What to do if you get a flat tyre on the road

How to tell you have a flat

The car starts pulling to one side, the steering wheel vibrates or you hear a rhythmic thumping underneath. If the car has pressure sensors, a yellow warning light with an exclamation mark comes on.

The first seconds: no hard braking

1. Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands and keep the car straight.
2. Ease off the accelerator gently. Do not brake hard.
3. Indicate and pull over to the right, as far from the traffic as you can.
4. Stop on level, firm ground, not on a bend or a narrow verge.

Make yourself and the car safe

• Turn on the hazard lights.
• Put on the reflective vest before getting out.
• Place the warning triangle far enough behind the car for oncoming drivers to see it in time.
• Get your passengers out of the car and behind the crash barrier if there is one.

Should I change the tyre myself?

If you are in a safe place, have a spare, a jack and a wheel brace and know how to do it, the change takes about 20-30 minutes.

1. Loosen the wheel bolts half a turn while the car is still on the ground.
2. Place the jack at the marked point under the sill and raise the car.
3. Remove the bolts and the wheel and fit the spare.
4. Tighten the bolts in a cross pattern, lower the car and tighten them fully.
5. Check the spare's pressure as soon as you can.

When it is better to call for help

• On a motorway, on a bend or on a narrow road with no verge.
• At night or in rain, snow or fog.
• If you have no spare or the spare is flat too.
• If the bolts will not budge or the car has low suspension.
• If the flat is on a van, truck or trailer.

Do not drive far on a flat tyre. Even a few hundred metres can damage the rim, and then the repair costs more.

How a mobile tyre service helps

We come to you in an equipped service van. In most cases we repair the tyre on the spot if it was punctured by a nail or screw in the tread. If not, we fit the spare or a new tyre and check the pressure of the others. We work 24/7, including on the Republic Pass.