How to Fix a Flat Tire

It’s too easy to have been a bit of a tit and forgotten to replace your spare wheel, leaving you with a flat tire with little hope of a ‘quick fix’, to get you to where you so very urgently need to be. The ‘quick fix’ remedies recommended on the internet all tend to be aerosols however they all seem to work in the same way. 

Fix-a-Flat is a tire repair aerosol (safe to use by the ever so slightly special road user who forgot to replace his spare wheel last time he got a flat), that can be stored in your car with the promise of not blowing your dog up when you forget to open the window for it on a hot summer’s day. This how to gives you guidance on coming to a quick fix to her you home. If you’re looking for how to change a tire rather than ‘fix’ one, click here. 

Photo Credit: Designlazy.com

Steps

1- Pull over to a safe area before your tire is completely flat as there is often limited pressure coming from the cans.

2- Jack up the car slightly to relieve the pressure on the punctured.

2- Remove the black cap from the tire valve (the nipple (te he) that the air comes in through).

3- Put the cap in a safe place, as they’re way too easy to lose!

4- Screw the can of Fix-a-Flat onto the valve stem, you’ll hear it start to fill the tire with air.

5- When it stops filling, unscrew the can and replace the valve stem cap.

6- Drive the car right away to the nearest gas station in order to top up with air. The sealant in the  can needs to circulate evenly inside the tire to fill the puncture and ride evenly.

Tips

‘Quick fix’ tire puncture repairs are just that- a ‘quick fix’! Get the tire fixed properly as soon as possible and be sure to tell them you used Fix-a-Flat as they need to know that your tire is filled with aerosol gases and not just air.

Also there is some evidence that aerosol tire sealers can harm TPMS (Tire Pressure Management Systems). If your car is equipped with tire pressure warnings, please consult the manufacturer before you use a product such as “fix-a-flat”.