sensor that fails a month later costs a second visit.

How long do TPMS sensors last?

They have internal batteries that eventually run out, so they are a wear item rather than a permanent fitting. If yours are original and the vehicle has some age on it, expect them to need attention.

Can you reset my TPMS light?

Resetting a light without fixing the cause just hides the warning. We will find why it is on first, then clear it once the underlying issue is dealt with.

What tire pressure should I run?

Use the figure on the sticker in your driver door jamb, not the number moulded into the tire sidewall. The sidewall number is the tire maximum, not the recommendation for your vehicle.

Should I use the pressure printed on the tire?

No, that is the maximum the tire can hold, not what your vehicle wants. Running at the sidewall maximum usually means a harsh ride and uneven wear down the centre of the tread.

How often should I check my tire pressure?

Monthly is a reasonable habit, plus before any long drive or heavy load. Tires lose pressure slowly on their own even without a fault.

Does cold weather affect tire pressure?

Yes. Pressure drops as temperature drops, which is why TPMS lights often appear on the first properly cold morning even when nothing is wrong with the tire.

Can you fix a tire that came off the rim?

Usually yes, though it depends on whether the bead and the wheel were damaged when it came off. Tell us what happened and we will have what is needed ready.

What is a bead leak?

It is air escaping where the tire seals against the wheel rim, often caused by corrosion or debris on the rim. It is a common cause of a leak that no amount of searching the tread will ever find.

Can a bent wheel cause a leak?

Yes. A rim damaged by a pothole or curb may no longer seal properly against the tire, and no tire repair will fix that because the tire is not the problem.

Do you repair commercial and fleet tires?

Yes, repair is part of both residential and commercial service. For fleets it is handled alongside rotation, balancing and scheduled maintenance during a planned visit.

Should I repair or replace a tire with low tread?

If the tread is nearly gone, paying to repair it buys you very little life. We will tell you what the tread has left so the decision is based on the tire rather than on hope.

Can you tell me if a repair is safe?

Yes, and we will tell you plainly when it is not. Position of the damage, tread remaining and the tire condition all decide it, and no repair is worth a failure at speed.

What happens if I ignore a slow leak?

The tire runs underinflated, which builds heat, wears the shoulders and weakens the structure. Most blowouts start as something small that somebody kept topping up instead of fixing.

Can you rebalance a wheel after a repair?

Wheel balancing is part of our commercial and fleet service. For residential work, tell us what the vehicle is doing and we will be straight about what it needs and where.

My steering wheel shakes at highway speed, what is it?

That is commonly a balance issue, but it can also be a damaged tire, a bent wheel or a suspension problem. It is worth diagnosing rather than guessing, because the fixes are very different.