Exact Answer: Upto 10 years
A spare tire is a smaller tire that is included in the trunk of your vehicle and is used for emergency purposes. This can be when your tire is flat, has blown out, or there is some other problem that makes it difficult to drive.
The spare tire is not just a tire but also includes the rims so that the tire can easily be placed onto the vehicle. It can be the identical size as the ones used on the vehicle, a smaller, limited size tire which is sometimes called a “donut”.
How Long Can You Drive on a Spare Tire?
| Spare Tire Type | Lifespan |
| Full-size matching spare | Up to 10 years |
| Full-size but non-matching spare | Up to 10 years but with issues due to non balance |
| Compact Temporary mini-spare (donut) | Long term however used only for short distances at a time |
| Full size temporary spare | Long enough to get to safety and repair the tire…but can be reused |
| Folding temporary spare | Very limited..has to be inflated |
| Run flat tires | 10 to 50 miles after being punctured |
The length of time you can drive using a spare depends on the type of spare that you have. For example, if you have a full-size spare tire that is the same type of tire as the one you normally use, then you can change the tire and drive on it until you need another tire.
Once you change the tire and start to drive on it, the length of time you can drive on the new tire also depends on how much you drive and the normal wear and tear that you put on a tire. These types of tires can last up to 10 years.
A limited size tire is designed to be used until you get to safety and can replace the old tire with a newer one. Also, the limited size tire is not meant to be driven faster than 50mph due to its limited durability.
Why Can You Drive This Long on a Spare Tire?
A normal-sized spare tire is just like the tires you drive on every day. Therefore, these tires are designed to last some years depending on how you drive, the terrain you drive in, the weather conditions, and even the length of time that you drive.
Since the normal size tire is the same size as the ones that are normally driven on the vehicle, there is no concern for uneven wear or any type of unbalance. The limited size tire is smaller and has little to no tread.
Tread is how well a tire can stay on the road. If the limited size tire does not have much tread, it can become dangerous to drive it over 50mph and to drive a long distance.
Also, the limited size tire is smaller than a normal tire and if driven longer than necessary, it can cause other damage to your vehicle. This damage is caused because the limited size tire makes the vehicle unbalanced and when a vehicle is unbalanced, it makes the vehicle shake or moves from side to side.
An unbalanced vehicle can also cause steering problems, uneven wear, and bad bearings and shocks. All of which, can lead to accidents.
The limited size tire can also be reused repeatedly. Once it is replaced with a newer tire, it can be placed back into its storage are which is the trunk of the vehicle.
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I had no idea there are different types of spare tires. This has been an eye-opener.
Yes, this information is very valuable.
This information is terrific, I’m impressed with the level of detail.
Very informative, thanks for sharing.
It is indeed, great post.
I didn’t know a spare tire could last up to ten years. This is very useful information.
Yes, I always thought they lasted a shorter time
This post provides an important reminder every driver should consider.
Absolutely, very useful information.
I don’t think everyone knows how important it is to drive safely on a spare tire.
It’s surprising to see how many risks are involved.
Definitely, driving with a spare tire requires attention and caution.
This is a great reminder. I tend to forget that I have a spare tire in my car!
Me too! I’ll make sure to check mine this weekend.
This is much more complex than I initially thought, a real eye-opener.
Agreed, I learned a lot from this article.
It’s surprising how much there is to know on this subject.
It’s a good thing to raise awareness about spare tire safety, very important topic.
I totally agree, this should be common knowledge.
I never thought about the consequences of driving with a limited size tire. It’s worth considering.
Yes, this post provides a lot of useful insights.
Good to know which type of spare tire we have and what they are designed for.
Absolutely, this is important information for every driver.
I’ll be more careful when using my limited size tire now.