We handle flats across Mesquite and Dallas County, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Stop Driving on It
If the tire is flat and you are still rolling, pull over as soon as it is safe.
A few hundred yards on a deflated tire destroys the sidewall. A mile or two can chew up the wheel itself, and an alloy wheel costs several times what the tire does. What starts as a repairable puncture turns into a replacement, sometimes two.
Get off the road. Then call.
Check What Spare You Actually Have
This decides everything about the next hour, and most drivers guess wrong.
AAA research found that roughly 30 percent of new cars now ship without a spare, up from about 5 percent in 2006. AAA estimates more than 30 million vehicles on the road today carry no spare at all.
Open the trunk and look under the floor panel before you call. On many trucks and SUVs the spare hangs beneath the rear bumper instead. You will find one of four things.
A full-size spare
The best case. It matches your other tires, and you can drive normally once it is on.
A compact spare, or donut
Smaller and narrower, meant to get you to a shop and nothing more. Read the sticker on the wheel itself. These usually cap out around 50 miles per hour and a limited number of miles.
Run-flat tires and no spare at all
Run-flats are built to keep going after losing pressure. AAA notes they can be driven at reduced speeds for limited distances without air. They are not a permanent fix, and a run-flat that has been driven flat generally needs replacing.
A sealant and inflator kit
A canister and a small compressor where the spare used to be. There is no spare in this vehicle. More on why that matters below.
Which Flats Can Be Repaired at the Roadside
Location of the damage decides it, not the size of the hole.
Usually repairable: a nail or screw through the tread, the flat part of the tire that meets the road, with the tire otherwise sound.
Not repairable: damage to the sidewall, the smooth outer wall of the tire. AAA is direct about this, and so is every tire manufacturer. Sidewall damage means replacement. The same goes for a blowout, a cut, or a tire that has been run flat and shredded.
If you can see the damage, tell us where it is when you call. That one detail tells us whether to expect a repair, a spare swap, or a tow.
What Our Flat Tire Service Covers
Straight about what we do and what we do not.
We come to you and mount your spare so you can finish the drive. If the tire is repairable and the damage is in the tread, we can often fix it on the spot instead.
We are a towing and roadside company rather than a mobile tire shop. If your tire needs replacing and you have no usable spare, the right move is usually a tow to a tire shop, and we will take you there. Ask on the phone and we will tell you which applies to your situation.
You get a quote before we dispatch. No surprises when the truck arrives.
Why the Sealant Kit in Your Trunk Is a Last Resort
If your car came with a canister instead of a spare, read this before you use it.
AAA found that sealant and inflator kits only handle small tread punctures. They cannot fix a sidewall puncture or a blowout. Point the canister at the wrong kind of damage and you have wasted it without going anywhere.
There is a cost problem too. Per AAA, replacing a used kit can run up to $300 on certain vehicles. Many sealants also expire on their own and need replacing every four to eight years, whether you ever use them or not.
Check the date on yours. A kit that expired two years ago is a canister of nothing.
Sealant can also foul the tire pressure sensor inside the wheel, which is an extra line on the repair bill later. When a spare swap or a tow is available, that is usually the cheaper path.
What Stops a Roadside Tire Change
Some jobs stall for reasons that have nothing to do with the tire. Check for these while you wait.
- Missing locking lug nut key. If your wheels have locking nuts, the special socket is usually in the glovebox, the trunk, or with the jack. Without it, the wheel does not come off.
- No jack or no lug wrench. Some vehicles were sold without them, and plenty of used cars arrive with the tools long gone.
- A spare that is also flat. Spares lose pressure sitting in a trunk for years. Nobody checks them.
- Seized or over-torqued lug nuts. Shops that use an impact gun too aggressively make the nuts nearly impossible to remove by hand.
- More than one flat tire. One spare covers one wheel. Two flats means a tow.
When a Flat Tire Becomes a Tow
There is no shame in it, and it is often the cheaper outcome.
You need a tow if the tire cannot be repaired and you have no usable spare, if two or more tires are flat, if the wheel itself is bent or cracked, or if the tire came apart and damaged the fender or the brake line.
Around the Clock Towing will take the vehicle to your tire shop, the dealership, or your home. For low-clearance and all-wheel drive vehicles, flatbed towing is the safe way to move it. If you are stopped somewhere dangerous, see emergency towing.
For where to stand and how to keep yourself safe while you wait, see the safety section on our roadside assistance page.
What a Flat Tire Change Costs
Three different outcomes sit behind one phone call, and they do not cost the same.
Mounting the spare you already have is the cheapest and fastest. Repairing a tread puncture on the spot costs more than a spare swap because it is more work. Towing to a tire shop costs the most, and it is the only option when the tire is unrepairable and you have no spare.
That is why the questions above matter. What spare do you have, and where is the damage? Answer those two on the phone and we can quote you accurately before a truck leaves.
Check your existing coverage first. The regional Mobility Assistance Patrol assists with flat tires free of charge on Dallas-area highways, and factory warranty, insurance add-ons, and auto club memberships often cover tire service too. Those highway patrols will not come to a parking lot or a residential street.
We quote you before we dispatch, and the rate does not change at night or on holidays.
Flat Tire Service Across Mesquite and Dallas County
We dispatch from Mesquite and cover the surrounding cities, including Mesquite, Dallas, Garland, Rockwall, Rowlett, Richardson, Sunnyvale, Forney, and Balch Springs. The full list is on our towing coverage area page.
Flats happen on I-635, on Highway 80, and in apartment lots at 11 p.m. We come to all of them. We service cars, pickups, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles.
Flat Tire FAQs
Do you bring a replacement tire with you?
Our roadside service mounts the spare you already have, or repairs the flat when the damage is in the tread. If the tire needs replacing, we can tow you to a tire shop. Ask when you call and we will confirm your options.
How fast can I drive on a compact spare?
Check the sticker on the spare itself. Compact spares are typically limited to around 50 miles per hour and a short distance. Treat it as a ride to the shop, not a normal tire.
Can a nail in my tire be repaired?
Often yes, if it went through the tread and the tire is otherwise sound. Punctures in the sidewall cannot be repaired safely.
My car has no spare. What are my options?
Either the tire gets repaired on the spot, or the vehicle gets towed to a tire shop. Around 30 percent of new cars are sold without a spare, so this is common.
What if I do not have the key for my locking lug nuts?
The wheel cannot come off without it. Check the glovebox, the trunk, and the bag with the jack. If it is genuinely lost, we will tow the vehicle instead.
What should I tell you when I call?
Your location, and where the damage is on the tire if you can see it. Tread damage often means a repair. Sidewall damage means a spare or a tow.
What does a flat tire change cost?
It depends on your location and what the tire needs. We quote you before dispatch, and you can request a free quote.
Are you available at night?
Yes. We run 24 hours a day, every day of the year, holidays included.
Call Now for a Flat Tire Change in Mesquite and Dallas, TX
A flat on the shoulder of I-635 during rush hour is not a job to attempt yourself, especially if you have never done it. AAA surveys have found that about 20 percent of US drivers do not know how to change one.
Call us for flat tire service in Mesquite, Dallas, and across Dallas County. See everything else we handle on our towing services page.