Does Cadillac XT4 Have A Spare Tire? (Let’s See)
In a bid to make newer automobiles more fuel-efficient and lightweight, car manufacturers, including General Motors, ceased the production of spare tires.
The substitute for spare tires became standard inflation kits or run-flat tires, which are not the same as regular spare tires.
However, most drivers are unaware of this and have faced costly repercussions while driving.
Therefore, with Cadillac’s numerous models and luxury trims, how do you know if your Cadillac XT4 comes with a spare tire?
Regardless of the model or luxury trim, it belongs to, all Cadillac XT4s produced between 2013-present do not have full-sized Cadillac spare tires. Instead, they only come with standard inflation kits or optional compact spare tires.
Does a Cadillac XT4 Have a Spare Tire?
Cadillac XT4s do not come with full-sized spare tires due to General motors opting for the lightweight and more fuel-efficient standard inflation kits and optional compact spare tires to improve the Cadillac user experience.
The standard kit or compact spare tire resides underneath the floor carpet of the car’s trunk.
From the outlook, the space allocated for the standard inflation spare kit or compact spare tire is quite big and looks like a design to fit a regular-sized Cadillac spare tire.
But you can rest assured there isn’t any.
Does the Inflation Kit Serve Better than a Spare Tire?
The standard inflation kit is also called an inflator or mobility kit.
Due to its compactness and lightweight, which significantly drives production costs, most car manufacturers favor it over even the compact spare tires.
And as such, over the years, newer models have come with standard inflation kits instead of compact spare tires.
The standard inflation kit contains an air compressor with a hose attached to it and an integrated bottle of a sticky tire sealant.
The inflator-kit hose connects to the tire’s valve, and the air compressor is turned on.
Once switched on, the sealant is injected into the tire as the compressor inflates it.
The sealant patches the puncture hole temporarily and keeps the inflated air locked inside the tire in the meantime.
The benefit of using standard inflation kits is that it is less stressful, as there is no need for a jack to hold the car up for you to replace the tire.
Instead, it simply pumps air in as the sealant holds it in so the driver can quickly get back on the road.
Also, the standard inflation spare kit could come in very handy for the driver during bad weather conditions or when running late for an appointment, as it is very easy and fast to set up.
Nevertheless, standard inflation kits bear certain restrictions which limit their capabilities.
You can only use standard inflation kits if the puncture is on top of the Cadillac spare tire’s thread.
In addition, you cannot use it if the size of the puncture is larger than 4 millimeters or if the puncture is on the sidewall of the Cadillac spare tire.
In cases like that, you need to call roadside assistance and have your vehicle towed to the nearest tire shop, service station, or dealer for check-ups.
While they fix the flat tire, they should clean out the solid rubbery sealant substance thoroughly from the tire’s interior.
This step is a precautionary measure you must heed because if the sealant does not contain the right anti-corrosive ingredients, it could damage the tire and the wheel.
Also, after a repair, the vehicle owner must replace the old bottle of sealant by procuring a new one.
The standard inflation kit only holds sealant fluid for one application and no more.
Is a Compact Tire Better than a Full-Size Spare Tire?
The compact spare tire functions quite similarly to a regular Cadillac spare tire.
Only it is smaller and lighter in weight than the Cadillac spare tire. Compact spare tires are also called “donuts.”
Compact spare tires can fit into the trunk of the Cadillac without taking up much space or putting excessive weight on the vehicle, unlike regular spare tires.
Compact spare tires are commonly preferred since they offer good balance alignment for the car due to similarities in height measurement with regular Cadillac spare tires.
They are also fitted in the same way as regular Cadillac spare tires fit when changing tires.
So they require customary tire changing tools like the carjack and lug wrenches when putting the tire in place.
Although compact spare tires eliminate the issue of weight in the car.
Which draws on its fuel consumption while remaining significantly lighter than its predecessor, compact spare tires don’t serve as capably as regular Cadillac spare tires. Read more to know whether Cadillac XT4 has Remote Start or not?
They come with limited speed limits written on the tires’ sidewalls that you should not exceed.
They also have limited lifespans, so they don’t last for very long.
Most compact spare tires have a limited speed range between 50-55 miles per hour (mph), but to be completely certain, it is best to check your Cadillac owner manual or the sidewall of your Compact spare tire.
Also, consult your Cadillac owner manual before even attempting to fix the Compact spare tire.
As outlined in the Cadillac owner manual, compact spare tires were solely made for temporary and emergency use only.
Hence, it would be best if you only used them long enough to get you to the nearest tire store or service station where you can fix your punctured Cadillac spare tire properly or a new one put in place, depending on the severity of the damage done to the tire.
Compact spare tires cannot withstand everyday rough road conditions like conventional car spare tires.
Therefore, holding off tire repairs or replacement thinking the compact spare tire would serve and still survive is unwise.
You should not drive on compact spare tires for more than 50 or 60 miles.
Aside from the compact spare tire getting punctured over time with continued use, there could be uneven tire wear from driving in the long run compared with the other normal-sized tires.
This situation could potentially take a toll on the Cadillac’s steering and suspension system.
Therefore, you should carry out all tire repairs as quickly as possible or buy and install a replacement immediately.
Choosing to keep driving with the Cadillac’s compact spare tire could lead to disastrous or possibly fatal consequences to the vehicle, driver, passengers, and other vehicles plying the road.
Note that compact spare tires come with unique specifications peculiar to the specific make and model of the Cadillac.
Therefore, you cannot interchange compact spare tires with cars of different makes or models.
Other alternatives to full-sized spare tires include run-flat tires and self-sealing tires.
Some Cadillac models make use of run-flat tires as spare substitutes. Examples are the Cadillac ATS models.
Conclusion
Cadillac XT4 does not come with regular full-sized spare tires. Instead, recent models come with inflation kits or optional compact spare tires.
Inflation kits last so long as the puncture is not on the tire’s sidewall and holes are not larger than 4 mm.
Compact tires are only for temporary use, so you should immediately get better tires.
