Tip #92: Check the spare tire's pressure, because a flat spare is no spare
A spare tire loses air while it sits, and many drivers find out only on the shoulder. Check its pressure a few times a year, using the figure on the tire placard or the owner's manual.
Tip #92 in one line
A spare tire loses air while it sits, and many drivers find out only on the shoulder. Check its pressure a few times a year, using the figure on the tire placard or the owner's manual.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowFirst, find out if you have one
Many newer cars come without a spare at all. Some have a tire inflator kit with sealant, some have run-flat tires, and some have nothing. Look under the trunk floor or, on many trucks and SUVs, under the rear of the vehicle. Knowing what you have before a flat changes what you ask for when you call.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowCheck it like the other four
Tires lose air slowly over time even when they are not used, and the spare is never on the road to remind you. Check it with a gauge when you check the others, at least a few times a year and before long trips. The correct pressure is printed on the tire placard, usually on the driver's door jamb, or in the owner's manual. Compact temporary spares often call for a higher pressure than the regular tires, so do not assume it is the same number.
Look at the sidewall too. A spare that is many years old can crack even with good tread, and the manufacture date is on the sidewall.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowCompact spares are temporary
A compact spare is designed for a limited distance at reduced speed. The limits are printed on the tire or in the manual. Plan to drive to a tire shop, not to finish a long trip on it. On an all-wheel-drive car, check the manual on how far a compact spare can be used, since mismatched tires affect the drivetrain.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhen the flat comes
Pull fully off the road, put the hazards on and call (908) 444-0129. A flat tire change is one flat price: the tech mounts your spare and checks its pressure. If there is no usable spare, the dispatcher books a local tow to the tire shop you choose, quoted before the truck rolls. On the Turnpike or Parkway shoulder, the Authority's authorized garages respond; we take the car from the exit or their lot. More in the flat tire change guide.
If your car has a tire inflator kit instead of a spare, read the instructions before you need them. Kits usually seal small punctures in the tread only, not sidewall cuts or blowouts, and the sealant has an expiration date printed on the canister. Replace an expired canister. Tell the tire shop if sealant was used; they need to know before they work on the tire.
Check that the jack, the lug wrench and any wheel lock key are in the car too. A missing wheel lock key is a common reason a simple tire change becomes a tow.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on tires
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flat tire on a New Jersey highway: what to do
- Tip #2: Cold weather lowers your tire pressure overnight
- Tip #13: Driving on a flat ruins the tire and the wheel within a short distance
- Tip #14: Find your spare, jack and wheel-lock key before you need them
- Tip #17: Run-flat tires buy you limited miles at limited speed, not a free pass
- Tip #22: The tire pressure light is a warning to check, not proof of a flat
- Tip #86: Rotate your tires on the schedule in your owner's manual
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- All posts
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