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No spare, no big deal?

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14K views 63 replies 26 participants last post by  Derrick  
#1 ·
Yea, that's kind of what I was saying, until tonight.

I was on my way home around dusk and had another 40 miles to go. I was just about to take my exit off the freeway when I heard this loud bang and wondered what the heck was that? Waited at the light and about a quarter mile later I could hear and feel it. Yup - I got a flat tire. I was able to get around the corner and pull into an entrance drive for a large business. The gate was closed but plenty of room for me to pull in off the road and lots of light. So I pulled out the fix-a-flat kit still in it's bubble-wrap, glanced over the pictorial instructions and proceeded to try get the thing inflated.

No joy. It took all of the sealant but wouldn't hold even a hint of pressure so I called AAA. To be honest I probably would not have tried to get home if it had held because I had about 30 miles of very dark two lane levy road where there is absolutely no place to pull off. In fact it is like the lord was watching out for me by making the tire go flat so quickly where I was because if it had gone flat out there I would have been in great danger.

Anyway, I had already bookmarked this site and placed the order as soon as I got home so I will, from now on, have an emergency spare. As for the replacement for the damaged tire, I don't know, I've got about 7k miles on them now so maybe I should just get a pair. Unfortunately I don't think the good one will fit the spare wheel kit, it would be nice if it did.

Finally, here's the kicker, it has probably been 40 years since I last had a flat tire. :rolleyes:
Nice way to start off the new year but AAA was great. They were there in less than an hour.
 
#2 ·
Sorry to hear about the blowout and problem with the fix-a-flat kit. But I'm glad you were able to at least address everything in a safe and well-lit place.

My last Civic had the OEM spare tire, but my new Si does not. I've considered ordering the kit and tire to have a spare. It would add a little weight to the car, but ironically would actually improve the front to rear weight distribution, making the car a bit more balanced.

I also haven't had a flat tire for many years, but posts like yours do give me some pause. And like you I have AAA, but I'd still rather have the ability to just install a spare tire if necessary.
 
#3 ·
Yea I was back and forth on it for awhile. I figured that in many cases it wouldn't be safe to lay out in the road changing a tire. If I had made it out onto the levy road, even with a spare, I would have had to call AAA anyway rather than risk getting killed. But then there is the equal chance that you end up in a circumstance as I did where I could have had that spare mounted and on my way in less than ten minutes.

This experience brings up another thing to ponder that may well end up costing me even more. I have a 1972 Alfa Romeo, a 1983 Ferrari and a 1997 Ford F-350 and all of them have the original spare tire. To be honest I couldn't guarantee you they've even got air in them. So that's on tomorrow's TODO list as well.
 
#4 ·
We have AAA, but out in the middle of nowhere (Hiway 50 across Nevada for example) AAA is probably hours away. This was the first thing I bought for the Si (ordered it the day I bought the car):


About half of my flats (maybe 7 or 8 over the last 48 years) were ruined tires. Having a spare is a must for my piece of mind.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I don't know, whatever it was flung off and hit the wheel liner (the loud bang I heard) The puncture is in the groove between the treads. I tried to air it up when I got home but it wouldn't hold and slime was oozing out of the hole. Interestingly though, after sitting overnight, when I pulled the wheel off this morning I tried again ands it does hold pressure now. I suppose I could have it plugged but I won't trust it until I get my spare.

EDIT: take that back, checked again after a few hours and it was flat again. I have a repair kit so put a plug in it and it seems to be good now. Enough at least to get me to the tire shop tomorrow.
 
#11 ·
Called the tire shop, they can have one tomorrow morning - $328.47 installed. I guess I'm just going to go for one :confused:. If it turns out it will fit on the spare wheel kit I ordered then I suppose I'll get a second and use the old one for the spare but I doubt that will be the case.
 
#12 ·
Got new tire today. Checked all pressures and took it up to 85 mph on the freeway. Got a TPMS warning light so did the calibration routine and all seems well now. No worse for wear other than my bank account being a few Franklins lighter. I kept the original tire since the plug repair seems to be good so maybe I'll use it as the spare if it will fit the wheel kit I ordered. One thing worth mentioning, this particular case was not due to the low profile nature of these tires. What ever it was that I hit would have punctured any tire and it was a large puncture that no slime could have sealed. Also, when flat, I was able to drive a ways down the road to the spot where I pulled off as well as onto and off the tow truck and back into my garage without any damage to the wheel.
 
#13 ·
I kept the original tire since the plug repair seems to be good so maybe I'll use it as the spare if it will fit the wheel kit I ordered.
I would do the opposite. I would drive fixed tire and keep new in the trunk.
You do not what to be surprized next time you have flat when 'fixed' tire did not hold the air or have any other deficiency.
Use and abuse fixed tire; when it becomes unreliable and not worth fixing it then get another New tire as spare.
 
#14 ·
Update on the spare:

it's a donut (space saver) diameter is the same but a full 235 mm width tire will not fit in the trunk well without raising the cover panel about 4 inches. Kit number is 06421-T38-A11, includes steel wheel, jack, adapter and lug wrench, Local dealer has them in stock. Tire is an additional $116 plus installation cost.

As for why it is being said that this won't fit in the hatchback someone who has one should pull out the Styrofoam filler and verify if that's true.

In the end it's a personal choice as to whether or not you feel it's worth it. Obviously, since I had that flat, I'm spooked and my opinion is biased 🙄
 
#15 · (Edited)
Update on the spare:

it's a donut (space saver) diameter is the same but a full 235 mm width tire will not fit in the trunk well without raising the cover panel about 4 inches. Kit number is 06421-T38-A11, includes steel wheel, jack, adapter and lug wrench, Local dealer has them in stock. Tire is an additional $116 plus installation cost.

As for why it is being said that this won't fit in the hatchback someone who has one should pull out the Styrofoam filler and verify if that's true.

In the end it's a personal choice as to whether or not you feel it's worth it. Obviously, since I had that flat, I'm spooked and my opinion is biased 🙄
I can confirm the hatchback hybrid can't fit a spare.(at least without losing cargo space) Honda has two different spare tire panels for the hatchback. Those that don't have the spare from factory have a shallow spare tire pan which also lacks the spare tire mounting hole

The shallow pan is maybe 1-2 inch deep at most.

Image


Image



I know FL5 (type R) owners have used the FK8 spare tire which also comes with the raised rear panel. Do be aware the FK8/FL5 uses different lug bolt patterns compared to regular civics!

 
#16 ·
As for why it is being said that this won't fit in the hatchback someone who has one should pull out the Styrofoam filler and verify if that's true.
I got rid of the styrofoam tray in my 2025 Hybrid Hatchback, so I could store a tire plug kit and a jump pack under the hatch floor.
There is zero chance a donut spare would fit under there, even if you removed everything else.
 
#19 ·
Ok, WTF ? I'm reading this thread and wondering why some people 🤔 didn't get a spare and how is that possible 🤔, so I go out to admire the spare in my sons brand new Civic and there is certainly a place for one but huh ? I'm old, but just assumed a spare tire HAD to be in there, if not legally, morally. But hell, I wouldn't trust today's youth to actually work the jack and lug nuts anyway so maybe it's best...
 
#25 ·
Spare Me

$104 for the Honda kit 06421-T38-A11
$116 for the tire 125/80R17 Continental
$15 to mount the tire

Best for me is having a full size spare, second best is having a temporary spare.
Finally had the tire mounted today. No balance, not needed for low speed temp. tire.
Planned to get a Haida brand spare & save some money. The supply dried up.
Too many unrepairable flats in the past.
 
#43 ·
Got the kit today $20 to mount tire without balancing so total was around $300. It's worth it for my piece of mind I'll still carry the fix-a-flat stuff too and give it first shot if it ever happens again.

View attachment 25049
Can you confirm what size tire you had installed? I ordered the same spare kit, then the 125/80R17 Continental sContact spare tire from Tire Rack. The tire looks thinner than the actual rim, so I went back on Tire Rack and the specs say it's for rims between 3-4" in width. I measured the rim and it's right at 5".
 
#28 ·
I'm a little confused as to what car/year this is for as you never said. Is it for a 2025 Civic Si (as you elsewhere said you own one)? If so, does the Si normally come with this large spare tire wheel wheel and a bolt hole that this spare can bolt into, yet there's no option to get a spare when you buy the car (only a fix-a-flat kit)? Also are all the 11th gen Si's the same way?
 
#29 ·
I have a 2025 Civic Sport Touring hybrid sedan. There was no option for a spare but you can buy the entire kit from the parts department at the dealership and it fits in the well just fine however it is my understanding that this is not the case for the hatchback. I have no idea about the Si as I don't have one.
 
#39 · (Edited)
Has anyone tried their new 06421-T38-A11 on the wheel to see if its all good? I’m about to order one but all online Honda parts websites that I contacted are saying it’s not a fit and there’s no part for the hybrids. I’m thinking they’re just checking their databases and saying no fit, if they don't see it in their list of vehicle's VIN?
 
#40 ·
Has anyone tried their new 06421-T38-A11 on the wheel to see if its all good? I’m about to order one but all online Honda parts websites that I contacted are saying it’s not a fit and there’s no part for the hybrids. I’m thinking they’re just checking their databases and saying no fit it they dont see it in their list of vehicles VINs?
I haven't actually mounted it but I went out and took some measurements. The distances between the lug holes and the diameter of the wheel with tire are identical to what is on the car.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Thanks - for your set, did you order it online or get it from a local dealership? None of the locals here provide the same item costs, they are a lot more expensive. If online, could you let me know which vendor it was?

Could you also confirm your tire size? Your above post says Continental 125/80R17 , but the part that the parts people are giving out is 42751-KEN-013, which is 125/85D16, which is a 16"?

Thank you.
 
#44 ·
From Continental's website:

Measurements
Size125/80R17
Section Width125 Millimeters
Tire Aspect Ratio80
Tread Depth3 32nds
Rim Width5 Inches
Tire Diameter24.9 inches
Item Dimensions24.87 x 5 x 24.87 inches
Item Weight9.7 Pounds