What Should You Do
If you get a flat, be sure to change it out as soon as possible. If your car doesnt come with a spare tire and instead comes with tire sealant, make sure to apply the sealant properly. If you have no choice but to drive your car on a flat, make sure to do so slowly and carefully. Although, if you are a considerable distance from the nearest service station and you need to go through the highway, it would be best to call a tow truck or a flatbed to minimize the damage to your car.
Pull Over Safely Away From Other Vehicles
When you get a flat tire at night, you should immediately stop driving and pull over safely away from other vehicles. Never go any further than necessary when you are on a flat tire.
Otherwise, you risk damaging your wheel and ruining any chance of the tire being repaired. You will surely need to turn on the lights to alert the other drivers and make your car noticeable at night.
Does Insurance Cover Flat Tires
In short, no. For example, if you get a flat tire because you run over a sharp object or drive on worn tires, your auto policy won?t cover repairs. Additional options like roadside assistance can provide help if you experience unexpected tire-related issues on the road.
Don’t Miss: Tire Shop Warner Robins Ga
What Should You Do When You Get A Flat Tire
If you notice a flat tire when your car is parked:
1. Inspect it
Gently run your hands along the back and front of the tire to see if you can spot any foreign objects such as a nail or an industrial staple in the tread or sidewall. If you cant see anything, your tire might just be low on air.
2. Put on your spare tire
Tire manufacturers recommend you replace a tire that is flat or damaged with the spare, and take the flat or damaged tire to a tire service centre right away. If you bought your tire at Kal Tire and it is repairable, our Customer Care Plan lets us fix it for free, so bring the flat tire to a Kal Tire near you.
If you notice a flat tire when youre driving:
If you dont hear your tire going flat, youre going to feel it. When you have a flat tire and youre driving, itll feel like your vehicle is being pulled to the side of the flat tire, and itll feel like you cant accelerate.
1. Safely pull over
Its important to stay calm and, instead of slamming on your brakes, gently apply increasing pressure so you can maintain control of the vehicle.
Get as far to the edge of the road as you can, hopefully in a shoulder area with a bit of extra space. Its important to give yourself as much room as possible so youre not at risk of being hit by passing vehicles. If you have safety cones, set them down behind your vehicle to give other drivers an extra warning.
2. Put on your spare tire
Raise The Vehicle With The Jack
To prevent the jack from settling under the weight of your vehicle and coming off balance, place a small cut of 2×6â wood beneath it before attempting to raise your vehicle. This tactic is especially helpful on asphalt.
With the jack properly positioned, raise the vehicle until the flat tire is about six inches above the ground.
Never put any part of your body under the vehicle during or after raising the vehicle with the jack.
Recommended Reading: Mavis Tire Forked River Nj
How Can I Tell If My Flooring Has Asbestos In It
Look for residue of old flooring tiles that may have contained asbestos. Many old flooring tiles that contained asbestos were designed and arranged in a 9 in by 9 in pattern. If you?re renovating a building or redoing the flooring in a room, look for the pattern of older tiles that could indicate that asbestos tiles were present.
Remove The Hubcap Or Wheel Cover
If your vehicle has a hubcap covering the lug nuts, itâs easier to remove the hubcap before lifting the vehicle with the jack. If your lug nuts are exposed, you can skip ahead to Step 6.
Use the flat end of your lug wrench to remove the hubcap. This will work for most vehicles, but some hubcaps need a different tool to come off. Consult your ownerâs manual for proper hubcap or wheel cover removal procedures.
Read Also: St Lucie Battery And Tire Palm City
How We Make Money
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to stricteditorial integrity,this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here’s an explanation of how we make money.Our content is backed byCoverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity . For more information, please see ourInsurance Disclosure
What To Do If My Tire Is Completely Flat
If your tire is completely flat, the first thing you should do is park your vehicle in a safe place, turn off the engine, apply the parking brake, and turn on the hazard lights. Then, if you have a spare tire, you can jack up the vehicle and replace the flat tire with the spare. That should do the trick!
Don’t Miss: Tire Shops In Gallup Nm
Can You Drive On A Flat Tire
That depends on your car. These days, many luxury and performance vehicles from automakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac come equipped with run-flat tires. As the name suggests, these types of tires are designed to allow you to drive for about 100 miles with no air pressure, so you can safely drive to get your flat repaired.
However, if your car has conventional tires, driving any distance on a flat is always a bad idea. If you dont pull over immediately, you can do irreparable damage to the tire and may even destroy your wheel.
Shifting Away From Supplying Spares
Donut tires were a mainstay for many years, providing a backup emergency tire to keep drivers from being stranded by the side of the road. Some manufacturers now offer a spare tire as an optional purchase instead of making it a standard feature.
Do new cars come with spare tires? Why the change? For some cars such as sports cars and certain minivans new configurations made it impossible to include a spare tire in the design. But the bigger answer lies in the push for automakers to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Theres a lot of pressure on manufacturers to make cars more efficient, and one way to do that is to reduce their weight, Petersen says. Getting rid of a spare tire, jack and tools can lighten the load and make it more efficient.
Changing times may also play a role in our new approach to changing tires. Today, Petersen points out, most people have a cellphone and can call for help, or they may have a program such as OnStar that lets them reach out when they need assistance.
The reality is, people dont have a flat that often, and when they do, most people arent going to change their own tire anymore, he says.
You May Like: What Should The Tire Pressure Be
Things To Do When You Get A Flat Tire
Experiencing a flat tire is a right of passage for drivers. Many drivers despite years of driving experience dont know how to deal with a flat tire and slip into a panicked state. These stressful situations require help from a professional roadside assistance service or a car towing company.
This blog post highlights some of the things you can do when met with a flat tire problem.
What To Do When You Have A Flat Tire In A Parked Situation
Okay, so you walk out of your house or place of employment, ready to go and you notice that your car is a little lopsided. As you approach closer to inspect your vehicle you see that one of your tires is flattened resting comfortably on the ground. While this is inconvenient it is better than having a blowout as you are driving down the road.
Also Check: 13.6 28 Tractor Tire
Slow Down Maintain Control And Find A Safe Place To Park
If you think your tire is flat, the first thing to do is to slow down, put your flashers on and pull over to a safe place ideally off the road or highway. If you can exit the highway, all the better. Dont drive very far or fast on a flat tire or you risk ruining the tire rims these cost a lot more to replace than just the tire.
If youre on the highwayand that is a common place for tire damage to occurpay close attention to controlling the car. Without a fully functioning tire you can lose all wheel drive capability and other safety functions like lane keep assist and the car can be more difficult to steer.
Text messages from Lincolns road side assistance desk kept me apprised of the technicians arrival time. ? Scotty Reiss
Replace The Flat Tire
If you have the right skills and you have the right tools, you can go ahead and replace the flat tire. However, for many inexperienced drivers, this mission could be almost impossible. You don’t need to panic because you still have some other expert recommendations regarding what needs to be done whenever you deal with a flat tire at night.
Recommended Reading: 205 75r15 Trailer Tire And Wheel
How To Inspect Your Tires
Look over the tires for uneven wear and damage that could warrant their replacement. Pay attention to both the tread and the sidewalls. A nail, screw, or tear may not be obvious, or even causing a significant leak, but they can lead to serious problems later.
Check the inflation when the tires are cold , referencing the sticker in the driver’s doorjamb for the recommended air pressure. Check the spare tire while you’re at it, if the car has one.
Measure tread depth with a quarter. If the top of George Washington’s head is just visible when placed in a tread groove, the tread has about a 432-inch depth. That’s enough to offer some all-weather grip, but it signals the time to start thinking about replacement.
Tires truly need to be replaced by 232 inch, as measured using a penny and Abraham Lincoln’s head. By 232 inch, tires have significantly reduced wet traction and resistance to hydroplaningskimming on water.
Perform these simple steps monthly to keep your tires in good shape and reduce the risk of problems.
Also remember to have your tires rotated, which can extend their life and help them to wear evenly. The owner’s manual should advise on the frequency. In absence of automaker guidance, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association recommends rotating tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.
Dont Surpass The Tire Load Limit
Tires have a maximum load rating and maximum pressure printed on the sidewall in addition to the recommended tire pressure. A tire blowout could result from exceeding your tires load capacity because heavier loads put more stress on the tires.
Always be aware of how much weight you are loading into your car, and if necessary, increase the tire pressure to support the additional weight while staying within the maximum tire pressure.
Don’t Miss: Discount Tire And Service Center
How Far Can You Drive On A Flat Tire
According to yourmechanic.com you can potentially drive for several hundred yards at a low speed on a flat tire. Safety is of primary concern here, as was mentioned above, you want to find a safe place to get off the road. So, if you have to drive for a few hundred yards on a flat you can do so.
You dont want to come to a dead stop in the middle of the road, which will create a whole new set of problems. Slow your vehicle down to around 15-20 MPH. This will allow you to maintain control of your vehicle and get you to a safe location to repair your tire.
Keep in mind that the longer you drive on a flat tire the more damage you will do to the tire. Driving 15-20 MPH for several hundred yards will most likely destroy the tire. Remember, though, that safety is paramount, and a new tire is a small price to pay.
This is not talking about a tire blow out. With a tire blowout, you dont have the luxury of driving a few hundred yards. You need to get off the road as quickly and safely as possible.
Avoid Very Low And Very High Temperatures
As there are many different categories of tires, some of them made for summer driving and some for winter driving. To keep your tires running smoothly and longer, you should not reach the maximum temperature, because too-cold weather drops the air from the tire, and too-hot weather warms up the tire, which is not a good sign. Just drive above or below the maximum temperature range to increase your tire life.
Recommended Reading: How To Fix Bubble In Tire
What Are Common Causes Of A Flat Tire
As tires wear, they become more prone to puncture and damage. There are a number of issues that can cause a flat tire, including:
- Punctures: A puncture occurs when your tire runs over a sharp object such as a nail, a shard of glass or a piece of metal.
- Road hazards: The shock from hitting a pothole or driving over rough, uneven pavement can do enough damage to cause a flat tire.
- Air leaks: Over time, your tire can develop a leak around the bead area or in the valve stem . While these leaks may be slow at first, they can eventually lead to a flat tire.
- Wear and tear: Tires dont last forever. As they wear, low tread levels or cracked, aging rubber can cause leaks.
- Vandalism: Sadly, its not uncommon for tires to be targeted during acts of vandalism. When this happens, they can be cut, punctured or deflated.
Is It Possible To Drive On A Lowered Wheel
Embraceyourfeelings.Weebly.com
Repair of a wheel pierced in the road may become a serious problem, and there is no reserve in the car, and there is no reserve in the car, and there is no reserve and up to the closest point. tire service many kilometers
Maxim Stroker
Anything happens on the road, including punctures, cuts and other damage to tires. Most automakers are trying to complete their cars for the Russian market, if not with a full-fledged spare wheel, then at least with a “roll-out”. However, some car models instead receive only a can of anti-puncture chemistry, which, after pumping into the wheel, in theory, should close up a hole in the rubber by itself. However, it happens that either the “stowaway” with the “reserve” was out of order even earlier, or the hole in the wheel is such that no magic “chemistry” can cope – for example, in the case of a side cut. And what to do in such a situation? Somehow you need to get to the tire fitting!
Learn more
Recommended Reading: Town Fair Tire Littleton Nh
Do Not Overstress The Vehicle
Overloading the vehicle can cause stress to the engine and the different components, including the tires. The tires are designed to withstand a certain load if you overload the vehicle, these areas can go flat in no time. Unfortunately, there is no specific time for when the tires will go flat, and this situation can often happen at night.
How Long Can You Drive With A Flat Tire
Factors that determine the expected distance include speed, terrain, weather conditions, vehicle load, driving style, etc. On average, a flat tire handles 50 miles at no more than 50 mph.
For fix-a-flat ones, mileage never exceeds 100 miles. Keep in mind that it is not a permanent solution as the tire is not properly inflated.
Recommended Reading: Bj’s Tire Promo Code
Driving On A Spare Tire Another Caution To Consider
Just 15 minutes later and I was on my way. I had about an hour drive on the highway to get home. The spare tire can go the distance but not at the same speeds I am used to for highway driving. Spare tires have a suggested speed limit of 50 MPH I could drive closer to 60 but not much more. If I forgot and drove faster I found the car harder to control.
And, not all the driver assist features work when the spare tire is in use. I noticed that the all wheel drive, adaptive cruise and lane keep assist functions didnt work. The system detected the difference in wheel sizes and since this is not as predictable and demands control from the driver, the systems were not available.
Watch For Road Hazards
Nails, glass fragments, and potholes are present. roadways are filled with potential hazards for your tires! Always look ahead while driving for potential issues. Large road debris and potholes can hurt your tires without actually puncturing them, but they can still cause cuts and bulges that could later cause flat, serious tire damage, or vibrations.
Even though hazards like rocks, metal fragments, and other objects are sometimes impossible to avoid, if you know you are going to be driving near construction zones or other areas with a lot of road debris or damage, consider taking an alternate route. However, if you find that your tires are frequently flat, the problem may not be with the road, but with the tire itself.
You May Like: Best Cordless Impact Wrench For Changing Tires