No matter how long you’ve been driving, you’re likely to find yourself with a flat tyre at one point or another. Luckily though, you can temporarily fix most road punctures yourself, without needing to call out a mechanic.
Depending on the type of car you have, you might have a spare tyre in your boot, but most modern vehicles come with tyre sealant and inflation kits. Make sure you familiarise yourself with your repair kit’s instructions to avoid getting stuck if your car gets a puncture.
In this guide, our experts will show you how to fix a flat tyre, in the safest way for you, your passengers and your vehicle. If you’re ready to sell your car, we can accept it, flat tyre or not. Get a free valuation for your used car from Money4YourMotors.
Safety tips
Whether you’ve got a flat tyre on the side of the road or on your driveway, your safety comes first. One of the most obvious ways to tell if you’ve got a puncture is a loud noise coming from your wheels, but you might also notice your steering wheel begin to vibrate or feel heavier than usual.
Navigate to the hard shoulder if you’re stuck on the motorway or move to the side of the road so you’re not at risk from other vehicles.
- Switch your engine off
- Put your hazard lights on
- Make sure your handbrake is applied
- Ask any passengers to leave the car
If your wheel itself has been damaged, or the hole is over 4mm, you won’t be able to fix it with a standard repair kit. Instead, you’ll need to call a mechanic or roadside assistance to replace the tyre in-situ.
Step One: Make sure your car’s stable
Try to park on as flat a surface as possible. Level ground will make it easier to re-inflate your tyre, without putting too much stress on your wheels
Step Two: Find the puncture
Depending on how big the puncture is, you’ll be able to find a tear or hole within the tread. If a nail or piece of debris has caused the problem, don’t pull it out: this could make the hole bigger, and cause more damage.
Once you’ve located the puncture, position your tyre so the hole is facing upwards: you don’t need to take your entire wheel off to fix it, but this position will make it much easier to patch.
Step Three: Connect your pump
Follow your repair kit’s instructions to make sure you’re applying your pump and sealant correctly. In most cases, you’ll need to remove the valve core, and squeeze the sealant into your tyre. Make sure you’ve used the right amount (following the instructions on the sealant bottle) and then screw the valve core back on.
Step Four: Pump up your tyre
Using the tyre inflator in your repair kit, unscrew the tyre valve, and pump air into your tyre until the tyre pressure is back to normal. You can find the recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle inside your fuel cap, or in your vehicle handbook.
Step Five: Test-drive your vehicle
Depending on your repair kit, you might need your wheels to run in order for the sealant to do its job. In a low gear, drive a few yards slowly, listening for any unusual noises, and checking your steering is easy to use. Once you’re confident your tyre is fully inflated, you can safely drive away.
Replacing your tyre
Puncture repair kits aren’t intended to be a permanent solution. When your tyre’s pumped up, you must drive to the nearest garage to have it replaced as soon as possible. Drive carefully and slowly, making sure you brake gently to avoid putting any further pressure on your wheel.
One of the main causes of a flat tyre is driving into a pothole. Find out more about checking your vehicle for pothole damage, or learn how to prepare your car for its MOT.
