We own a 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD with approximately 24,000 miles on it. These come standard with run-flat tires and no spare and no room for a spare. After the expense of having three of the run flats replaced before 20,000 miles (at about $300 a tire), I decided to get rid of the run-flats and replace them with regular tires of the same size (235/55 R 18). I don’t know what to do now about the lack of spare. I do have AAA. Should I just get a tire fixer set up (with air and sealant)? Or should I try to I get a spare donut tire to put somewhere in the car? (If the spare, how do I go about getting one that is the right size?) Or just fix a flat? Or just rely on AAA? I would appreciate any advice.
I thought the Sienna had the mini spare under the rear floor.
If yours has none now, look to see if that’s where it will fit when you get one.
( we’ve had many a Focus come with no spare yet there is a place for it if the customer so chooses. )
I’d carry a can of Fix-A-Flat. But you have to remember this type of product is limited depending on the damage to the tire.
The problem with a limited-service spare tire is, it has to be one that the manufacturer of the vehicle recommends. Using a limited-service spare from another vehicle can cause damage to the drive train.
Tester
Perhaps the AWD system is the reason they didn’t put one in ?
Good point there. Read the owner’s manual to see or ask the dealer.
Let’s assume that there is no space for a spare under the rear compartment because of the AWD. I would buy a full size rim, which I prefer for AWD and would not use a mini spare because of the different size that could damaged AWD by using, mount a full size tire with the same diameter but not the same width on it and put it in a plastic bag then store it in the rear space. I would not travel without a spare under any circumstances without run flat tires. You will have to work around the loss of storage space. You can do this as these vehicles are plenty big to begin with. I have faith in you. The option of using a mini spare fromToyota with THE SAME CIRCUMFERANCE to give you a little more storage is a good @tester mentioned option.
I had a 2010 Camaro. I got it home and checking everything out. Popped open the spare tire deck and in the spare wheel well was the battery, air compressor and slime. I called the dealership as well as GM and let them know my thoughts. Not all flats can be repaired with slime. We was driving on a desert road in New Mexico and the thought of no spare and no cell phone service was weighing heavy on my mind. I don’t know why the manufacturers are eliminating spare tires other than $$
Almost no auto companies provide a mini spare anymore let alone a full size spare. In addition to saving the cost of a rim and tire, this saves weight and therefore increases gas mileage. Gotta meet the new CAFE regulations.
I would be content to carry an air compressor and temporary repair in lieu of any spare tire, full-size or not. Changing a tire, roadside, can be a dicey proposition and i prefer making a “get home repair” with all four wheels on the ground–and save tire changing for a time where I have jackstands, all my tools, and don’t have semis whizzing by me. (I do prefer “sticky rope” plugs to cans of Slime).////Let AAA handle anything I cant fix on-the-spot. Obviously my opinion woyld change if I did much driving in truly desolate regions without cell coverage, etc.
I would not own a vehicle with this type of limitation…But if I had no choice, I would MAKE ROOM for a full-sized spare tire…Usually, today, when you realize you have a flat, by the time you stop, there is not much left of the tire…WAY beyond Fix-A-Flat…
Spare tires aren’t made to be a primary tire so with that being said i would go to the local junkyard and specifically look for a size 15 to 16 inch rim and tire 18 inch may be harder to find. That way in the situation of a flat tire you can switch tires to make it home on the vehicle.
Todays AWD vehicles won’t tolerate any difference in tire circumference. The AWD system can be damaged quickly…
As a matter of fact, Tester, I seem to remember a thread awhile back wherein it was disclosed that some manuals now recommend that if you get a flat on a drive wheel, you move a full size tire from a nondriven wheel, move it to the driven end of the car, and put the doughtnut on the nondriven axle. If I recall eth thread correctly, it was pointed out that they only provide one jack, making following the manual’s recommendations impossible. Unless, of course, Superman flies in to hold up one corner of the car so the switch can be made.
I hope eventually someone comes up with a useful solution to the problem. If not, all cars will end up coming with low-rolling-resistance run-flat tires to meet CAFE demands, and my guess is that they’ll ride terribly.
Now we can get into the debate about whether a run flat without air will produce a smaller rolling diameter than a full one. Better yet, let’s not. I’ll willingly take the “hit” in suggesting we avoid that debate {
I would be reluctant to use Slime/Fix-A-Flat in a wheel with internal TPMS sensor.
To put spare on undriven wheel, first jack up an undriven wheel (away from traffic) and replace with the spare. Then jack up flat tire and replace with tire removed from undriven position. Superman not needed.
" If I recall eth thread correctly, it was pointed out that they only provide one jack, making following the manual’s recommendations impossible. Unless, of course, Superman flies in to hold up one corner of the car so the switch can be made.
Jack up the car, remove the needed tire, replace with temporary tire. Remove jack, place at flat tire, remove flat, install full-size tire, button it up and head down the road…
I wish I had done this with a '92 Crown Vic which came with a donut spare…After 250 miles on the rear, new tire obtained, 1000 more miles, rear-end locked up…Installed salvage yard rear end, obtained full-size spare tire and wheel. Lesson learned…
Humbled again.
I would not want to do that at night in a snowstorm, changing one wheel is bad enough under bad conditions, two would be terrible, but you’ve definitely solved the puzzle for me.
Sincere thanks.
Yeah that’s how I rotate my tires every 5000 miles which is excessive but that’s when I clean the inside of the wheel which is why I do it myself. Now some will say that I’m causing undue pollution or damage to the environment by rotating my tires ahead of schedule, but I don’t drink or chase women so what else would I do?
@Bing, I’m at a loss. How does rotating your tires every 5000 miles CAUSE pollution? It seems to me to prevent pollution by allowing the tires to wear more evenly, extending their life. Just wondering.
“I would not own a vehicle with this type of limitation…But if I had no choice, I would MAKE ROOM for a full-sized spare tire…Usually, today, when you realize you have a flat, by the time you stop, there is not much left of the tire…WAY beyond Fix-A-Flat…”
+++++ !
If I was in the OP’s situation, I would troll junk yards until I could find an appropriate full-size rim and tire, and would then find a way to fasten it securely in the cargo area of the van. Yes, this will limit your cargo-carrying ability, but that is the price that one pays for failure to do sufficient due diligence prior to buying the vehicle in the first place. Personally, I cannot imagine buying a vehicle without being aware of the lack of a spare tire.
I started thinking about the last time I actually used a spare tire. It’s been over 3 decades. In my younger, and poorer years, I used the spare tire all the time. Since I keep new tires on my vehicles and watch their wear and condition, including my wife’s vehicle, I really see no need to carry a spare tire. I do carry a portable air compressor and quality tire plug kit and always will.
I would get a full size spare and find a place to store it inside the vehicle.
No matter what you do, make sure your spare tire is securely fastened in place so it doesn’t become a projectile in a collision.