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Original poster

Driving on Flat Tyre

62 replies

nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 15:17

Please don't shout at me.

The tyre pressure warning light has come on and my passenger side rear tyre looks very slightly softer than the others, as in, I've checked a few times and it's not obvious. The garage I have an appointment with tomorrow is, according to Google maps, 2.2 miles away.

I'm crazy to drive there, aren't I?

OP posts:
Reugny · 31/01/2023 15:37

How to inflate car tyres from Halfords on Youtube -

The gauge is actually overkill.

Original poster
nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 15:37

Reugny · 31/01/2023 15:35

I'm someones neighbour and in my boot I have a pump you put into your cigarette lighter to inflate car, small van, scooter or motorbike tyres.

I know some of my other neighbours have them as well but it wouldn't bother me to lend mine to them if theirs were broken. Simply as I rather do that then them have an accident.

Show quote history

I'm more likely to get thumped than a loan of a lighter. It's not 'naice' around here.

OP posts:
friskybivalves · 31/01/2023 15:39

I think you will be fine to drive on it and just go carefully. We had a warning about a tyre pressure last week. Drive two miles to kwik fit. They saw a nail and fixed the slow puncture. A dramatic puncture is obvious. A slow puncture will not do a vast amount of damage. Our car is a heavy electric one and it was still fine. The other three tyres take a lot of the strain and weight as well.

I can't inflate tyres. Am enormously practical but frightened of them going bang. Irrational but there we are.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Driving & parking General health
Reugny · 31/01/2023 15:40

friskybivalves · 31/01/2023 15:39

I think you will be fine to drive on it and just go carefully. We had a warning about a tyre pressure last week. Drive two miles to kwik fit. They saw a nail and fixed the slow puncture. A dramatic puncture is obvious. A slow puncture will not do a vast amount of damage. Our car is a heavy electric one and it was still fine. The other three tyres take a lot of the strain and weight as well.

I can't inflate tyres. Am enormously practical but frightened of them going bang. Irrational but there we are.

Even my push bike tyres didn't go bang when I accidentally over inflated them. I just had to let half the air out....

JorisBonson · 31/01/2023 15:41

Find a mobile mechanic to come and fill it?

YourGazeHitsTheSideOfMyFace · 31/01/2023 15:41

Most cars have a sticker with the recommended tyre pressures either inside the fuel cap cover, or inside one of the door jambs. The required pressure varies a bit according to how laden you are. It’s really simple to understand.

If your pressure in that tyre is just a bit low, and not an actual flat tyre, you are fine to drive to somewhere that you can pump it up, either a petrol station, or a local service garage.

If you’re not able to physically do the job yourself, you should look into membership of AA or RAC etc - they might have special support for people with disabilities.

Jules912 · 31/01/2023 15:44

My tire pressure warning on my car must be really sensitive as I cannot see the difference when it comes on (I also suspect it's faulty as it seems to for the same tyre ever few weeks despite having said tyre replaced). Based on that I'd say you're ok to drive to the garage, but it's not that hard to do yourself (although like PP I worry about over-inflating them so normally get DH to do it)

Daftasabroom · 31/01/2023 15:46

@nomdegrrr1 again it will be in the manual.

balloontrip · 31/01/2023 15:49

No don't drive on it, even if it isn't completely flat it may well end up that way while you drive then you could be looking at needing a whole new wheel.

WonderingWanda · 31/01/2023 15:50

How do you check your tyre pressure then if you don't know how to inflate a tyre? I assume you check it once a month?

swapcicles · 31/01/2023 15:52

Absolutely fine to drive a short distance with tyres slightly deflated to get them fixed.
I had to drive DD's car last year with one completely flat tire as it was so far gone my air pump didn't do anything!
It was to the nearest (and probably more expensive) garage a couple of miles away.
Was fine but rather slow and steady.
Long term though If you can't do them yourself tyres ideally needed to be checked regularly by a family member/friend/work collegue or garage.
I'd happily do this for a friend who couldn't quite manage it.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 31/01/2023 15:52

Can you get a mobile tyre service to come to your house? Kiwi Fit do this, but undoubtedly there will be local services, cheaper.
Tyres on the Drive
Black Circles]]

balloontrip · 31/01/2023 15:53

Absolutely fine to drive a short distance with tyres slightly deflated to get them fixed.

Yeah, just be aware if they go completely flat you could buckle your wheel and end up massively out of pocket. Much easier to book a tyre fitter to come to you.

WestBridgewater · 31/01/2023 15:57

Babdoc · 31/01/2023 15:26

You can buy a cheap portable air compressor pump, that plugs into your car’s cigar lighter and will pump up the tyres to whatever pressure you preset.
You can use it every couple of weeks to just measure the tyre pressures and top them up if needed. Properly inflated tyres reduce your petrol consumption, as a bonus.

I’ve got one it’s a lifesaver. But it’s useless for @nomdegrrr1if they can’t bend and there’s no one to ask.
What has happened for you not to be able to ask any neighbours. I think the best way forward is to join the AA or RAC and make sure you get home start.

hotdiggetydog · 31/01/2023 15:57

nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 15:21

The garage is nearer than any petrol station, and realistically I wouldn't know how to inflate it.

There is a spare in the back, but we don't have a jack.

There's a YouTube tutorial for literally everything. Just have a look there.

Then Google the reccomended pressures for the year make and model of your car.

boobot1 · 31/01/2023 15:57

balloontrip · 31/01/2023 15:53

Absolutely fine to drive a short distance with tyres slightly deflated to get them fixed.

Yeah, just be aware if they go completely flat you could buckle your wheel and end up massively out of pocket. Much easier to book a tyre fitter to come to you.

This. Much easier and safer.

Tamarindtree · 31/01/2023 16:00

nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 15:26

I shouldn't have posted. I'm sorry.

There is no-one I can ask. I don't know how to inflate tyres. I've tried watching YouTube videos but couldn't physically reach the right parts of the tyres. I am not very good at things like bending.

The garage is nearer than a petrol station. In the past there have been issues with wheels being misaligned, weird slow punctures etc and so now I feel better going to a garage.

Join Nextdoor or your local town or village Facebook group as often people in your neighbourhood are willing to help. (Then brag about it!)

FloydPepper · 31/01/2023 16:10

nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 15:29

I've never been able to find a way of telling what the pressure should be for tyres/car

Show quote history

There’s usually a few places

there may well be a sticker inside the door frame or the fuel cap telling you what they should be

they will definitely be in the manual

they will also be online if you Google, you’ll find either an online manual, or a random website telling you

and, gently as I understand it’s not always straightforward, please try and learn some basics around car safety. How to top a tyre up is (usually) basic stuff and whilst I understand mobility issues, all too often people just say “oh I don’t understand any of that”, and that leads to dangerous decisions like driving on flat tyres, or with no oil, or washer fluid, or coolant.

FloydPepper · 31/01/2023 16:11

Oh and if it’s only a bit flat, not totally, yep drive it to where you can get it sorted but take your time. Not ideal but won’t damage it unless it’s very flat

Lonelycrab · 31/01/2023 16:15

If it’s only slightly flat I’d drive the short distance to the garage, it’s only 2 miles. Just go easy, you’re not driving the length of the country.

My tyre deflation light comes on at -5 psi under recommended- not that much really.

MrsJBaptiste · 31/01/2023 16:17

My front tyre goes down all the time (can't find a fault with it so I'm hanging in there until I sell my car within the next few months) I generally do a few trips here and there before I can be bothered to get the pump out, yet again...

Remember that older cars won't have a warning light so we'd drive around completely unaware and be fine.

NotAnotherBathBomb · 31/01/2023 16:17

What do you want OP? Every option has been shut down. You want someone on MN to offer to buy you a car?

WestBridgewater · 31/01/2023 16:21

NotAnotherBathBomb · 31/01/2023 16:17

What do you want OP? Every option has been shut down. You want someone on MN to offer to buy you a car?

😂😂😂

Hairyfairy01 · 31/01/2023 16:26

I would use this opportunity to learn how to inflate tyres to be honest. It's not hard. Google what psi it needs to be set to, the pump will stop automatically when it reaches that. Just use one at your nearest petrol station. My warning light often comes on. Once I put a bit of air in then they are fine again for a while. I suspect I have a slow puncture but I certainly won't be buying new tyres for that.

Original poster
nomdegrrr1 · 31/01/2023 16:40

NotAnotherBathBomb · 31/01/2023 16:17

What do you want OP? Every option has been shut down. You want someone on MN to offer to buy you a car?

I was hoping to get some sort of consensus about whether it would be safe to drive 2 miles (on the flat but in loopy traffic) to the garage.

I really appreciate all the advice. I've made an appointment with the garage, but I'll reassess tomorrow morning. I'm going to take a phone pic now and compare it tomorrow. If there is any change, I'll get the tyre people out.

Then I'm going to see if I can find someone who can show me how to inflate/change tyres, as when I tried a while back I couldn't seem to get anything to work. I may even ask at the garage. I already check oil, water and wiper fluid, and I'm fine with them.

Thank you for all the help.

OP posts: