Tyre Emergency While Driving
Whether you've suffered a blowout, hit a pothole, or developed a dangerous puncture, here's what to do next — and once you're safe, we'll be with you in as little as 60 minutes to fit a replacement tyre.
Before Anything Else
This is the only part that matters right now. The tyre can wait a few minutes — getting yourself somewhere safe can't.
Once You're Safe
Different damage behaves differently. Recognising which one you're dealing with helps you understand what to do next, and what we'll need to bring.
A loud bang followed by a sudden loss of control or pressure. Usually requires tyre replacement — the tyre itself is rarely salvageable after this.
Call Now
Pressure drops rapidly. The vehicle may still be controllable, but continuing to drive on it can destroy the tyre beyond repair.
Often caused by kerbing or a hard pothole strike. Once the sidewall has split, it usually can't be repaired safely — it needs replacing.
Sometimes the tyre survives, sometimes the sidewall splits, and sometimes the wheel itself is bent. Worth a check even if it still looks fine.
Call Now
The tread separates from the tyre casing, sometimes in strips. This gets worse, not better, the longer you keep driving. Stop as soon as it's safe.
The dashboard light may be the first sign of a slow puncture. Stopping early, before the tyre is fully flat, often prevents further damage.
Tell Us When You Call
Wherever you've ended up, it helps us to know — it changes how we plan the job, not whether we'll come.
Good. Stay behind the barrier where there is one. Call us once you and anyone with you are clear of the carriageway.
Perfect. Lay-bys are one of the easiest places for us to attend safely — plenty of room to work.
One of the easiest places for us to reach you. Park away from the pumps and let us know which one.
No problem — we'll come to your location. A postcode or what3words pin helps us find you quickly.
We'll replace the tyre right there on your road, on your driveway, or outside your home.
Our Side Of It
Right Now
Have your location, vehicle, and tyre size ready if you can. If you're not sure of the size, that's fine too — we can usually work it out from your reg.
Call 020 3978 0040Worth Knowing
Tyre failures rarely come from nowhere. Most have been building for weeks — they just become obvious all at once.
A tyre running low on pressure flexes more than it should with every rotation. That flex generates heat, and heat is what eventually causes the casing to fail — often as a blowout, often at speed.
Tread can wear gradually, but a sidewall is either intact or it isn't. A kerb strike or pothole can damage the internal structure without leaving an obvious mark — and then fail later, with no warning.
Rubber compounds harden over time even with plenty of tread left. A tyre well past five or six years old can fail unexpectedly, particularly if it sees a lot of motorway miles.
A nail or screw can seal itself enough to leak slowly rather than deflate immediately. Pressure drops over days, not seconds, until a TPMS light or a wallowing feel in the steering gives it away.
A hard impact transfers force straight through the tyre into the wheel rim. The tyre can look fine while the rim is bent — which then causes uneven wear or a vibration days later.
A tyre running at the wrong pressure for too long wears unevenly across the tread. That uneven wear reduces the margin it has left before a puncture turns into a structural problem.
Questions Drivers Often Ask
