When a tyre goes flat at speed, grip the wheel with both hands, ease off the accelerator, brake gently only once the car has slowed, and steer onto the shoulder. Do not stamp on the brake or swerve. Then decide whether the place is safe enough for a wheel change: a firm, level, well-lit spot well away from traffic is fine, while the edge of a fast carriageway or a slope on a hill road is not. If it is not safe, hazards on, everyone behind the barrier, and call for help. A tyre is replaceable, and being hit while changing one is not.
In the first few seconds
A sudden blowout feels violent: the car pulls hard toward the damaged side, the steering shakes, and there is a loud flapping noise. The instinct is to brake hard, which makes the car more likely to slew. Instead hold the wheel straight, lift off the accelerator, let the car slow itself, and brake lightly as the speed falls. Signal and move toward the left shoulder. If the tyre is only slowly leaking, the car will feel heavy and drift to one side, and you may have time to reach a safer place; but driving far on a flat tyre ruins the tyre and can damage the wheel rim.
Is the spot safe for a wheel change?
| Location | Change the wheel yourself? | Better option |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet side road, firm and level ground | Yes | Hazards on, handbrake on, take your time |
| Wide, level shoulder some distance from the lane | Possibly, if traffic is light | Keep passengers behind the barrier and work on the side away from traffic |
| Narrow shoulder on a fast road such as the Mumbai–Pune Expressway | No | Call for help and wait behind the barrier; see the expressway guide |
| Slope, bend, or soft ground on a hill road | No | Move on slowly to a level, firm spot if the tyre allows, or call for help |
| Heavy rain, fog or darkness | Avoid if possible | Wait for assistance in a safe place |
Changing a wheel step by step
- Prepare the car. Park on firm, level ground, put the handbrake on, and put the car in first gear or park. Switch on hazards. Place chocks or a rock behind a wheel diagonal to the flat one if you have them.
- Get the equipment. Spare wheel, jack, wheel spanner, locking wheel nut key if fitted, and torch. Read your handbook for the jacking points.
- Loosen the wheel nuts slightly while the wheel is still on the ground. Turn anticlockwise, about half a turn each.
- Jack the car at the correct jacking point until the wheel is just clear of the ground. Never put any part of your body under the car.
- Remove the nuts and the wheel, mount the spare, and tighten the nuts by hand in a star pattern.
- Lower the car, then tighten the nuts firmly in a star pattern.
- Check the spare's pressure at the first opportunity. A space-saver or temporary spare is limited in speed and distance; the figure is usually printed on the wheel or in the handbook.
- Re-check the nuts after the first 50 to 100 km or at the nearest garage.
Repairing a puncture
Most cars today run tubeless tyres. A nail or screw in the tread can often be repaired from outside or inside by a tyre shop, using a plug, a patch, or both. A repair is generally reliable when the hole is small and in the central tread. Damage to the sidewall, a large cut, a bulge, or a tyre that has been driven flat for some distance is normally not repairable, because the internal structure may be damaged. Tyre sealant kits and compressor kits offer a temporary fix for small tread punctures; they will not help with sidewall damage.
Roadside puncture repair is generally inexpensive, often a few hundred rupees or less. Replacement costs depend on the size, brand and type of tyre, and for many popular cars a single new tyre may cost from a few thousand rupees upward. Verify prices with the shop before work starts. If two tyres on the same axle are very worn, replace them as a pair so grip stays even.
When a tyre should be replaced and not repaired
- Tread has worn down to the wear bars (about 1.6 mm).
- Sidewall bulges, cuts or cracks.
- The tyre has been run flat for more than a short distance.
- The puncture is large, near the edge of the tread, or in the sidewall.
- The tyre is old: check the four-digit date code on the sidewall, where the first two digits are the week and the last two are the year, and ask a tyre professional to inspect any tyre that is several years old.
Avoiding flats on hill and highway routes
Check pressure when the tyres are cold, and include the spare. Remove stones from the tread, look for nails or cuts after any rough road, and do not ignore a tyre that keeps losing air. Driving fast on under-inflated tyres generates heat, which is one reason failures happen on long highway runs. Before a trip, run through the weekend trip checklist, which includes a tyre inflator and the jack. If you are unsure about a garage, the garage selection guide helps you ask the right questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep driving on a flat tyre to reach a garage?
Only a very short distance at walking speed if it is the only way to a safe place. Driving further destroys the tyre and can damage the rim and suspension.
Is it safe to change a tyre on the expressway shoulder?
It is risky because of the speed of passing traffic. Moving everyone behind the barrier and calling for help is the safer choice.
Can a sidewall puncture be repaired?
No. Sidewall damage is generally not repairable, and the tyre should be replaced.
How tight should the wheel nuts be?
Tight enough to hold, tightened in a star pattern, and checked with a torque wrench at a garage afterwards if you changed the wheel yourself. The handbook gives the torque figure.
What if I do not have a spare?
Many newer cars carry a sealant kit or a space-saver instead of a full spare. If you have neither, you will need a mobile tyre repair service or a tow. Check what your car carries before a long trip.