Flat tires are common, especially if you’re in a cold climate or if your tires are older and need replacing. But a flat tire can happen to anyone at any time, and you need to be prepared to handle the situation quickly and calmly.
You might be wondering, “What happens if you drive on a flat tire?” The truth is, you should never drive more than a few hundred yards on a flat tire, or you risk damaging your tire beyond repair.
The best thing you can do when you see that you have a flat tire is to pull off the road and out of oncoming traffic. Once you’re safely off the road, get out of your car and assess the situation.
If you can, remove the tire, put on your spare tire and drive to a repair shop immediately. If you don’t have a spare tire or know how to fix a flat, don’t attempt to keep driving until you get home to a mechanic. Call Sprinter Towing for a tow truck service and we will help you deal with that issue.
Fixing a flat immediately is crucial, but flat tires don’t always announce themselves in an obvious way. You can have a flat tire and not know it. Make sure you briefly check your tires before you get into your car and pay attention to any “low pressure” alerts that you see on your car’s dashboard. Don’t keep driving and ignore these warnings.
Fixing a flat tire sounds intimidating, but anyone can do a quick fix. Fixing a flat tire is just a temporary solution to help you get to a mechanic and avoid paying for someone to tow your car.
Before you fix a flat, you will need to either have a spare tire or a kit with some basic tools, including a plug to patch up the leak and an air pump to reinflate the tire.
Once you have all the materials, you can start to fix your flat tire with these steps:
1. Find the leak
2. Jack the car up and loosen lug nuts
3. Clean the hole
4. Plug the hole
5. Visit a professional
Like we said earlier, a flat tire can happen to anyone, but there are some things you can do to avoid them in the first. Here are a few tips that will help you keep your tires in good shape and prevent a flat:
1. Keep your tires inflated
2. Assess your tires for uneven wear
3. Avoid construction areas