Eddig nem volt defektem.

Eddig means so far, up to now, or until this point.

In Eddig nem volt defektem, it sets a time limit: from the past up to now, this has not happened to me.

So the sentence is not just I didn’t have a flat tire at some point in the past; it means I haven’t had a flat tire so far.

Hungarian does not usually use a separate verb equivalent to English to have in sentences like this.

Instead, possession is expressed with:

• the thing possessed
• a possessive ending on that noun
• and usually van / volt (is / was)

So:

• defektem van = literally my puncture is → natural English: I have a flat tire
• defektem volt = literally my puncture was → natural English: I had a flat tire

So volt is not strange here; it is the normal Hungarian way to say had in this kind of structure.

Because defektem is defekt + -em.

• defekt = puncture, flat tire
• -em = my

So defektem literally means my puncture / my flat tire.

Hungarian often expresses possession this way:

• autóm van = I have a car
• kutyám van = I have a dog
• defektem van = I have a flat tire

So the person is marked on the noun, not on a separate word like English my.

Because in this Hungarian possession structure, the verb agrees with the possessed thing, not with the possessor.

Here, the possessed thing is defektem = my flat tire, which is singular. So the verb is singular:

• defektem volt = I had a flat tire
• defektjeim voltak = I had flat tires / I had punctures

So even though the meaning involves I, the verb stays third person singular because the noun being talked about is singular.

Because defektem is not a direct object here. It is a possessed noun.

Compare:

• Láttam a defektet. = I saw the puncture / flat tire.
  Here defektet is an object in the accusative.

• Defektem volt. = I had a flat tire.
  Here defektem means my flat tire, so it takes a possessive ending, not the accusative.

A learner often expects a structure like I had X, where X is an object. But Hungarian is using a possession pattern instead.

Because Hungarian usually builds my directly into the noun with a possessive suffix.

So:

• defektem already means my flat tire
• autóm = my car
• könyvem = my book

You can add az én for strong emphasis or contrast, but normally you do not need it.

So:

• defektem volt = normal, natural
• az én defektem volt = it was my flat tire / strongly emphasized, usually not needed here

Hungarian can include the possessor separately, but it is often omitted because the possessive ending already tells you who the possessor is.

So both are possible:

• Nem volt defektem. = I didn’t have a flat tire.
• Nekem nem volt defektem. = I didn’t have a flat tire. / As for me, I didn’t have a flat tire.

Adding nekem gives extra emphasis or contrast. Without it, the sentence is more neutral and natural in most contexts.

Because Hungarian does not have a tense that works exactly like the English present perfect.

English often says:

• I haven’t had a flat tire so far.

Hungarian commonly uses the past tense with a word like eddig:

• Eddig nem volt defektem.

So although volt is past tense, the whole sentence can correspond very naturally to English haven’t had when the idea is up to now.

This is very common: Hungarian simple past often covers meanings that English expresses with the present perfect.

Defekt usually means a puncture or a flat tire.

In everyday English, the best translation in this sentence is often flat tire.

So:

• defektem volt = I had a flat tire

Depending on context, puncture may also be correct, but flat tire is usually the more natural everyday translation.

Because possessed nouns in this kind of sentence usually appear without an article.

So:

• defektem volt = natural
• a defektem volt would sound like it was my flat tire, referring to a specific known flat tire

In other words:

• no article = general possession statement
• definite article = a more specific or contrastive meaning

Here the sentence is simply saying that such an experience has not happened to the speaker so far, so the article is not used.

Yes, Még nem volt defektem is also natural.

The difference is small, but the emphasis is a little different:

• Eddig nem volt defektem. = So far, I haven’t had a flat tire.
  Focus on up to this point.

• Még nem volt defektem. = I haven’t had a flat tire yet.
  Focus on not yet, with a slight sense that it could still happen later.

In many situations they are very close, but eddig is more about until now, while még is more about not yet.

The sentence as given, Eddig nem volt defektem, is completely natural.

Hungarian word order is fairly flexible, but changes in order often shift emphasis.

For example:

• Eddig nem volt defektem. = neutral, so far I haven’t had a flat tire
• Nem volt eddig defektem. = possible, but less neutral; stronger focus on the negation
• Defektem eddig nem volt. = more marked; emphasis on flat tire

So yes, the order can change, but the original version is a very normal way to say it.

A very useful pattern is:

• (Nekem) valamim van. = I have something.
• (Nekem) valamim volt. = I had something.
• (Nekem) nem volt valamim. = I didn’t have something.

Examples:

• Autóm van. = I have a car.
• Kutyám volt. = I had a dog.
• Nem volt pénzem. = I didn’t have money.
• Eddig nem volt defektem. = So far I haven’t had a flat tire.

If you learn this possession pattern well, many Hungarian sentences will suddenly make much more sense.