What if the spare is also flat?
First distinguish a spare that lost pressure from one stored collapsed by design. The owner’s manual identifies which equipment your car has and the required inflation procedure. A damaged spare or one that will not hold the specified pressure is not a safe substitute.
Tell Rick’s about the spare’s condition and a missing wheel-lock key before requesting a change. If a suitable spare cannot be used, discuss compatible towing. Do not attempt a tire change where the ground or traffic makes lifting the vehicle unsafe.
Before touching the tire
- Slow down smoothly and reach a safe stopping place away from moving traffic.
- Do not change a tire on a narrow shoulder, unstable surface or where traffic puts you at risk.
- Check for a usable spare and tools. A sealant kit is not suitable for a blowout, sidewall cut or large gash.
What to do
- Move out of traffic safely
Slow down without abrupt braking, pull as far away from moving traffic as possible, turn on hazards and follow local emergency instructions. If the shoulder is narrow or unsafe, do not attempt a tire change there; call for help. Do not stand in a traffic lane or behind the vehicle. Call 911 if you are exposed to immediate danger.
- Find the equipment
Check the owner’s manual. A spare and tools may be under the trunk floor, in a cargo compartment, mounted beneath the rear of the vehicle, or absent altogether. Some vehicles have a sealant-and-inflator kit; a few have a collapsible spare that must be inflated exactly as the manual specifies.
- Assess the damage
A small puncture in the tread may be eligible for a temporary sealant kit if the kit and vehicle manual allow it. A large gash, blowout, sidewall damage, wheel damage or tire off the rim is not a kit repair. Follow the kit’s pressure, speed and distance limits and arrange a tire inspection promptly.
- Look for aging
Check the tread and sidewalls for cracking, bulges and cuts, including the spare. Cracking often called dry rot should be inspected by a tire professional before highway driving; do not treat a damaged or aged spare as automatically safe.
Important limit
Rick’s installs a usable spare tire. If you do not have a usable spare, call with the vehicle details to discuss a compatible tow.
How to reduce the chance of this happening
Check tire pressure cold, tread, sidewall condition and spare-kit supplies at least monthly and before longer drives. Replace expired sealant and follow the tire and vehicle manufacturer’s age guidance.
Need help with a flat tire?
Once you are safely stopped, call with your location and vehicle details. Read about spare-tire installation or towing when there is no usable spare. Confirm suitability, availability and price by phone.
Call (312) 451-5785English & Spanish assistance · Hablamos español.
Sources and vehicle-specific instructions
Follow your vehicle owner’s manual for procedures and equipment limits. These sources informed the general safety guidance:
More help from Rick’s
For a service assessment in Lake View East or Chicago’s North Side, see the flat tire change guide or Rick’s main website. Confirm availability, price and vehicle fit by phone.