How Far and How Fast Can You Drive on a Spare Tire?
How fast and how far you can drive on your spare: the figure your carmaker’s own manual prints, or the tire maker’s.
Compact spare · any make · 20 mi to the shop
Under 50 mph for about 50 to 70 miles on a compact spareSpeed: Goodyear. Distance: Goodyear, an average for compact spares. Your 20 miles to the shop take about 24 minutes at 50 mph.
Generally speaking, it Is not recommended to exceed 50 mph when driving on a compact spare tire, as they are not built for faster highway speeds.
(Goodyear’s own page)
How many miles your vehicle can drive on its spare can vary, but on average, compact spare tire are designed to take you about 50 to 70 miles.
(Goodyear)
Other makers’ manuals for this kind of spare: Chevrolet 50 mph, Ford 50 mph, Honda 50 mph, Hyundai 50 mph, Kia 50 mph, Nissan 50 mph.
Read 2026-10-03: each carmaker’s own owner’s manual and the tire makers’ own pages. Your own car’s manual, and the label on the spare, come first.
Top speed on each kind of spare, in each carmaker’s owner’s manual
| Make | Compact "donut" | Full-size, TEMPORARY USE ONLY | Full-size, not matching | Sealant kit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet | 50 mph | 70 mph (55 towing) | — | — |
| Ford | 50 mph | 50 mph | 70 mph | 50 mph, 120 mi |
| Honda | 50 mph | — | — | — |
| Hyundai | 50 mph | — | — | — |
| Kia | 50 mph | — | — | — |
| Nissan | 50 mph | — | — | — |
| Toyota | not read | not read | not read | not read |
Quick answer: Under 50 mph on a small “donut” spare: Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan all print 50 mph in their owner’s manuals, and none of them prints a distance. Goodyear says compact spares are designed for about 50 to 70 miles on average, and Bridgestone gives its run-flats up to 50 miles at up to 50 mph.
How to use it
Pick the kind of spare you have, your car’s make and how far the nearest tire shop is. The answer gives the top speed and, where a maker prints one, the distance, with whose figure each one is, and how long the drive takes at that speed. The maker’s own words are under it, and the table compares every make’s manual.
Which spare do you have?
- A compact “donut” spare: smaller and narrower than your tires, its size starting with a T, often marked TEMPORARY USE ONLY.
- A full-size spare marked TEMPORARY USE ONLY: as big as your tires, with that label on the wheel or the sidewall.
- A full-size spare that does not match: as big as your tires but a different brand, size or wheel, with no label.
- A full-size spare that matches: the same tire and wheel as the other four.
- No spare: run-flat tires (RFT, ZP, SSR or “run flat” on the sidewall), or a sealant and inflator kit in the trunk.
What each maker prints
Every carmaker’s manual we read sets 50 mph on a compact spare. Chevrolet’s: The compact spare tire or temporary use tire should not be driven at speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
Honda’s: When driving with the compact spare tire, keep the vehicle speed under 50 mph (80 km/h). Replace with a regular tire as soon as possible.
None gives a distance. Toyota’s manuals refused every reader we tried, so Toyota is left out rather than copied from someone else.
The full-size spares differ by maker. Ford’s manual sets 50 mph on a full-size spare labelled for temporary use and 70 mph on one that simply does not match. Chevrolet’s sets 70 mph on its temporary full-size spare, or 55 mph pulling a trailer: This spare tire should not be driven on over 112 km/h (70 mph), or 88 km/h (55 mph) when pulling a trailer, at the proper inflation pressure.
Without a spare: Ford’s sealant kit allowing you to drive your vehicle up to 120 mi (200 km) at a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h) to reach a tire service location
. Bridgestone’s run-flats go for up to 50 miles (80 km) at speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h)
, and Bridgestone adds: Always check your manufacturer’s specifications for maximum distance and speed.
Worked examples
A donut on a Honda, 15 miles from a tire shop. Keep it under 50 mph, Honda’s manual says, and replace it as soon as possible. Fifteen miles at 50 mph is about 18 minutes, well inside the 50 to 70 miles Goodyear gives compact spares.
A donut, 90 miles from the next town. At 50 mph that is about 1 h 48 min, past Goodyear’s 50 to 70 miles. Find a nearer tire shop or call for a tow.
A Chevrolet truck’s temporary full-size spare, towing a camper. Its manual sets 55 mph pulling a trailer, 70 mph without one.
A Ford sealed with its kit, 150 miles from home. Ford’s manual allows up to 120 miles at up to 50 mph, so the tire shop has to come first.
Common mistakes
- Taking the donut onto the interstate at 70 mph. Kia’s manual:
Under no circumstances should you exceed 50 mph (80 km/h); a higher speed could damage the tire.
- Treating a full-size spare as a permanent fix when it does not match. Ford still caps it at 70 mph and says to replace it as soon as possible.
- Keeping the run-flat going after the light comes on. Bridgestone’s 50 miles is the most, not a target.
- Driving on a sealed tire for the rest of the trip. Ford’s kit is a repair to reach a tire service location, not to finish the drive.
Before the next road trip
Check the spare along with the rest: the road trip essentials, the gear that keeps a winter road trip safe and how to prepare for a road trip to Florida. Planning one? Start with the road trips you can plan in a weekend. Read your tires’ age with the Tire Date Code Checker and price the drive with the Road Trip Cost Calculator.
FAQ
How long can you drive on a spare tire?
On a compact spare, about 50 to 70 miles on average, says Goodyear, just far enough to reach a tire shop. None of the six carmaker manuals we read prints a distance: they say to replace it as soon as possible.
How far can you drive on a spare tire?
Goodyear gives compact spares about 50 to 70 miles on average. Ford’s sealant kit allows up to 120 miles, and Bridgestone’s run-flats up to 50 miles, each at up to 50 mph.
How fast can you drive on a spare tire?
50 mph on a compact spare: Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan all print it. On a full-size spare it depends on the maker: Ford sets 50 mph on one labelled for temporary use and 70 mph on one that does not match; Chevrolet sets 70 mph, 55 mph pulling a trailer.
How many miles can you drive on a spare tire?
About 50 to 70 on a compact spare, says Goodyear. Your owner’s manual comes first: Honda’s says to replace the compact spare with a regular tire as soon as possible.
How far can you drive on a donut?
A donut is a compact spare: about 50 to 70 miles on average (Goodyear), at no more than 50 mph (every carmaker manual we read).
How far can you drive on a run flat tire?
Up to 50 miles at up to 50 mph on Bridgestone’s run-flats; Pirelli says around 50 miles under 50 mph. Your car’s manual can set a different distance.