Flat tire and no spare in San Jose? Here's what to do

Get safely stopped before checking the tire

If a tire suddenly loses air while you're driving, hold the wheel firmly with both hands and avoid hard braking or abruptly lifting off the accelerator. Keep the car controlled, ease off gradually, and pull out of traffic when it's safe. NHTSA's blowout guidance explains the sequence.

On a freeway shoulder, don't start unloading the trunk or working beside passing traffic. The California DMV generally advises waiting inside with your seat belt on, while recognizing that a narrow shoulder or a safe area beyond a barrier can change the safer choice. Follow emergency-dispatcher instructions for your situation.

Our roadside-emergency guide covers where to wait and how to describe your location.

What if your car has a repair kit instead?

When you're parked somewhere safe, check your owner's manual to find out what equipment the car has. A compressor and sealant bottle are not a spare tire, and they cannot handle every kind of damage.

A kit may provide a temporary solution for a small tread puncture. A torn sidewall, severe damage, or a tire that won't reach and hold the required pressure needs a different response. Don't keep adding sealant and hoping it will work.

Read your own kit's instructions before using it, including the sealant's expiration date, pressure checks, and driving limits. For example, Ford's tire-kit instructions rule out sidewall damage and direct drivers to get help if the repair fails. Those instructions apply to that equipment; don't borrow its limits for another car.

Check recall notices too. Honda's June 11, 2026 tire-kit recall covers certain 2023–2026 Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid vehicles and 2025–2026 CR-V e:FCEV vehicles. Honda says not to use affected kits until repaired. Use the VIN-check link in that notice to check your vehicle.

Can you drive to a nearby tire shop?

Once you've reached a safe stopping place, don't continue to a shop on a flat conventional tire just because the shop is close. Driving with the tire deflated can cause serious internal damage. Michelin's tire guidance advises against driving on a flat tire without run-flat technology.

Run-flat tires are a separate case, with reduced-speed and distance limits. Confirm that the tires actually fitted to your car are run-flats and follow the applicable vehicle and tire instructions. Having no spare does not establish that.

If you can't confirm a safe way to continue, describe the situation to a roadside operator and arrange assistance.

What to tell the towing operator

Start with: “I have a flat tire and no usable spare.” Then give the details that affect the job:

• Exact location: the street and cross street, or freeway, direction, and nearest exit. Say whether you're on a shoulder, ramp, or in a parking lot.
• Vehicle: year, make, model, and whether it's electric or all-wheel drive.
• Damage you already know about: which tire is flat, whether more than one is affected, and any visible wheel damage. Don't step into traffic to inspect it.
• Access: garage level, known entrance height limit, gate access, or a tight parking space.
• What you've tried: whether you added air or sealant, and whether the tire lost pressure again.
• People traveling with you: ask about passenger arrangements before assuming everyone can ride in the truck.

For a San Jose parking garage, an entrance name and level are more useful than the building address alone. Share a location pin if you can, then explain where the vehicle is within the property.

Confirm the destination before the vehicle is loaded

Call your preferred tire shop to check that it's open, can accept the car, and can source the tire you need. A shop shown on a map may not have your size available that day.

Ask the towing operator what the quote includes, whether access or loading conditions affect it, and what would change if you choose another destination. If the shop is closed, agree on the drop-off and key arrangements first.