Check a vehicle while you read
Enter a UK registration to see what ServiceLad holds for it.
Vehicle Risk Check £9.99 · Complete History Report £16.99 · one-off payment, no subscription. See what each one includes.
Before you lift the car
- Get off the live lane if you can. Prefer a hard shoulder only where it is legal and safer than staying put, or take the next exit / park in a car park.
- Hazards on. Passengers out on the safe side, away from traffic.
- Confirm you have a usable spare or compressor kit, a jack that fits the car, and the correct wheel-nut key.
If you are on a motorway and cannot reach a safe place, stay behind the barrier if you can and use the emergency process for that road. Changing a wheel inches from live traffic is not bravery.
The change, without shortcuts
- Loosen nuts slightly while the wheel is still on the ground.
- Jack only at the marked points in the handbook. Guessing can damage sills.
- Fit the spare, nuts hand-tight, lower the car, then tighten in a star pattern.
- Check the spare's pressure as soon as you can. Many are under-inflated from years in the boot.
Speed and distance limits apply. They get you home or to a tyre shop. They are not a new set of long-term tyres.
Aftercare that people skip
Retorque the wheel nuts after a short drive. Repair or replace the damaged tyre properly. If the car keeps losing pressure, look for kerb damage or corrosion on the rim, not just a nail.
If this happens on a car you have just bought, treat repeated tyre failures as a prompt to check the wider history and keeper story, not only the rubber. ServiceLad's V5C alerts will not fix a puncture, but they help you watch the registration after purchase when small problems start stacking up.
For a clear roadside sequence, MOTCO's guide on how to change a flat tyre in the UK is worth saving before you need it.
Common questions
Can I drive on a flat to the next garage?
Avoid it. Even a short run on a flat can destroy the tyre and damage the rim.
What if I only have a sealant kit?
Use it only for suitable punctures in the tread area, then get the tyre inspected. Sidewall damage usually means the tyre is finished.
Check the car you are looking at
Enter a UK registration to see what ServiceLad holds for it.
Vehicle Risk Check £9.99 · Complete History Report £16.99 · one-off payment, no subscription. See what each one includes.