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What's wrong with your tyre?
Every tyre problem has a recognisable symptom, and working out which one you have tells you straight away how urgent it is. Choose the one that most closely matches your situation:
- Puncture: the classic puncture. You feel the car pulling to one side, the tyre pressure warning light comes on or you see one tyre lower than the others.
- Flat tyre: the tyre is completely deflated; you often discover it in the morning with the car parked.
- Tyre blowout: a sudden loss of pressure while driving, with a loud bang and the car swerving.
- Tyre losing air: a slow loss of pressure; you have to reinflate it every few days or weeks.
- Nail in the tyre: you can see a screw, nail or metal object stuck in the tread.
- Cut tyre: a cut in the tread or sidewall, often after hitting a kerb, glass or debris.
- No spare wheel: you've had a puncture and there's only a repair kit in the boot, or nothing at all.
- Punctured run-flat: you have run-flat tyres and the tyre pressure warning light has come on.
Symptom, what to do right away, can you drive?
This table sums up, for each symptom, the first thing to do and whether you can move the vehicle. If in doubt, go with the more cautious answer.
| Symptom | What to do right away | Can you drive? |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre pressure warning light on, car pulling to one side | Slow down, stop as soon as you can somewhere safe and check the tyres | Only to the nearest safe spot, slowly |
| Tyre completely flat | Don't move the car, switch on your hazard lights, call for assistance | No |
| Loud bang and swerving while driving (blowout) | Grip the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator without braking sharply, pull over | No, once you've stopped |
| Tyre slowly losing air | Check and restore the pressure, have the valve and rim checked | Yes, if the pressure is correct and the leak is slow |
| Nail or screw in the tread | Don't remove it, check the pressure | Short distances, only if the tyre holds its pressure |
| Cut on the sidewall or bulge | Don't inflate, don't use sealant, call | No |
| Puncture with no spare wheel | Consider the kit only for small holes in the tread, otherwise call | Not with a flat tyre |
| Run-flat with warning light on | Reduce speed, follow the manufacturer's limits | Yes, for a limited distance and at reduced speed |
What to do in the first few minutes, whatever the problem
Whatever the fault, the first few minutes are about keeping you and your passengers safe. The repair comes later.
- Switch on your hazard lights and pull over as far from the traffic as possible, on level ground if you can.
- Apply the handbrake and switch off the engine.
- Before getting out, put on your high-visibility vest: in Italy it's compulsory outside built-up areas, at night or in poor visibility when you're on the carriageway or in a lay-by.
- Place the warning triangle at least 50 metres behind the vehicle, so that it's visible from at least 100 metres (not compulsory for two-wheeled motorbikes and mopeds).
- On the ring road or motorway, stay behind the crash barrier and don't cross the carriageway.
You'll find every step explained in the guide on how to stay safe after a puncture.
When is it better not to drive at all?
Don't drive if the tyre is flat, if you can see a cut or bulge on the sidewall, if the tyre has burst or if you feel strong vibrations. In these cases, even a few kilometres can ruin the tyre and the rim, and the car becomes less stable.
You can, however, drive slowly to a nearby safe spot when the leak is slow and the tyre still has pressure, or when you have run-flat tyres and stay within the manufacturer's limits. To find out more, read can you drive on a flat tyre?.
How does SOS Tyre help in Milan?
SOS Tyre is a tyre assistance service that comes to your vehicle wherever it is, in Milan, the surrounding area and the neighbouring provinces, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call +39 377 326 0999 or fill in the online assistance request: we set off as soon as you call.
To prepare for the job, we'll ask you for:
- your exact location (street, house number or a visible landmark);
- the vehicle: make, model, and whether it's electric or hybrid;
- the tyre size, which you'll find on the sidewall;
- if you can, a photo of the damaged tyre.
On the spot, the technician assesses whether a tyre repair is possible or carries out a wheel change with your spare wheel or space-saver.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether the tyre is just low or punctured?
If the tyre loses air within minutes or hours, it's almost always a puncture; if you have to reinflate it every few days or weeks, it's a slow leak, which may also be due to the valve or rim. In both cases, check the pressure when the tyres are cold and look over the tread for nails or cuts.
Which tyre problem is the most dangerous?
A blowout while driving and sidewall damage, such as cuts and bulges, are the most serious: the first because it can make you suddenly lose control of the vehicle, the second because it indicates a compromised structure that may give way. In these cases you must not drive, and the tyre usually needs replacing.
Can I call SOS Tyre even if I don't know what's wrong with the tyre?
Yes. You don't need a diagnosis: describe on the phone what you can see and hear, tell us where you are and, if you can, send a photo of the tyre. The SOS Tyre technician will assess it on the spot in Milan, at any time of day or night.
What should I keep in the car to deal with a tyre problem?
It's useful to have the warning triangle, a high-visibility vest within reach inside the cabin, a torch or a charged phone, and to know whether the car has a spare wheel, space-saver or repair kit. Make a note of your tyre size: it speeds up any request for assistance.