- Keep both hands on the wheel and hold the car straight; it will pull towards the burst side.
- Do not brake hard. Ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down.
- Signal and move left only when it is safe, then leave at the next exit or pull into a service area if you can.
- If you cannot, stop in an emergency area or on the hard shoulder where there is one, with the hazard lights on.
- Get everyone out by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier. Do not try to change the wheel yourself.
Burst tyre replacement near the M6
A blowout at motorway speed is frightening, and the first job is to get everyone safe. The tyre comes second. Our only base is at Brent Cross, NW2, about 72 miles in a straight line from junction 1 of the M6 near Rugby, and we have no base or van stationed in the Midlands. 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.
Tyre help
The moment the tyre bursts
On the smart motorway stretches of the M6 there may be no hard shoulder. If you are stuck in a live lane, stay in the car with your seat belt on and call 999. National Highways is on 0300 123 5000. 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.
Repair or replace
Why a burst tyre is always replaced
A burst tyre has a split or torn casing, and BS AU 159 does not allow that kind of damage to be repaired. It needs a new tyre, fitted and balanced on the wheel. The fitter also checks the rim for cracks or bends, and looks at the tyre on the other side of the same axle, since tyres on an axle should match in size and type and be in similar condition.
On the road
Using the spare to get off the motorway
If your breakdown cover fits a space-saver spare, keep to the speed limit printed on it and drive only as far as you need to. Do not leave it on longer than you have to. Once the car is parked somewhere safe and legal, such as a side street, your home, or a car park whose owner allows it, a new tyre can be fitted there. Motorway services are private ground, so we can only work there if the operator allows it.
Before you call
What to have ready when you call
Tell us the junction you left at and where the car is now, the tyre size from the sidewall of another tyre on the same axle, and whether the car has locking wheel nuts and the key. Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job. We confirm the price on the call. The price is the same at any hour.
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.
Bulges, cuts and kerb damage
A bulge on the sidewall means cords inside the tyre have broken and air is pushing the rubber outwards. It can fail without warning, so the tyre should be replaced rather than driven on.
Cuts deep enough to show the cords, cracking around the bead and damage from a hard kerb strike are also replacement jobs.
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.
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.
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.
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Questions
Questions drivers ask
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.
What should I do if a tyre bursts while I am driving?
Hold the wheel firmly, keep straight, ease off the accelerator and avoid braking hard. Once the car has slowed, brake gently and pull over where it is safe.
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.
Do new tyres come with a warranty?
New tyres carry the manufacturer's warranty against defects. It does not cover damage from punctures, kerbs or potholes.
What if the tyre needs replacing rather than repairing?
You are told before anything else is done, with the reason and the options for a new tyre in your size. Nothing changes until you agree.
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.
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.
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. 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
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.
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Tyre blowouts: causes and prevention
Most tyre blowouts are preventable. Here are the main causes, the simple monthly checks that stop them, and what to do if one happens anyway.
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.
Pothole damaged your tyre? How to claim
Potholes wreck tyres and wheels. Here's how to claim for the damage in the UK, who's responsible for the road, and exactly what evidence you need.
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.