Dubai heat pushes tyre pressure up, and hot asphalt finishes off tyres that were already worn. Most flats happen at the worst moment — mid-lane, mid-summer, mid-commute.
The first 60 seconds
- Do not brake hard. Ease off the accelerator and let the car slow.
- Grip the wheel firmly; a front blowout pulls to one side.
- Signal and move to the hard shoulder as straight as you can.
- Hazards on, triangle out well behind the car.
When changing it yourself is reasonable
A car park, a residential street, or a wide shoulder away from traffic, with a full-size spare and a working jack. Loosen the nuts before you lift the car, and lift only on the manufacturer's jacking point.
When it is not
- On a fast road with traffic close to you — no tyre is worth it
- Peak summer afternoon, if you are not used to the heat
- Space-saver spare and a long drive ahead
- Two tyres damaged, or a bent rim
- The wheel nuts will not move
A technician comes to you, fits the spare or repairs the puncture, and you drive off. If the wheel is damaged, a recovery truck takes the car in instead. Call 052 686 1786.
Repair or replace
A clean puncture in the tread can usually be plugged or patched. A cut in the sidewall cannot be repaired safely, and neither can a tyre that has been driven on flat — the internal structure is already gone even if it looks fine.
Space-saver rules
- Maximum 80 km/h
- Short distances only, straight to a tyre shop
- Never fit two of them
- Check its pressure occasionally — spares deflate quietly in the boot
Avoiding the next one
- Check pressures cold, monthly. Heat inflates a hot tyre and hides a low reading.
- Watch the date code — UAE heat ages rubber faster than mileage does
- Rotate tyres at every service
- Keep out of the debris that collects along kerbs and construction routes