Puncture: what to do right away

How can you tell you have a puncture?

A puncture is usually recognisable from three signs: the car pulls to one side, the steering becomes heavier or vibrates, and the tyre pressure warning light comes on on the dashboard. On new cars registered in the EU since 1 November 2014, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is mandatory, so the warning light is often the first alert.

Other clues: a rhythmic noise as you drive (often a nail touching the tarmac), a hiss of air when the vehicle is stationary, or the tyre looking visibly more squashed than the others.

What are the most common causes of a puncture?

The most frequent cause of a puncture is a sharp object going through the tread: nails, screws, metal shards, glass. In the city they're easily picked up near roadworks and at the roadside.

• Objects in the tread: nails and screws, which often remain stuck in (see nail in the tyre).
• Impacts with kerbs, tram tracks or potholes, which can cut or pinch the tyre.
• Cuts caused by sharp debris, described on the cut tyre page.
• Worn tyres, with a thin tread that's easier to pierce.

What should you do right away with a puncture?

As soon as you notice the puncture, the priority is to stop safely without any sudden manoeuvres.

1. Switch on your hazard lights, slow down gradually and pull over away from the traffic, on level, firm ground.
2. Apply the handbrake and switch off the engine.
3. Put on your high-visibility vest before getting out when it's compulsory in Italy (outside built-up areas, at night or in poor visibility, on the carriageway or in a lay-by).
4. Place the warning triangle at least 50 metres behind the vehicle, visible from at least 100 metres.
5. Have your passengers get out on the side away from the traffic and move away from the carriageway.
6. Look at the tyre without touching any objects stuck in it and, if you can, take a photo.
7. Call for assistance, giving your exact location.

Can you drive with a punctured tyre?

You shouldn't drive with a punctured, deflated tyre, except for the few metres needed to reach a safe spot, at walking pace. A tyre that rolls while deflated deforms, overheats and is damaged from the inside: a repairable puncture then becomes a tyre for the scrap heap, and the rim can be damaged too.

It's a different matter for a tyre that still has pressure, for example with a nail acting as a plug, or a run-flat tyre: the details are in the guide can you drive on a flat tyre?.

Can a punctured tyre be repaired?

A punctured tyre can generally be repaired when the hole is small and in the central area of the tread. Damage to the shoulder or sidewall, long cuts, bulges, visible plies and tyres driven on deflated for a long way cannot be repaired.

The final decision rests with the technician, after removing the tyre and checking the inside too. Find out more in when a tyre can be repaired.

Repair kit or spare wheel: which is better?

If you have a spare wheel or space-saver, fitting it is the most reliable way to get moving; the kit (sealant and compressor) is only useful for small holes in the tread and doesn't work on cuts or sidewall damage. After using sealant, the tyre must still be checked by a tyre fitter, and some products can make a later repair more complicated.

Remember that a space-saver is for temporary use and has a maximum speed shown on the wheel itself, typically 80 km/h. The full comparison is in the guide repair kit or space-saver. If you have neither, read no spare wheel.

How does SOS Tyre deal with a puncture?

SOS Tyre comes to your vehicle in Milan and its province, on the street, outside your home, at the office or in a car park, at any time. Call +39 377 326 0999 or send the assistance request: we set off as soon as you call, tell you on the phone straight away when we'll arrive and get you back on the road in no time.

To organise the job we need:

• the exact location of the vehicle;
• the make and model of the car, motorbike or van;
• the tyre size, written on the sidewall (for example 205/55 R16 91V);
• a photo of the tyre and of where the hole is, if you can.

On the spot, the technician assesses a tyre repair where technically possible, or carries out a wheel change with your spare. A new tyre needs to be checked on the phone based on size and availability.