Feeling Flat or Deflated ?
Most of us through our motoring years have experienced a flat tyre or loss of pressure, if you haven’t as yet, don’t worry the chances are you will experience this at some point over the years as flat or damaged tyres are one of the top reasons for roadside breakdown, with batteries and alternator problems being the most common.
With this in mind, you will be surprised how many of us do not know the correct procedure and what we should do when this happens.
We will try and answer all the questions you may have when this happens to you.
What causes tyres to deflate or blowout ?
This can seem like a silly question and people assume that it's result of driving over nails or broken glass but in reality, there are a number of things that contribute to you having a blowout or unexpected loss in tyre pressure. (The most obvious one would be driving over a stinger that the police use trying to stop a motorist immediately – Hopefully none of you will ever experience this one).
Underinflation If you tyre is underinflated, they can become unseated from the wheel rim, this causes areas of the tyre that are not designed to make contact with the road and in doing so causes damage to the tyre. Underinflation can also cause difficulties with your steering’s response.
Overinflation Having too much pressure in your tyre places stress on the whole structure. As well as reducing your steering control, it can also cause a blowout, especially when the weather is very hot or the car is being driven at high speeds, the air inside will heat up and expand.
Overloading When a vehicle is overloaded it can have the same adverse effects of both over and underinflation. When additional load weight compresses the air in tyres and increases the pressure, it changes the tyres profile and potentially causes damage to areas that weren't intended to be in contact with the road surface.
Wear and tear Like most things, tyres wear down so it is important you check your tyres regularly, not just to check if the tyre pressure is correct but also look at the tyre for any cracks that may have appeared or chunks missing from the tyre. Ask your mechanic to check them when they carry out your MOT & service (they will do anyway as your tyres are an MOT checkable item and each tyre has got to have a minimum depth left on them left in order for it to pass it’s MOT. ).
Accidental damage Dare we mention the word ‘Potholes’ that seem to be increasing by the day, so it will be no surprise to learn these are very harsh on your tyres and over time will cause damage. Also avoid bumping up and down on kerbs, especially at speed, as this can cause catastrophic damage to a tyre, even a blowout.
Faulty or damaged valves Quite often valves can be defective, incorrectly installed or even missing. The biggest culprit however is dirt which can jam the valve. If you ever lose any of your dust caps from a tyre valve, replace it as soon as you can as this can save you a lot of potential problems in the long run.
Exposure to solvents and corrosives There are a range of chemicals that will cause damage to your tyres so make sure you never park in a puddle of unidentified liquids and give your tyres a really good clean when you wash the car.
UV exposure Not really a big issue here in the UK as it is in other hotter climate countries, but UV will damage most things given time. Long exposure can cause drying and cracking to the rubber in tyres. Keeping your car out of prolonged exposure to the sun can only help.
How do I cope with a blowout when driving?
Never just hit the brakes Try to prioritise the steering control over stopping. Keeping a firm grip on your steering wheel as it will start pulling to one side after a blowout, then when it is safe to do so, guide your car off the carriageway, as far as it is possible to do so. Only use your brakes when you are confident in your control of the vehicle and when the speed is below 40mph. Sudden or hard braking at high speed, especially with a damaged tyre, can be dangerous to you and other vehicles around you as they too have to quickly react to your sudden braking .
Hit the hazard light switch Only when it is safe to do so, put on your hazard lights, this makes other road users you are having a problem.
Check the road for debris from your blowout Substantial debris is a bigger problem for large vehicles, but even a car tyre can make a mess if it bursts. Only if the road is not busy and you can clearly see both ways, then you may decide to remove large pieces of debris from the path of other vehicles. If the road is busy, or you do not have a clear view in both directions, stay off the carriageway and call the police to report the hazard.
Repair/replace the damaged tyre, or prepare to proceed if you have run-flat tyres The number of cars supplied with full spare wheels and tyres is rapidly shrinking. These days it is common for cars to come with run-flat tyres or emergency repair kits. If your car has one of these measures, then check to ensure you can work safely before implementing those measures.
If you have any doubts, phone for roadside assistance If you are not confident that it is safe for you to inspect or attempt to repair the tyre, or if you do not have any means of doing so, then call your breakdown service. If you are not a member of a breakdown service, this would be a great time to join. They 'll be happy to sign you up at the roadside.
What does my car have to deal with a flat or blown out tyre?
Again, this sounds like a daft question, but many people don't check until something inconvenient happens. It's obvious for the 4x4 drivers as the spare tyre is clearly mounted on the outside rear of the vehicle, but for many cars it can be far from obvious what you're supposed to do.
The first suggestion would be to have a look in your manual if you still have it, this should state what method you need to use in these circumstances.
Manual or no manual, cars usually come with one or more of the following;
Spare wheel and tyre A spare can be full-size, or an annoying, reduced-width version known as a "space-saver". The spare wheel can be mounted conspicuously on the rear of the vehicle (Hooray!) or hidden away in a well in the boot. On some cars, the spare might be annoyingly concealed with an external bracket on the underside of the car (Boo!), in which case it is usually released by a bolt or nut in the boot. Space-saver tyres are for getting you out of trouble and to a tyre centre or mechanic. They're not intended to be used for driving long distances.
Run flat tyres Some manufacturers use 'run-flat' tyres which, as the name suggests, can be driven on even when punctured. That doesn't mean that you can drive on them as normal, but they should see you safely to a tyre dealer or mechanic. A few makes that use run-flats are Mercedes, Mini, Audi and BMW.
Emergency kit with sealant and inflator This kit usually consists of a sealant and a compressor. It takes up less space than a spare wheel and is much lighter. It is, of course, also cheaper for the car manufacturer to supply. Emergency kits have become very common. In fact, it is reported that only 3% of new cars actually come with spare wheels now. Like most other measures short of a full spare wheel and tyre, the emergency kit is a temporary fix that is only intended to get you as far as a tyre centre or garage.
How do I change a wheel?
First of all check your surroundings before you start any work on your car – making sure it is safe to do so.
Then check you actually do have a spare wheel and the tools it. The jack and wrench are usually in the boot of the car. Your wheel may also have a locking wheel nut on your wheels and this will be a round metal attachment that goes on the end of the wrench to release the locking wheel nut (normally only 1 on each wheel) and is usually kept in the rear with the wheel and tools or in your glove box.
Make sure everyone is out of the car and the handbrake is firmly applied.
Position wheel chocks either at the front or rear of each tyre, depending on which side you are going to jack the car up, this is an extra precaution to stop the car from rolling while jacked up. If you don’t have wheel chocks, try to find something to serve that purpose (ie; bricks, rocks, wooden blocks).
Loosen the wheel nuts on the wheel with the flat before you jack the car up but don't remove the nuts completely just yet. If your car has wheel trims they will need to be removed first to get to the wheel nuts.
All cars have special jacking points that are strong enough to support the car's weight. Make sure you position the jack as shown in your car's manual. Putting the jack in the wrong spot can damage the car. Raise the car so the tyre is about 10cm off the ground.
Remove the wheel nuts and lift/pull off the wheel then put it flat on the ground so it can't roll.
Mount the spare wheel and put the wheel nuts back on, tightening them just by hand. Make sure the wheel is pushed right back on the threaded studs and the nuts are snug.
Lower the car so the tyre is touching the ground and then firmly tighten all the wheel nuts with the wrench. Once you have done this lower the jack the rest of the way and remove it, then do a final check to ensure all the wheel nuts are tight.
Check the pressure of the tyre you just fitted.
Remove the chocks if you have used them and place the flat wheel and all the tools back into your car.
Now take your flat tyre for professional repair or replacement, if your tyre is a space-saver, do not drive further on it than you need to in order to get the full-sized wheel repaired.
How do I use an emergency repair kit?
Usually, you put the sealant inside the tyre, use the compressor to inflate the tyre and then drive a certain distance to distribute the sealant. You then check the tyre before driving to get a professional repair or replacement.
Detailed instructions for use may vary significantly between kits. Fortunately, kits come with instructions that will tell you how to use the one you have.
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