DEALING WITH A FLAT
June 26, 2016
Having a flat tire can be such a nuisance. And, it usually happens one of two ways: You walk out to your car in the morning and spot your tire sagging to the ground, or you’re driving around and notice that sort of *flap flap flap* sound of an airless tire. Whatever the case may be, what you do next is crucial to ensuring your safety.
If you notice it while parked
It’s certainly a headache to have a flat tire. But, it’s less so of a headache to spot it prior to driving.
INSPECT IT
Gently run your hands along the back and front of the tire to see if you can spot anything embedded in the tire, such as a nail, screw, or one of those big industrial staples. If you can’t see anything, you MIGHT just be low on air. If you have a means to inflate the tire, you should do that and see if it holds air. If it retains air, then you are PROBABLY ok. But, you should still have the tire looked at.
PUT ON THE SPARE
If you do find something in the tire, it’s best not to patch it yourself. Put on your spare tire and carefully drive to the closest Rob’s service center for repair. Driving on a tire that’s low on air or completely flat can do even more damage to the tire.
If you notice the flat while driving
If you don’t hear the tire being flat while driving, you’re certainly going to feel it. When you have a flat, it’ll feel like your vehicle is being pulled to the side the flat and your acceleration will feel really sluggish.
SAFELY PULL OVER
Get as far to the side of the road as you can. Hopefully the road you’re on will have a wide enough shoulder to give yourself as much room as possible so you don’t risk being hit by passing vehicles. Flip on your hazard lights to give other drivers additional warning.
PUT ON THE SPARE
No matter what, do not drive on the flat tire. Put your spare on and carefully drive to your nearest Rob’s service center. Or, you can call Rob’s for a little roadside assistance.
If the cause of the flat tire was a puncture, we can most likely repair it by patching and plugging it. If the flat was caused by something else, we can assist you in finding the right tire for your car and get you back on the road in no time flat!