Honda's liquid spare tire

carwing

When was the last time you had a flat tire? I remember mine - it was1995. I had picked up a nail in the tire on the way to work and couldhear it hissing when I parked the vehicle. Fortunately, I could driveit slowly a few blocks to the tire shop to have it fixed. I didn't haveto use the spare tire, dig out a jack or get my hands dirty. Flat tires are a relatively uncommon occurrence. Avoid spinning thetires and stay away from new building construction and the odds are youwill go years if not decades without ever having a flat tire. Even if you do have a flat, would you be able to change it on the road?Jacks supplied in vehicles are not great. They require firm levelground to work safely and are only designed for emergencies. Even ifyou can jack the vehicle up, removing the lug nuts is the nextchallenge. The small tire irons supplied in the vehicle don't providemuch leverage. Even a strong man can have problems loosening them. Idon't think my wife or son could. Finally, there is the problem ofremoving the wheel off the hub. On many vehicles, the wheel lifts offwith no problem, but some are like mine - they seize onto the hub andare extremely difficult to remove. I have even had to hammer the wheelwith another tire/wheel assembly to break it free - something you don'twant to do when supported on a vehicle jack!There is another option. Liquid tire sealer hasbeen on the market for many years. Install the sealant into the tireand inflate it with a portable compressor. You are back on the road inminutes. Tire sealers have had problems in the past however. Thesealant can become gummy and harden inside the tire, causing it tobecome unbalanced. It is also difficult to clean out. Honda has found abetter sealer, and it is part of the Temporary Repair Kit (TRK) that isstandard equipment on the 2009 Honda Fit when equipped with automatictransmission.The Temporary Repair Kit consists of a containerof sealer, a 12-volt compressor with pressure gauge, an extractionhose, extraction bottle and a guide book. The kit fits into mouldeddepressions in a Styrofoam filler located beneath the lift-up floor ofthe cargo area. There is also room for storing other emergency itemssuch as flares or a flashlight.To use the kit, the container of sealant isconnected to the tire with the included hose and the compressor isconnected to the can of sealant. When the compressor is pumping, itforces the sealant into the tire and then pumps the tire up. Thesealant flows to the source of the leak and seals the air leak. The sealant is glycol-based so it remains as a liquid inside the tirethat does not affect the tire balance or harm the tire. It can be usedto minus 30 degrees C. Below that temperature, the sealant may not workas well. Even if the sealant did work at colder temperatures, it can bedifficult to inflate a very cold tire. You are better off getting ittowed to a repair shop. Roadside assistance is part of the Honda salespackage and this would be the time to use it. At the repair shop, the sealant can be removed from the tire with theextraction hose and extraction container. The kit is a temporary repairand designed for one time use only. The sealant can be recycled in thesame manner as the shop recycles antifreeze. After the tire is removedfrom the rim for a permanent repair, the remaining sealant can be wipedout of the tire. Honda's reason for including the Temporary Repair Kit in the Honda Fitwith automatic transmission is to improve the fuel economy of thevehicle. Automatic transmissions are heavier than manual transmissionsbut the TRK weighs less than a spare tire, so keeping car weight downmakes the fuel economy of the automatic as good as the standard. Infact, the automatic Fit models now get better fuel economy than thestandard transmission models. A spare tire and jack is still a dealer-installed option for those thatjust don't feel right driving without one, but the ease of fixing aflat on the road and the improved fuel economy of a lighter vehicle arebig advantages provided by the TRK.