- A bulge or bubble in the sidewall means the cords inside the tyre have broken. The tyre can fail without warning, so do not drive on it except slowly to a safe place to stop.
- Cord or wire showing anywhere on the tyre makes it unsafe and illegal to use on the road.
- A cut longer than 25 mm or 10% of the tyre's section width, whichever is greater, that is deep enough to reach the ply or cord is illegal.
- A split, or a deep crack across the sidewall, means a new tyre.
- Fine surface cracking from age, or a kerb scuff with no bulge, cut or cord showing, may be cosmetic. The fitter will check it and tell you honestly.
Damaged tyre replacement near the M54
The M54 starts at junction 10a of the M6, about 105 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 1LX, and Telford is further still. We have no base or van stationed in the West Midlands or Shropshire.
Call once the car is safely off the motorway. Call and we will tell you straight away whether we can take the job; if we can, the arrival time is given on the call. If the car is unsafe where it is, your breakdown cover may reach you sooner.
Staying safe
Is a damaged tyre safe to drive on?
BS AU 159, the British Standard for tyre repairs, allows a repair only in the central part of the tread and only for small holes. Damage to the sidewall or the shoulder, a bulge, a split or exposed cord is outside what the standard allows, so the answer is a new tyre.
On the road
If the damage shows up while you are on the motorway
Leave at the next junction if the car still steers, or pull into Telford services at junction 4, run by Welcome Break. If you have to stop on the motorway, pull as far left as you can, put the hazard lights on, get out by the left-hand door if it is safe and wait behind the barrier. If you are stuck in a live lane, stay belted in and call 999. National Highways looks after this motorway and takes calls on 0300 123 5000. These steps follow Highway Code rules 274 to 287.
We never work on the carriageway of a motorway or main road, on a hard shoulder, in a smart motorway emergency area or on a slip road. Once you are off, the car can be on a side street where it is legally parked, in a car park whose owner allows the work, or at home or work. Telford services is possible only if the operator allows work on site, which we cannot promise.
Repair or replace
How the tyre is replaced at the car
The fitter lifts the car, takes the wheel off, removes the damaged tyre from the rim, fits and inflates the new one, balances the wheel and refits it with the nuts tightened to the maker's setting. The spare stays where it is, or goes back in the boot if you had already fitted it.
Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job. Read the size from the sidewall (for example 205/55 R16) before you call. If the car has locking wheel nuts, have the key ready. The price depends on the size and brand of the tyre, and we agree it on the call before anyone sets off.
Burst and damaged tyres
When a tyre is beyond repair
A tyre that has burst, split or been cut on the sidewall is beyond any repair, so the answer is a new tyre. What matters first is getting the car to a safe place without driving on the damaged tyre for longer than you have to.
If a tyre bursts while you are driving
Hold the steering wheel firmly and keep the car straight. Do not brake hard: ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down, then brake gently once it is under control.
Indicate, move to the side when it is safe and switch the hazard lights on.
Checking the wheel as well as the tyre
A burst or a hard pothole strike can bend or crack the rim. With the tyre off, the fitter looks at the bead seat and the rim edge before the new tyre goes on.
A badly bent or cracked wheel cannot hold a tyre safely, and if that is the case you hear about it before the job goes further.
Matching the replacement
The new tyre should match the size, load index and speed rating on the sidewall of the damaged one, or the figures in the handbook.
Some cars need a maker-approved tyre, shown by a marking such as a star for BMW or MO for Mercedes-Benz. A photo of the sidewall lets the right one be found.
Pothole damage and making a claim
If a pothole caused the damage, note the exact location, photograph the hole and the tyre, and keep the receipt for the new tyre.
Claims go to whoever looks after the road: National Highways for motorways and major A roads in England, and the local council for most other roads.
What a damaged tyre replacement includes
- Damaged tyre removed and the rim checked for bends or cracks
- Replacement matched to the size, load index and speed rating
- New tyre balanced on the wheel before it goes back on
Staying safe
Staying safe until the job is done
While you wait for the fitter
- Stop somewhere off the main flow of traffic, switch on the hazard lights and, if you have one, put on a high-visibility vest.
- Get everyone out on the side away from the traffic and wait behind a barrier, on a pavement or well back from the road.
- Keep your phone on and charged, and tell us about anything that makes the spot hard to find.
What to tell us from the roadside
- Which road you were on and the direction you were travelling
- The last junction you passed, or the number on a driver location sign if you can read one safely
- Where the car is now: the exit, the side street or the car park it was moved to
- The tyre size from the sidewall, and whether the car has locking wheel nuts
Step by step
Calling us once the car is safe
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Tell us what happened
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall. A photo of the damage helps find the right replacement.
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Agree what happens next
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
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Work at the car
The fitter comes to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, raises the car on a jack and does the job beside it.
Checked before the fitter leaves
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
★★★★★
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
AMAdam MorrisGoogle review
★★★★★
“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”
PNPegah NourmandGoogle review
Questions
Questions drivers ask
Can I drive home on the space-saver spare?
Yes, if it is fitted properly and inflated, but keep to the speed limit printed on the spare wheel or its label and replace the damaged tyre as soon as you can.
Should I replace the tyre on the other side too?
Not always. Tyres on the same axle must be the same size and type, and should have a similar tread depth. If the other tyre is in good condition, one new tyre is fine. If its tread is much lower, the fitter will tell you and you can decide.
Do I need to replace both tyres on the axle?
Not always. If the other tyre on that axle has good tread and is the same size and pattern, one new tyre can be enough.
Is a bulge in the sidewall dangerous?
Yes. A bulge means the internal cords have broken and the tyre can fail without warning. Do not drive on it further than you need to reach a safe place.
How soon can the fitter get to me?
It depends on how far the car is from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2, and on the jobs already booked. We give you an arrival time when you call.
Can you work on the street outside my house?
Yes, if it is legal to park there and the car is not blocking traffic. A quiet residential street is usually fine; a busy main road or a red route is not.
Do you charge more in the evening or at the weekend?
We work evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays when the diary allows, at the same price as a weekday job.
Are you insured?
Yes. Rescue Tyres is fully insured, has fitted more than 2,000 tyres and is a UK registered company.
Can a damaged tyre get me to the next exit?
If the car is controllable and the tyre is only losing air, driving slowly to the exit is usually safer than stopping beside fast traffic. A tyre that has burst or is flapping loose is different: stop as soon as it is safe.
Tyres and the law
Tread depth, tyre age and the law
The legal tread limit
Cars and light vans need at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around the whole circumference.
For a car, each illegal tyre can bring a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points; the maximum fine for a van is higher.
The 20p test
Push a 20p coin into the main grooves at several points around the tyre. If the outer band of the coin is visible, the tread may be close to the limit and should be measured properly.
Other defects that make a tyre illegal
A tyre is also illegal with a cut longer than 25 mm or a tenth of its section width, whichever is greater, that reaches the ply or cord, a lump or bulge, exposed cords, or the wrong size or type for the car.
How old is your tyre?
The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall give the week and year of manufacture, so 2319 means the 23rd week of 2019.
Rubber hardens and cracks with age even on a tyre that has done few miles, and many tyre makers advise replacing any tyre ten years old or more.
Pricing
How the price is worked out
There is no fixed figure that suits every car, so the price is built from a few things and told to you before you decide.
The price is given on the call. The price is the same at any hour. Asking for a price does not commit you to anything.
When you compare prices, compare like with like: the same brand and pattern, the same load index and speed rating, and whether balancing and a new valve are part of the job.
What goes into the price
- The tyre itself: size, load index, speed rating and whether it is a run-flat
- The tier you choose: budget, mid-range or premium
- The work: a repair, one new tyre or several, and any locking nut removal
- The location of the car
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Is sidewall tyre damage repairable?
Bulge, cut or crack in your tyre's sidewall? Here's why sidewall damage almost always means a new tyre, what causes it, and why it's so dangerous.
A blowout at speed is frightening but survivable if you react correctly. Here's exactly what to do, why braking is dangerous, and how to prevent the next one.
Buckled alloy wheel: the signs and the fix
A buckled wheel causes vibration, slow air loss and uneven wear. Here's how to spot one, how it differs from a balance problem, and whether it can be repaired.
Call to check we can take the job
Tell us where the car is
Get the car somewhere safe, send a photo of the damage and the size, and the new tyre comes to the car.