- Hold the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator and do not brake hard.
- If the car can still be driven safely, leave at the next exit or pull into a service area.
- If you cannot, stop on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area, as far to the left as you can, with the wheels turned to the left.
- Switch on the hazard warning lights, and the sidelights too if it is dark or visibility is poor.
- Get out by the left-hand doors with your passengers and wait behind the safety barrier where there is one, well away from the traffic.
- Do not try even a simple repair yourself, and do not put a warning triangle out on a motorway.
Mobile tyre fitting off the M6
The stretch of the M6 from Rugby to Cannock is a long way from us: the nearest junction listed here is about 72 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2, and the Cannock end is about 108 miles away. 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.
On the road
If a tyre fails on the M6
If the car stops in a live lane, or you cannot get out safely, stay in the car with your seat belt on and the hazard lights on, and call 999. Otherwise use an emergency phone or call your breakdown cover.
Several stretches of the M6 between Rugby and Cannock are smart motorway, where there may be no hard shoulder at all, so look for an emergency area or leave at the next exit.
National Highways runs this road. Its contact centre is on 0300 123 5000; in an emergency, call 999.
This advice follows the Highway Code rules on breakdowns and incidents (rules 274 to 287).
Where we can work
Corley and Hilton Park services
There are two service areas on this stretch: Corley services between J3 and J4, run by Welcome Break, and Hilton Park services between J10a and J11, run by Moto. Some junctions have limited movements, so follow the signs.
| Junction | Serves |
|---|---|
| J1 | A426 Rugby, Lutterworth |
| J2 | M69 Leicester, A46 Coventry east, Ansty |
| J3 | A444 Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth |
| J3a | M6 Toll northbound, Birmingham north, Tamworth (limited movements) |
| J4 | M42 south, A446 Coleshill, Lichfield, NEC |
| J4a | M42 north, Tamworth, Nottingham |
| J5 | A452 Castle Bromwich, Sutton Coldfield, Chelmsley Wood |
| J6 | A38(M) Aston Expressway, Birmingham centre, Spaghetti Junction (Gravelly Hill) |
| J7 | A34 Great Barr, Walsall, Birmingham north-west |
| J8 | M5 South West, West Bromwich (Ray Hall) |
| J9 | A461 Wednesbury, Walsall |
| J10 | A454 Walsall, Wolverhampton, Willenhall |
| J10a | M54 Telford, Wolverhampton north (limited movements) |
| J11 | A460 Cannock, Wolverhampton, Featherstone |
Where we can work
Where a fitter could meet you
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. A fitter can only work on the car once it is parked off the motorway somewhere safe and legal: a side street near the exit, your home or workplace, or a car park whose owner allows it. Motorway services are private ground, so we can only work there if the operator allows it.
When you call, tell us the junction you left at, where the car is now, the tyre size if you can read it, 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. The price depends on the tyre and the job, and we confirm it on the call.
Off the road
What can we do once you are off the road?
Every job below is done at the car, once it is parked somewhere safe and legal away from the traffic.
Tyre replacement at your car
The fitter brings the new tyre to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, fits it, balances the wheel and sets the pressure.
Tell us the size from the sidewall and we can talk through budget, mid-range and premium options for it.
- New tyre sourced in your size, load index and speed rating
- Old tyre off, new tyre on, wheel balanced and refitted
- Wheel nuts tightened to the maker's torque figure
Puncture repair
A nail or screw in the main tread can often be repaired. The fitter takes the tyre off the rim and looks at the inside before deciding, because a small hole can hide bigger damage.
Damage in the shoulder or the sidewall, or a tyre that has been driven flat, cannot be repaired safely, and you are told why before anything else is done.
- Tyre taken off the rim and inspected inside
- Repair considered only for small holes in the central tread area
- Wheel balanced and pressure set after the repair
Flat tyre help
A flat tyre does not always mean a new tyre. Whether it can be repaired depends on where the damage is and how far the car was driven flat.
If the spare is missing, flat or a space saver you would rather not rely on, the repair or the new tyre is brought to the car.
- 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
Burst and damaged tyre replacement
A burst tyre, a bulge in the sidewall or a deep cut from a kerb or pothole cannot be repaired. The fitter replaces the tyre at the car and checks the wheel while the tyre is off.
Send a photo of the damage and the size on the sidewall so the right replacement can be found.
- 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
Out-of-hours tyre fitting
We work evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays when the diary allows, at the same price as a weekday job.
Out of normal working hours, where the car waits matters more: somewhere lit, legally parked and away from passing traffic.
- The same repair-or-replace check as at any other time
- A new tyre fitted when the damage rules out a repair
- A lit, legal spot to work in, agreed on the call
Removing locking wheel nuts
Lost, broken or rounded key? The nuts are removed at the car with extraction sockets made for locking nuts.
Plain nuts or a new locking set go back on, and the tyre can be sorted on the same visit.
- Removal without the key, using sockets made for locking nuts
- Replacement nuts matched to the wheel's seat type and thread
- Tyre repaired or replaced on the same visit if needed
Step by step
Calling us once the car is safe
→
Tell us what happened
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall.
→
Agree what happens next
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
→
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.
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
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
Road FAQs
Questions drivers ask about this road
Is it worth calling you from the Midlands?
Call and ask. We are a long way from this road, so we will tell you honestly whether we can take the job. If the car is somewhere unsafe, your breakdown cover is the better first call.
Where is there no hard shoulder?
J2 to J4 (all-lane running, emergency areas only); J4 to J10a through Birmingham and the Black Country (smart motorway: do not rely on a hard shoulder being available; stop only in an emergency area or off the motorway); J10a to J11a (controlled motorway with a conventional hard shoulder); J11a to J13 (all-lane running, emergency areas only). On a stretch like that, keep going to the next exit if the car can still be driven safely; if it cannot, stop in an emergency area if one is in reach and call 999 if you are stuck in a live lane.
Is it safe to change a wheel on the hard shoulder?
No. The advice in the Highway Code is to keep well away from the vehicle and the traffic and not to attempt any repairs there.
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 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.
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.
Should I buy budget or premium tyres?
It depends on the car and how it is used. The tyre label's wet grip grade is a fair way to compare tyres in the same size.
Is a plug pushed in from outside a proper repair?
Not as a permanent repair. The British Standard for tyre repairs, BS AU 159, expects the tyre to come off the rim so the inside can be checked as well.
Will locking nut removal damage my alloy wheels?
The method is chosen to avoid that. If an earlier attempt has already marked the wheel, the fitter points it out before starting.
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.
★★★★★
“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
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“Good communication, excellent work and takes the initiative. Happy to go the extra mile, highly recommended if you're in a tyre-related bit of bother!”
DFDavid FordhamGoogle review
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
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.
Long motorway journey: tyre and safety checklist
Sustained motorway speed is hard on tyres. A pre-journey checklist: tread, laden pressures, the spare, towing loads and what to do if a tyre fails.
Broken down on the motorway: staying safe
A motorway is one of the most dangerous places to stop with a tyre problem. Here's how to stay safe while you wait for help, including on smart motorways.
Call to check we can take the job