- Look for a nail or screw in the tread and note whether it is in the middle or near the edge.
- Check the sidewall for a cut, bulge or split.
- Read the size off the sidewall, for example 195/65 R15.
- Find the locking wheel nut key if the car has locking nuts.
- Note the exact spot the car is in, including whether it is in a permit bay, so the fitter can park legally beside it.
Flat tyre help near the A40
When a tyre goes flat on this road, there is nowhere on the road itself to deal with it: the London section has no hard shoulder and much of it is a red route. 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. Hanger Lane, where the A40 meets the North Circular, is about 5 miles from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 1LX. Once the car is parked safely off the road, call us. We give you an arrival time when you call.
Tyre help
Getting off a road with no hard shoulder
Do not drive any further on a flat tyre than you must to reach safety: it can be ruined within a short distance and the car becomes harder to control. With the hazard lights on, carry on slowly to the next junction if the car is still controllable, then turn into a side street. Do not stop on the elevated Westway between Paddington and Wood Lane, where stopping is banned at any time. If the car stops in a running lane and you cannot get out safely, stay in with the belt on and call 999 (Highway Code rules 274 to 287).
Western Avenue is a red route from White City out to the London boundary at Hillingdon. We cannot stop or work on a red route; the car needs to be on a side street or private ground first.
Before you call
Checks to make before you call
If you have pumped in a sealant kit, say so. The sealant has to be cleaned out before the tyre can be checked.
Repair or replace
Whether it can be repaired
A puncture can be repaired when the hole is in the central part of the tread and no wider than 6 mm. The tyre comes off the wheel and is checked from the inside first, because a tyre that has been driven while flat can be damaged inside even when the outside looks fine. A hole outside that area, sidewall damage or a tyre that has been run flat for too long needs replacing. Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job. The price depends on the outcome and, for a new tyre, the size and brand, and we confirm it on the call.
Tyre help
Near Oxford: a longer trip
At the Oxford end, around the Headington roundabout and the northern bypass, the car is about 46 miles from our base. That is a longer trip for the van, and the call will confirm whether and when we can come. Witney is about 56 miles away and we have no base or van stationed out there; if the car is unsafe where it is, your breakdown cover may reach you sooner.
Flat tyre
Dealing with a flat tyre safely
A flat tyre can come from a puncture, a damaged valve, a tyre pushed off its bead by a kerb or a split in the sidewall. The first job is to stop somewhere safe and not drive any further on it than you must.
Driving on a flat
Driving on a flat, even slowly, damages the tyre and can bend or crack the wheel. A short distance is often enough to turn a repairable puncture into a tyre that has to be replaced.
Get to the nearest place where it is safe to stop, switch the hazard lights on and stop there.
Tyre pressure warning lights
A tyre pressure warning light means the system has detected a drop in pressure in one or more tyres. Check all four by eye and with a gauge before driving further.
A light that flashes when the car starts and then stays on usually points to a fault in the system itself rather than a tyre.
What flat tyre help includes
- The cause found with the tyre off the rim
- A repair if the damage allows it, or a new tyre if not
- Valve checked and pressure set before the wheel 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.
- If the tyre may still be repairable, say so before using a sealant can, and leave any nail or screw where it is.
- 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. Say whether there is a usable spare.
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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.
★★★★★
“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”
PNPegah NourmandGoogle review
★★★★★
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
AMAdam MorrisGoogle review
Questions
Questions drivers ask
Can I wait for you in a supermarket car park?
Yes, if the owner of the car park allows work there. If you are not sure, a legal space on a quiet side street is the simpler choice.
Is it a flat or a slow puncture?
If the tyre still holds some air and loses it gradually, it is a slow puncture, and those are the best candidates for repair. A tyre that has gone completely flat while driving has to be checked from the inside before anyone can say.
How far can I drive on a flat tyre?
Ideally nowhere. Even a short distance can destroy the tyre and damage the wheel, so stop as soon as it is safe to.
The pressure light is on but the tyre looks fine. What should I do?
Measure the pressures with a gauge before going further. A modern tyre can lose a lot of pressure before it looks flat.
Will a flat tyre need replacing?
Not always. If the damage is in the repair zone and the tyre was not driven flat, it may be repairable.
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.
Are you insured?
Yes. Rescue Tyres is fully insured, has fitted more than 2,000 tyres and is a UK registered company.
Can I bring the car to you instead?
No. Rescue Tyres is fully mobile and works from one base at Brent Cross, NW2, which is not open to walk-in customers. The fitter comes to the car.
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.
Will the wheel be damaged too?
It can be. The rim is inspected with the tyre off, and you are told if it is bent or cracked before the new tyre is fitted.
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
Run-flat tyres
Run-flat tyres
A run-flat tyre has a reinforced sidewall that carries the car for a limited distance with little or no air. Because the car can feel normal, the tyre pressure warning light may be the only sign that something is wrong.
How far a run-flat will go
Tyre makers commonly quote up to 50 miles at no more than 50 mph after pressure loss, but the handbook has the final word.
Use that range to reach a safe place such as home or a car park, not to finish a long journey.
Never mix run-flat and standard tyres
Run-flat and standard tyres should not be mixed on the same car.
Switching all four to standard tyres is possible on some cars, but it leaves you unable to drive on after a puncture, so check the handbook first.
How to tell if you have run-flats
Look near the size on the sidewall for markings such as RFT, SSR, ROF, ZP or RSC in a circle.
Cars on run-flats often have no spare wheel at all, so check under the boot floor and in the handbook.
What a run-flat job includes
- Correct run-flat in your size, load index and speed rating
- Inspection inside the tyre before any repair is considered
- Advice on maker markings such as RSC and the star
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Is it safe to drive on a flat tyre?
Driving on a flat tyre is dangerous and can wreck your wheel. Here's what happens, what to do instead, and how far you can safely go (almost nowhere).
School-run flat tyre: what to do
A flat tyre on the school run throws the whole day. Here's the safe way to handle it without changing a wheel in the road with kids in the car.
What to keep in the car for a tyre emergency
Most cars carry the wrong things for a puncture. Here is the short list that helps at the roadside, and what to check you have now.
Call to check we can take the job
Tell us where the car is
Stay safe, keep off the flat tyre and tell us where the car is. 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.