Tyre repair kit, space-saver or spare wheel: what do you have and what do you do?

More and more cars no longer have a spare wheel. Under the boot floor you find a tyre repair kit with a compressor, or a narrow space-saver spare.

Do you know what is in your car and how it works? This article explains what the three solutions can do, how far and how fast you may drive with them, and what to do when you get a puncture on the road in the Netherlands.

By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 8 November 2026

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The short answer

According to the ANWB, the Dutch motoring organisation, a tyre repair kit only seals a hole of up to about 6 mm in the tread and takes you no more than 80 km.

Manufacturers such as Kia and Volvo give a maximum speed of 80 km/h. A space-saver spare is a narrow emergency wheel on which you drive carefully to the garage, usually at no more than 80 km/h. A full-size spare wheel is not compulsory in the Netherlands.

After an emergency repair, call us first on +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number. At our garage we assess whether the tyre can be repaired or needs replacing.

Tyre service at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug: new summer, winter and all-season tyres for all makes and sizes, including electric cars, vans and motorhomes up to 3,500 kg. We tell you the price in advance based on your registration number, including fitting, balancing and disposal of the old tyres. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number and we tell you the price and when we can do it. You bring the car and we call you when it is ready. A loan bike is free while one is available. Saturdays too. Our team speaks English. More about our tyre service

What is in your car: repair kit, space-saver or spare wheel?

Look under the boot floor before you need it. According to the ANWB many modern cars no longer have a spare wheel. Manufacturers save weight and space that way. Instead you find a tyre repair kit or a space-saver spare. Cars on run flat tyres often have no spare wheel and no jack on board.

Solution What it is How far and how fast Afterwards
Tyre repair kit (sealant kit) What it isA bottle of sealant and a compressor that runs off the 12V socket How far and how fastHole up to about 6 mm, maximum 80 km (ANWB). Manufacturers such as Kia and Volvo: no faster than 80 km/h AfterwardsHave the tyre assessed, the sealant has to come out, replace the bottle
Space-saver spare (emergency wheel) What it isNarrow, light spare wheel with a high tyre pressure How far and how fastCarefully to the garage, the maximum speed is on a sticker on the wheel, usually 80 km/h AfterwardsRepair or replace the punctured tyre, space-saver back in the boot
Full-size spare wheel What it isWheel in the same size as the other four How far and how fastNo restriction, as long as the tyre is in good condition and at the right pressure AfterwardsRepair or replace the punctured tyre, retighten the wheel bolts after about 100 km (ANWB)
Run flat tyres What it isTyre with a reinforced sidewall, no spare wheel How far and how fastMaximum 80 km at 80 km/h (Continental, Bridgestone) AfterwardsTyre usually replaced, repair is not recommended

Sources: ANWB, Reservewiel meenemen (taking a spare wheel, in Dutch). Kia and Volvo owner’s manuals. Continental and Bridgestone. Consulted 6 November 2026.

Check once a year that the space-saver is at the right pressure and that the sealant is not past its date. A flat emergency wheel or an expired bottle will not get you off the hard shoulder. At a service we look at it too if you ask.

How does a tyre repair kit work and what can it not do?

The kit pumps a liquid sealant into the tyre that seals the hole from the inside, and then brings the tyre up to pressure with the compressor. That only works with a small hole in the tread, for example from a nail or screw.

The ANWB gives a hole of up to about 6 mm as the limit, smaller than an average shirt button. The Kia owner’s manual puts it this way: only punctures in the tread can be sealed, larger leaks and damage to the sidewall cannot.

  1. Stop the car safely on a level spot away from traffic, with the hazard lights on. Leave the nail or screw in the tyre, otherwise the hole gets bigger.
  2. Read the instructions on the kit. With most kits you connect the bottle to the valve and the compressor to the car’s 12V socket.
  3. Inflate the tyre to the pressure the manufacturer specifies and drive a few kilometres straight away so the sealant spreads. Volvo advises checking the pressure again after about 3 km. If it is then below 1.3 bar (about 19 psi), the tyre has not sealed properly and you must stop.
  4. Drive carefully to the nearest garage. Kia and Volvo give a maximum of 80 km/h. The ANWB says: no more than 80 km. Avoid sharp steering and hard braking.
  5. Have the tyre assessed. Tell the garage there is sealant in the tyre. Then replace the sealant bottle and the hose, because the kit can only be used once.

A repair kit is an emergency solution. Continental writes that the sealant is for emergencies only and does not replace a proper repair. Do not use the kit on sidewall damage, on a tyre that has been driven flat for a long time, or on two punctured tyres at once, because according to Kia the bottle is for one tyre.

Can a tyre still be repaired after the sealant kit?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We assess that after removing the tyre from the rim. The sealant has to come out first. The RDW APK manual says the same: a tyre with sealant is only assessed after the sealant has been removed.

(The RDW is the Dutch vehicle authority and the APK (MOT) is the compulsory Dutch vehicle inspection.) After that the mechanic looks at the hole and the inner liner from the inside.

For the repair itself the Continental rules apply: only a hole smaller than 6 mm, only in the central three quarters of the tread, and a sidewall cannot be repaired.

If the car has been driven on a soft or flat tyre, the inside is often damaged. Continental warns that driving on a flat tyre extends the damage beyond the area that can be repaired. In that case we replace the tyre.

With a direct tyre pressure monitoring system the sealant can also get onto the sensor on the rim. We look out for that when assessing the tyre. How we assess a tyre and what you can expect from us is explained in puncture: repair or replace?.

A hole that has been professionally repaired from the inside may pass the APK according to the RDW APK manual. A plug pushed into the hole from the outside is not a professional repair. We only repair from the inside, with the tyre off the rim.

Space-saver spare: how far and how fast can you drive on it?

A space-saver is a narrow spare wheel that is only meant to get you home or to a garage. There is a sticker on the wheel with the maximum speed. On most cars that is 80 km/h. Your car’s owner’s manual gives the limit and sometimes a maximum distance too.

Stick to it: the wheel is narrower and smaller than the other three, so the car steers and brakes differently, and on many cars the ABS or ESP reacts differently as well.

According to the ANWB a space-saver has a much higher tyre pressure than the normal tyres. That value is in the owner’s manual. Check it now and then, because a space-saver that has lain untouched in the boot for years is almost without exception flat when you need it.

Do not drive to the APK on a space-saver. According to the RDW APK manual the tyres on one axle must have the same size marking, and a fitted spare wheel of a different size is not allowed at the periodic inspection.

Have the punctured tyre repaired or replaced first. More about the tyre requirements at the inspection is in tyre tread and the APK.

Puncture on the road: what do you do step by step?

Stay calm and do not brake sharply. Kia describes the right order in its owner’s manual, and it applies to every car.

  1. Slow down gradually and keep the steering wheel straight. A flat tyre pulls the car to one side.
  2. Find a safe, level spot away from traffic, such as a car park or a lay-by. Switch on the hazard lights.
  3. Apply the handbrake and put the car in P or in first gear. Have all passengers get out on the side away from the traffic.
  4. Assess the tyre. A nail in the tread: repair kit or spare wheel. A tear, a cut in the sidewall or a tyre that has come off the rim: do not repair it yourself, call roadside assistance.
  5. Then drive carefully to a garage and have the tyre assessed, even if the repair kit seems to have sealed it well.

If you are in or around Rotterdam, call +31 10 479 00 00. You can bring the car yourself or have roadside assistance (the ANWB Wegenwacht, for example) deliver it to us.

We assess the tyre, repair it if that is safe and otherwise fit a new tyre in the right size, with the right load index and speed rating. We tell you the price in advance. How that works is on the page car breakdown in Rotterdam.

Is a spare wheel compulsory in the Netherlands and abroad?

No, a spare wheel is not compulsory in the Netherlands. The Dutch vehicle regulations (Regeling voertuigen) and the RDW APK manual set no requirement for a spare wheel.

The spare wheel only appears in the tyre rules as an exception to the rule that tyres on one axle must be the same size. A tyre repair kit is not compulsory either, but it is sensible if your car has no spare wheel.

Abroad, different rules can apply. In some countries you must carry a spare wheel or a repair kit. The ANWB keeps a checklist per country of what is legally required in the car. Check that list before you leave.

The ANWB also points out that large tyre sizes, such as 19, 20 and 21 inch, are often hard to get straight away abroad. That is a reason to have the tread and age of all the tyres checked before a holiday. The ANWB advises not letting tyres get older than 8 to 10 years.

Which solution is best for you depends on your car and your journeys. If you drive a lot abroad, a full-size spare wheel gives the most certainty, if it fits in the car. If you mainly drive in the city, a repair kit that you replace every few years is enough.

We are happy to advise you when you have tyres replaced with us in Rotterdam.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the sealant in a tyre repair kit keep?

It is printed on the bottle. Kia specifies that the sealant must not be used after its expiry date. With most kits it is a number of years. Check the date at every service and replace the bottle in time, otherwise the sealant will not seal properly.

Can you drive on the motorway with a space-saver spare?

Yes, but no faster than the speed on the sticker on the wheel, on most cars 80 km/h. Stay in the right-hand lane, keep your distance and drive to the nearest garage. The wheel is not meant for long journeys and the car steers and brakes differently with it.

Can you fit a space-saver on the front?

That depends on your car. Some manufacturers specify that a space-saver may only be fitted at the rear, and that with a flat front tyre you first move a good rear tyre to the front. Check your owner’s manual. A space-saver on a driven axle can affect the operation of the ABS and ESP.

Will a tyre with sealant in it pass the APK?

No, not as it is. According to the RDW APK manual a tyre with sealant is only assessed after the sealant has been removed. So have the tyre taken off the rim, cleaned and assessed at a garage first. A professionally repaired tyre passes after that.

Is a repair kit or a space-saver the better choice?

A space-saver also helps with a cut in the sidewall or a tyre that has come off the rim, a repair kit only with a small hole in the tread.

On the other hand a space-saver takes up space and weight and does not fit in every car. If your car only has a repair kit, good roadside assistance cover is the most important addition.

How much does a puncture repair cost?

We tell you in advance, once we have seen the tyre. As an indication the ANWB (consulted 6 November 2026) gives € 35 to about € 60 for a professional repair, usually including removal, refitting and balancing. If the tyre can no longer be repaired, we tell you in advance what a new tyre costs including fitting, balancing and disposal.

After a puncture, do you also need to replace the other tyre on the same axle?

Not necessarily. If the punctured tyre can be repaired, the other tyre stays on. If the tyre has to be replaced and the other tyre on that axle still has plenty of tread, one new tyre is fine.

If the difference in tread is large, the ANWB advises replacing the other tyre on the same axle too. Michelin advises fitting the two newest tyres at the rear.

Puncture in Rotterdam?

Call +31 10 479 00 00. Bring the car or have roadside assistance deliver it. We assess the tyre and tell you in advance what a repair or a replacement costs.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. Call us with your registration number and we tell you the price and when we can do it.

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