Flat Tire Change and Roadside Tire Service

A flat tire can happen because of a nail, pothole, leaking valve, damaged wheel, road debris, sidewall failure, or sudden blowout. Whatever caused it, continuing to drive can turn a damaged tire into a damaged wheel—or leave the vehicle in an unsafe position.

Ozark Roadside accepts flat-tire service requests for cars, trucks, SUVs, hybrids, electric vehicles, and many light-duty work vehicles. Depending on the vehicle, damage, spare tire, location, provider, and equipment, dispatch may arrange spare-tire installation, limited inflation assistance, evaluation of an available mobility kit, or towing.

Call 888-375-9792 for roadside tire assistance.

Roadside tire changes

Changing a tire safely involves more than removing five lug nuts.

Vehicles can have different designated lift points, jack procedures, lug-nut torque requirements, spare-tire locations, suspension systems, wheel-lock designs, ground-clearance limitations, and manufacturer warnings. Electric vehicles require additional care because lifting from an incorrect location can damage the battery enclosure or other underbody components.

The assigned provider should consider the specific vehicle and roadside conditions before lifting it or removing a wheel.

Flat tire service may include:

Locating the vehicle’s spare tire and factory tools.
Confirming that the spare is compatible and appears serviceable.
Identifying the designated lifting location.
Safely raising the vehicle on a suitable surface.
Removing the damaged wheel when the lug hardware permits it.
Installing a full-size or temporary spare.
Checking and adjusting spare-tire inflation when equipment is available.
Securing the removed wheel and equipment for transport.
Explaining temporary-spare restrictions that apply to continued travel.
Recommending towing when roadside installation is unsafe or impossible.

Cars, trucks, SUVs, hybrids, and EVs

Roadside tire assistance may be available for:

Passenger cars and crossovers.
Pickup trucks and SUVs.
Minivans.
Hybrid vehicles.
Tesla and other electric vehicles.
Fleet and company vehicles.
Light-duty commercial vehicles.
Vehicles equipped with full-size or temporary spare tires.

Service availability depends on the vehicle’s weight, wheel and tire size, lifting requirements, spare-tire condition, lug hardware, provider equipment, and roadside environment.

Vehicle-specific lifting procedures

The correct lifting point is critical.

Some vehicles use reinforced pinch welds. Others have frame locations, designated jack pads, suspension restrictions, air-suspension settings, or special lifting adapters. Electric vehicles may have a large high-voltage battery enclosure beneath much of the passenger compartment, making improper jack placement especially risky.

When reliable manufacturer information is available, the provider can use the applicable owner information or service guidance to identify:

Approved jack and lifting locations.
Required jack-pad adapters.
Air-suspension or jack-mode procedures.
Spare-tire limitations.
Wheel and lug specifications.
Model-specific safety warnings.

Ozark Roadside is an independent roadside assistance provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tesla or any other vehicle manufacturer.

Tesla and electric vehicle tire assistance

Many EVs do not include a conventional spare tire. Some instead use a manufacturer-supplied inflation kit, sealant system, run-flat tire, or roadside mobility program.

EV tire service requires attention to:

Designated lifting points.
The high-voltage battery enclosure.
Underbody panels and aerodynamic shields.
Vehicle weight.
Low ground clearance.
Required lift adapters or jack pads.
Large wheels and high-torque lug hardware.
Air-suspension or service-mode settings.
The availability of a compatible spare tire.

When a compatible spare and suitable equipment are available, Ozark Roadside may be able to install it. When the vehicle has no spare—or the tire damage is unsuitable for temporary inflation—the appropriate response may be towing to a tire facility.

Full-size and temporary spare installation

A spare tire must be more than present. It must also be compatible, sufficiently inflated, and in usable condition.

Before installation, the provider may check for visible concerns such as:

Low or missing air pressure.
Severe cracking or dry rot.
Tread separation.
Sidewall damage.
An incompatible wheel or tire size.
Missing or damaged mounting hardware.
Corrosion preventing safe wheel removal.
Damage to the spare-tire carrier or release mechanism.

A temporary spare, sometimes called a compact spare or “donut,” is designed for limited use. Follow the speed, distance, inflation, and placement restrictions printed on the spare or listed by the vehicle manufacturer.

A temporary spare is not a permanent replacement for the damaged tire.

Hidden and unusual spare-tire locations

Spare tires are not always stored beneath the trunk floor.

Depending on the vehicle, the spare may be:

Beneath the cargo floor.
Behind an interior side panel.
Mounted beneath the rear of the vehicle.
Attached to the rear door or tailgate.
Stored beneath or behind a seat.
Lowered using a cable or winch mechanism.
Packaged as a collapsible spare requiring inflation.
Replaced entirely by a tire mobility kit.

Some vehicles also require a special extension, crank, socket, adapter, or release tool to access the spare. Let the dispatcher know whether you can locate the spare and factory tools, but do not put yourself in danger trying to retrieve them beside moving traffic.

Vehicles without a spare tire

Many modern vehicles are sold without a conventional spare.

Instead, the vehicle may have:

A tire inflator.
A compressor and sealant kit.
Run-flat tires.
Self-sealing tires.
A collapsible spare.
A manufacturer mobility kit.
No roadside tire equipment at all.

A temporary inflator or sealant may be appropriate for certain small tread-area punctures, but it is not a solution for every flat.

Inflation or sealant generally should not be relied upon when the tire has:

Sidewall damage.
A large puncture.
Severe tread damage.
Exposed internal cords.
A split or ripped casing.
Separation from the wheel.
A bent, cracked, or severely damaged wheel.
Damage caused by driving extensively while flat.

When the vehicle has no usable spare and the tire cannot be safely inflated, towing is usually the appropriate next step.

Blowouts and severely damaged tires

A blowout can damage more than the tire. It may also affect the wheel, wheel well, brake components, suspension, wiring, body panels, or underbody.

Before installing a spare, the provider may look for visible conditions that make roadside installation unsafe or inappropriate, including:

A cracked or bent wheel.
Missing or broken wheel studs.
Damaged lug nuts.
Suspension damage.
Brake damage.
Loose bodywork near the wheel.
A tire wrapped around nearby components.
Fluid leakage.
Vehicle instability.
Collision damage.

Roadside service is not a substitute for mechanical inspection. If the vehicle has additional damage, it may need to be towed rather than driven on a spare.

Wheel locks and damaged lug nuts

Many vehicles use one or more locking lug nuts to discourage wheel theft. Removing them normally requires the matching wheel-lock key.

Tell the dispatcher whether:

The vehicle has locking lug nuts.
The wheel-lock key is available.
The key appears stripped or damaged.
A lug nut is rounded, swollen, missing, or broken.
The wheel has aftermarket hardware.
The vehicle uses unusual lug bolts instead of conventional lug nuts.

A missing wheel-lock key, seized lug nut, damaged stud, swollen cap-style lug nut, or overtightened hardware can prevent roadside wheel removal. Specialized extraction may require a tire shop, repair facility, dealership, or tow.

Tire inflation assistance

A tire that is low does not always need to be replaced immediately. Pressure loss may result from temperature changes, a slow tread puncture, leaking valve stem, damaged wheel, or another problem.

When appropriate, roadside assistance may include adding air so the vehicle can be evaluated or moved to a nearby tire facility.

Inflating a tire does not repair the cause of the pressure loss. A tire that was driven while severely underinflated may have hidden internal damage even if it holds air afterward.

Stop driving and request further assistance if the tire:

Loses pressure again quickly.
Has visible sidewall or tread damage.
Makes unusual noises.
Causes vibration or pulling.
Will not seat or hold air.
Shows exposed cords or structural damage.
Has separated from the wheel.

Roadside tire changes versus tire repair

Ozark Roadside provides roadside assistance rather than full tire-shop service.

A roadside provider may install a usable spare or provide appropriate temporary assistance, but permanent tire service generally requires removing the tire from the wheel and inspecting it internally.

A qualified tire facility may be needed for:

Permanent puncture repair.
Tire replacement.
Internal tire inspection.
Wheel balancing.
Wheel straightening or replacement.
TPMS sensor repair.
Valve-stem replacement.
Alignment.
Lug-stud repair.
Wheel-lock removal.
Tire mounting and dismounting.

A puncture that appears small from the outside may still be unsafe to repair after internal inspection.

What to provide when requesting tire service

Accurate information helps us determine the right equipment and response.

Be ready to provide:

The vehicle year, make, and model.
Whether it is gasoline, diesel, hybrid, or electric.
Which tire is flat or damaged.
Whether the tire is merely low, completely flat, or visibly destroyed.
Whether the vehicle has a full-size or temporary spare.
Whether the spare appears inflated.
Whether the factory jack and tools are present.
Whether the wheels use locking lug nuts.
Whether the wheel-lock key is available.
Whether the vehicle has air suspension.
Whether the vehicle has aftermarket wheels or suspension.
Whether there was a collision, pothole impact, or blowout.
The vehicle’s exact and safe service location.

What a tire-service request may include

Roadside spare-tire installation for supported vehicles.
Assistance with full-size and temporary spare tires.
Tire inflation when appropriate.
Help locating factory spare-tire equipment.
Vehicle-specific lift-point evaluation.
EV-aware lifting procedures.
Assistance for many cars, trucks, SUVs, hybrids, and EVs.
Evaluation of visible wheel, lug, and tire concerns.
Towing coordination when a spare cannot be safely installed.
Service requests without a roadside membership requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Can you change my flat tire?

A provider may be able to install a compatible and serviceable spare when the vehicle is in a safe location, the wheel can be removed, and suitable equipment is available.

What if I do not have a spare?

Depending on the vehicle, damage, and available equipment, a provider may be able to add air or evaluate a manufacturer tire kit. If the tire cannot be made suitable for limited travel, towing may be the appropriate response.

Can you change a tire on a Tesla?

Tesla and other EV tire assistance may be available when the correct lift points, equipment, adapters, safe working conditions, and a compatible spare are available. Many Teslas do not carry a spare, so towing or limited inflation assistance may be the appropriate response.

Can you install a donut spare?

Yes, when the temporary spare is compatible, sufficiently inflated, and serviceable. The driver must follow the speed, distance, pressure, and placement restrictions specified for the vehicle and spare.

What if my spare tire is flat?

The provider may be able to inflate it if the spare appears serviceable and equipment is available. A spare that is damaged, badly deteriorated, incompatible, or unable to hold pressure should not be installed.

What if I cannot find the spare?

Tell us the vehicle’s exact year, make, and model. The spare may be under the cargo floor, beneath the vehicle, behind a panel, mounted externally, or replaced by an inflation kit.

Can you remove a locking lug nut?

The matching wheel-lock key is normally required. Specialized removal may not be available roadside and could require a tire shop, dealership, repair facility, or towing.

Can you patch my tire roadside?

Standard roadside tire service does not normally include permanent internal repair. We may install your spare or provide limited inflation assistance, but a qualified tire shop should inspect and permanently repair or replace the damaged tire.

Can I continue driving after a blowout?

Do not continue driving on a flat or severely damaged tire. Doing so can damage the wheel and other vehicle components. Move only as far as necessary to reach a safer location when that can be done without creating additional danger.

What should I do if the vehicle is beside fast-moving traffic?

Move the vehicle as far from traffic as reasonably possible, turn on the hazard lights, remain in a protected location, and follow instructions from emergency authorities. A tire should not be changed where traffic, unstable ground, weather, or limited clearance makes the work unsafe.

Request flat tire assistance

Whether you picked up a nail, struck a pothole, experienced a blowout, found your spare hidden beneath the vehicle, or discovered that your EV has no spare at all, Ozark Roadside can help determine the safest practical response.

Call 888-375-9792 to request flat tire assistance.