If you suspect you may have a flat tire, follow these steps:
- Pull over. Turn on your hazard lights and pull off the roadway in a safe location. ...
- Locate your spare tire and jack. Your spare tire may be stowed in the trunk or suspended below your vehicle. ...
- Loosen the lug nuts. Using the provided tire iron, loosen the wheel’s lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise. ...
- Jack up your vehicle. ...
- Install the spare. ...
- Get to safety. ...
What do you do when you get a flat tire?
Here’s what to do Stay calm and follow along. If you’re driving when you get a flat tire, regain control of your car, pull over to the shoulder or another safe place and put your hazard lights on. Avoid driving on a flat tire if at all possible as it could shred the inner tire lining to bits, not to mention grind into your very expensive rim.
What happens when you drive with a flat tire?
Steering: When your tire is flat, your vehicle will drift or pull toward the side with the bad tire. The change in steering will feel more pronounced if a front tire has deflated. Can You Drive on a Flat Tire?
Can you put air in a flat tire if it’s deflated?
You can put air in a flat tire if it’s been deflated, but if there’s a puncture, the tire won’t hold the air. Slow leaks will continue to leak as well, eventually leading to another flat tire. Usually, there’s no reason to fill up a flat tire unless it has been purposefully deflated.
Does a flat tire need to be replaced?
A flat tire doesn’t necessarily need to be replaced. However, prolonged riding on a flat tire will cause irreparable damage. In addition to damaging the tire; the longer you spend driving on the flat, the greater the chance of damaging the rim of your car, too.
What to do if you don't see a flat tire?
What happens if you drive on a flat tire?
Who Do You Call for a Flat Tire?
How Far Can You Drive on A Flat Tire?
How to get lug nuts off a tire?
How many miles does a run flat tire give you?
How do you know if you have a flat tire?
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I Got a Flat Tire… Now What? - Erie Insurance Group
ERIE® insurance products and services are provided by one or more of the following insurers: Erie Insurance Exchange, Erie Insurance Company, Erie Insurance Property & Casualty Company, Flagship City Insurance Company and Erie Family Life Insurance Company (home offices: Erie, Pennsylvania) or Erie Insurance Company of New York (home office: Rochester, New York).
How can you tell if your tyre is flat?
In the movies, you get explosive and spectacular blowouts. The car veers and swerves across the road out of control for about twenty minutes and then cartwheels into a fiery inferno. In the real world this tends not to happen.
What happens if you drive a car until it's completely flat?
Be aware that if you drive it until it’s completely flat, the tyre will almost certainly be damaged beyond repair.
Do tyres put up with a lot?
Just remember, tyres put up with a lot and don’t ask for much in return. Don’t neglect them.
Do you need a tyre gauge for an auto technician?
You don’t have to turn into an auto technician with a tyre gauge and a clipboard – you’ll see straight away if you have a flat.
Do new cars come with spares?
First, a lot of new cars don’t come with spares, even the spacesaver type. You might get a puncture repair kit, which might get you back on the road for just long enough (see below), but otherwise you need to call out your breakdown service.
Do run flat tires work?
Some upmarket vehicles come with run-flat tyres which could get you where you need to go – slowly. They use reinforced sidewalls or internal supporting rings which give the tyre just enough structural strength to keep you going. They’re an expensive option and expensive to replace, but better than the alternative.
Can you cut across lanes of fast moving traffic?
Don’t cut across lanes of fast-moving traffic or pull up on the apex of a blind bend, but don’t waste any time either. Even a flat tyre will keep some structural integrity for a short time, so slow right down and use it to find somewhere safe to pull over.
What happens when you get a flat tire?
As a car owner, you know one thing: loss of air pressure in tires every once in a while is inevitable. When you get a flat tire, one side of your car will take a bow. You should not be driving with a flat tire for safety purposes and replace it as soon as possible.
How long does it take to get a flat tire replaced?
In this case, an emergency towing service is ideal to avoid driving with a flat tire. However, keep in mind that most companies take around 45 minutes to arrive at your location. If you’re lucky, they will replace the tire on the spot or else tow your vehicle to the nearest technician.
What if you don't have a spare tire?
What if you don’t have a spare tire and the towing service is not responding? Then, you have to take the car to a tire workshop. Whether you have to travel a short distance for tire replacement or take it to a technician, the key is not to speed. Maintain a speed under 20 mph or 32 km/h when driving with flat tire.
How to remain on the safe side?
To remain on the safe side, place a triangle reflector facing the traffic to warn other vehicles in advance.
Can you drive with a flat tire?
Driving with a flat tire can be dangerous, so you should pull over immediately to tackle the issue. We recommend having a spare tire and the required equipment in the trunk to replace a flat tire, especially before you go on a long drive. If you don’t have a spare tire, try your luck with a towing service company, or locate the nearest gas station and approach it slowly.
What to do when you get a flat tire?
If you’re driving when you get a flat tire, regain control of your car, pull over to the shoulder or another safe place and put your hazard lights on. Avoid driving on a flat tire if at all possible as it could shred the inner tire lining to bits, not to mention grind into your very expensive rim.
How can I avoid having a flat tire in the future?
Waiting who-knows-how-long for roadside assistance, plugging a tire on the side of the road and essentially ruining a tire to get to safety are imperfect solutions. Everyone can think of better things to do with their day. So how can you avoid getting yourself in this type of quandary next time around?
How to use a tire plug kit?
To use a tire plug kit: Locate the source of the leak and mark it clearly. If it’s still in the tire, pull out the offending nail or object. Clean the hole with the rough T-handled tool. Put a plug into the hook or hole in the tool and force it into the hole. Remove the tool and trim the plug flat with the tread.
How big is a tire sealant plug?
The sealant plugs holes up to six millimeters in diameter, like those from a nail or screw, from the inside—at least temporarily—so you can get around until you have the tire fixed. Fill the tire to the recommended pressure, found on the placard on the driver’s door pillar.
What do tow trucks do when you have a flat?
Some tow truck drivers will perform a service call, installing your spare tire, and many tow trucks carry an air compressor to fill a flat, too.
What happens if you don't have a spare tire?
If there isn’t a spare tire in your trunk or mounted under your car in the rear or middle, your vehicle might’ve intentionally come from the factory without a spare. Around 30% of new cars don’t have a spare tire.
What is a fix a flat?
Like a tire repair kit with a compressor, Fix-A-Flat injects foam or slime into the tire that seals small punctures like nail holes along with adding a bit of air pressure inside the tire. When it’s out of the can and exposed to the air, it hardens into an epoxy-like substance. It’s also a mess to clean up afterward.
How to get a flat tire off the ground?
Jack up your vehicle. Place the jack on solid, level ground. Following the instructions in your owner’s manual, jack up the car until the flat tire is completely off the ground.
What does a flat tire make?
Noise: A flat tire will make a lot of noise, typically in the form of a loud thumping or flapping sound.
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:
How Do I Tell if I Have a Flat Tire?
If your tire goes flat while your vehicle is parked, it’s easy to spot. But recognizing a flat while driving can be more difficult. Here are some warning signs:
What if My Car Doesn’t Have a Spare Tire?
In fact, according to Consumer Reports, about one-third of new cars on the road today forego the spare. Instead, they’ll include a can of tire sealant and an air pump.
How to loosen lug nuts on a car?
Loosen the lug nuts. Using the provided tire iron, loosen the wheel’s lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise. If you can’t loosen them by hand, try stepping on the lever. Keep in mind that the goal for this step is to just break them free; you don’t need to completely remove them yet.
What causes a tire to flat out?
Air leaks: Over time, your tire can develop a leak around the bead area (where it seals against your wheel) or in the valve stem (where you inflate the tire). While these leaks may be slow at first, they can eventually lead to a flat tire.
What to do if you have a flat tyre?
If you experience a flat tyre while out and about on the roads, you should not continue to drive the vehicle – as this could damage your wheels and necessitate costly repairs. Instead, stop in a safe location as soon as possible.
Why is it important to drive with a flat tyre?
Although driving on a flat tyre to get to a place of safety in order to review the damage is acceptable, travelling a longer distance ...
How long does tyre foam last?
When you suffer a puncture, tyre foam can be used to temporarily fix the problem. However, regardless of the type of sealant you fill your tyre with, it’s important to remember that it’s only a short-term repair as the tyre hasn’t been removed from its wheel and examined for internal damage.
What to do if you have a puncture in your tyre?
If your puncture is in the middle of your tyre, not near the sidewall, you can use a puncture repair kit to fill the hole. Puncture repair kits are simple to use, but require some additional tools. If you’re unsure of DIY repair work, be safe and call a technician to complete it properly – it’s better to wait a while than to have an accident.
How to clean a puncture in a car?
Once you have access to the tyre, locate the puncture and use the reamer tool (the one that has the texture of a file) to clean the puncture hole.
What can cause a tyre to split?
Sharp objects like screws and nails can easily pierce the tyre tread if driven over, but even blunt items like rocks, potholes, and metallic objects can cause a tyre split or become embedded in the tread. Here’s what to do if you get a puncture.
How to inflate a tyre?
Now you’re ready to inflate your tyre. After making sure your vehicle is in neutral, start up your engine and turn on the compressor. Inflate your tyre to the correct pressure recommended for your car, making sure you don’t over inflate it.
What happens if you get a flat tire in a rental car?
If you get a flat tire in a rental car, there’s a good chance that there’s no spare tire in the trunk— and even if there is, there’s unlikely to be a jack or a lug wrench. So what’s your next step?
Is roadside protection bad?
But roadside protection is often a really bad deal for consumers because it ordinarily provides only limited coverage only for driver-induced incidents—locking keys in the vehicle, losing keys, running out of fuel, or needing a jump start if the battery runs down.
Does roadside assistance cover the cost of a flat tire?
What may dismay a lot of renters is that roadside assistance does not necessarily cover the cost of the new tire itself —just the labor cost.
Does AAA include roadside assistance?
AAA membership includes roadside assistance in any car, whether they are a driver or a passenger. While AAA is a large group of smaller associations, service extends through the United States and Canada. If you have AAA membership, be sure to note it when requesting a car rental quote, as it can bring you a discount.
Should You Buy Car Rental Roadside Assistance?
Increasingly, new cars are sold without spare tires. That’s entirely legal, and it’s also legal for a rental car company to rent a car without a spare tire. When a rental car is issued, the company has to provide a car in operating condition and the renter is responsible for any damage that occurs during the contract period (such as running over road debris).
What to do if you don't see a flat tire?
If you don’t see or feel anything, you may simply have a slow leak. At this point, you can take out your portable air compressor, inflate your tire to the correct PSI and wait.
What happens if you drive on a flat tire?
The short answer is nothing good happens when you drive on a flat tire. First, it compromises your ability to control your vehicle. Your steering and braking are both reduced when you have a flat tire. Not to mention trying to get your nerves under control.
Who Do You Call for a Flat Tire?
So, you’re not too excited about the prospect of changing your own flat tire. I don’t blame you, it’s dirty, it can be unnerving, why bother? So who can you call?
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.
How to get lug nuts off a tire?
Now, loosen the lug nuts on the tire with the lug wrench. Just a little bit; you just want to break the nut free at this point. When all the lug nuts are loose, continue raising the car until the bottom of the tire is about an inch or two off the ground. Finish removing the lug nuts and remove the tire.
How many miles does a run flat tire give you?
Per Tirerack.com, on average a run-flat tire will give you about another 50 miles of extended driving .
How do you know if you have a flat tire?
It may take some time for the air to leak out of your tire. Then all of a sudden you hear the wump-wump-wump of a tire without air. The next thing you will feel is your car will be more difficult to control.
