What To Do If You Get A Flat Tire

What to Do if You Get a Flat Tire 

Most drivers experience flat tire issues at least once. When these unfortunate events occur, Mercedes-Benz makes sure our Princeton customers are well-prepared. Your Mercedes-Benz vehicle is either equipped with run-flat tires, a tire-fit mobility kit, or a spare tire. Additionally, your model includes a tire pressure monitoring system complete with sensors in each wheel. If your tire is flat, the system will display a tire malfunction warning on the dash cluster. In this instance, you should pull the vehicle over to a safe place on the side of the road. If you don’t know how to change a flat tire, give your roadside assistance provider a call for help, or call the Mercedes-Benz of Princeton service center at (609) 771-8040. Otherwise, you’ll need to follow our steps for how to change a tire and our safety tips for when you have a flat tire.

What to Do When Your Car is Parked and Has a Flat Tire

• Inspect Your Tires: Run your finger along the front and back of the tread. See if there are any nails, industrial staples, or other objects that have punctured the sidewall. If the culprit for your tire deflation isn’t obvious, it may be that your tires are just low!
• Put the Spare On: Hopefully, you have a spare in your trunk. If so, it’s time to put it on. We’ll cover the steps of how to take off and put a tire on in the following sections.

What To Do When Your Car Gets a Flat While Driving

• Pull Over: If you get a flat while driving on Hamilton roads, you may hear the deflation, and you’ll definitely feel your steering wobble. Make sure that you don’t hit the brakes. Try to coast your vehicle over onto the shoulder of the road until it rolls to a stop. Then, put it in park, flip on your hazards, get out of your car, and take a look at your tires.
• Put Your Spare On: Simply follow the steps in the next section to put your spare tire on. If you don’t have a spare on hand, call Mercedes-Benz of Princeton at (609) 771-8040 for assistance.

How to Change a Tire

• To change your tire, you’ll need a carjack on hand, a spare tire, wheel wedges, and a socket wrench.
• First, put your wheel wedges behind each of your wheels.
• Then, use your wrench to loosen the lug nuts from the hubcap of the tire that needs to be replaced.
• Next, place your carjack under the part of the vehicle frame that is right next to the tire you plan on replacing.
• Then, raise your vehicle by about 6 inches by cranking the jack.
• Once it’s raised up, unscrew the lug nuts and remove the flat tire.
• Replace the flat tire with the spare, and tighten its lug nuts by hand.
• Lower the vehicle, and then re-tighten the lug nuts with a wrench.
• Next, check the tire pressure of your spare tire to make sure it’s properly inflated.
• Finally, drive to the nearest dealership for a proper tire replacement, as your spare is usually only rated to last you a few dozen miles of driving.

What Are Mercedes-Benz Run-flat Tires?

OEM Mercedes-Benz tires are designed with run-flat technology. This means that they feature reinforced sidewalls inside of the tire that protects an extra pocket of air. When your tire experiences a flat, your rims will be protected for another 50 miles on Mercer County streets, and so long as you don’t drive at speeds above 50 mph, you should have enough tread to safely drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership. Run-flat tires save you from having to deal with the hassle of installing a spare, as well as the hassle of having to call for a tow.

Why You Should Not Drive on a Flat Tire

You’ve read our advice for what to do if you get a flat tire and our safety tips for when you have a flat tire. Now, take a moment to learn about why you should never drive on a flat tire in the first place:

• Tire Damage: You could irreparably damage your tire. Most tires can be repaired with tire patches, but if you drive on a semi-flat tire, there will be little to no air cushioning all the main parts of the tire as it rolls down the road at high speeds. This will seriously damage the side walls and other parts of the tire, and generate a tremendous amount of heat, which can melt the tire, damaging it beyond repair.
• Rim Damage: Your tires protect your rims, which connect your axles to your tires. With no real protection, your rims will grate and warp out of shape.
• Vehicle Damage: When you drive on flat tires, you risk warping your rotors, throwing off the vehicle alignment, and damaging your suspension.
• Danger: Driving on flat tires can seriously compromise your steering and vehicle responsiveness, making you a danger to yourself and others on the road.

Need Help With Tire Replacement or Repair? 

Whether you require a tow, you have questions about run-flat tires, our safety tips for when you have a flat tire, or you’d like to explore our selection of OEM Mercedes-Benz tires, reach out to the Mercedes-Benz of Princeton tire center! If you don’t have run-flat tires or a spare, and you’re stranded on the side of the road, reach out for Mercedes-Benz roadside assistance! In the meantime, take a moment to explore our service tips for other helpful reads!