Most new cars no longer come with a spare tire. If you break down with a flat and have no spare, here is exactly what to do: from foam sealant kits to roadside assistance to insurance coverage.
If your car has no spare tire and you get a flat in 2026, your three options are: use the foam tire sealant kit that came with your vehicle, call roadside assistance through your insurance policy or a standalone membership like AAA or CAA, or call a towing company directly. Run-flat tires allow you to drive up to 50 miles at reduced speed to reach a service centre. Most new vehicles built after 2020 do not include a traditional spare tire. Roadside assistance through your insurance typically covers towing at no extra cost per call.
Many vehicles that skip the spare tire include a foam tire inflation kit instead. It looks like a small air compressor attached to a can of sealant. You will usually find it tucked under the trunk floor mat, in the same spot a spare tire used to live.
The foam kit is designed to seal small punctures and inflate the tire enough to drive to a repair shop. It works well for a nail in the tread, but it is not a miracle solution. If your tire has a sidewall blowout or a hole larger than a centimetre, the foam will not hold. In that case, skip the kit and go straight to calling for help.
If you do use the sealant, drive directly to a tire shop. Most shops charge a cleanup fee to remove the foam, and the tire may not be repairable after sealant is applied. It is a bridge, not a fix.
Some vehicles, particularly BMWs, Mini Coopers, and certain Chevrolet and Cadillac models, come equipped with run-flat tires. These look like regular tires but have reinforced sidewalls that support the car's weight even after a complete loss of air pressure.
With run-flats, you can usually drive up to 80 kilometres at a reduced speed of about 80 kilometres per hour. Your dashboard will alert you with a tire pressure warning light. Head to the nearest dealer or tire centre without stopping to change anything. Do not try to inflate a run-flat or apply sealant to one.
Check your owner's manual or look for the letters RFT or ZP on the tire sidewall to confirm you have run-flats. If you are unsure, call the nearest dealership for your vehicle's make and they can confirm it in under a minute.
If the foam kit did not work, if you have a blowout rather than a puncture, or if you are simply not comfortable handling it yourself, calling for roadside assistance is the right move. This is exactly the situation that service is designed for.
Many drivers do not realise that their car insurance policy already includes roadside assistance. Check your policy documents or call the number on your insurance card and ask directly. If you have coverage, a tow truck or service vehicle can be dispatched at no additional cost per call.
If your policy does not include roadside coverage, standalone memberships like CAA in Canada and AAA in the United States provide towing and flat tire service for an annual fee that is usually under $120. A single tow without coverage can cost $150 to $300 depending on distance, so the math works out quickly.
Our Roadside Assistance tool connects you with the right provider for your location, shows you phone numbers, and helps you find the nearest tow truck in under two minutes.
If you are waiting on the side of a road or highway, your priority is to get as far from the traffic lanes as possible. Turn on your hazard lights the moment you feel something is wrong. Once stopped, try to angle the car so oncoming traffic can see it clearly from a distance.
Stay inside the vehicle if you are on a highway with fast-moving traffic. A car with its hazards on is far more visible than a person standing outside. If you need to get out, exit on the passenger side and stand behind the guardrail or as far from the road as possible.
Call your roadside provider, tell them your exact location, and then wait. Most services provide a real-time tracking link so you can see when help is on its way. The average response time is 30 to 45 minutes in urban areas and up to 90 minutes in rural locations.
Once this is resolved, spend 10 minutes adding roadside coverage to your insurance policy or signing up for a CAA or AAA membership. The cost is low, the peace of mind is high, and the next time you have a flat, you will have a plan.
It is also worth buying a portable tire inflator and keeping it in your trunk. A basic electric pump that plugs into your car's power outlet costs around $30 and can reinflate a slow leak enough to drive to a shop. If your vehicle came with a foam kit, check the kit's expiration date. Foam sealant has a shelf life of about four years and may not work if it is past that date.
Many drivers discover they have no roadside coverage at the worst possible moment. Check your policy now and add it if it is missing. It typically costs $10 to $25 per year when bundled with your existing auto insurance.
It depends on your policy. Roadside assistance is an optional add-on on most standard auto insurance policies in the US and Canada. If you added it, towing is typically covered up to a certain distance per call at no additional cost. If you did not add it, you will pay out of pocket. Check the declarations page of your policy or call your insurer to confirm before you need it.
Turn on your hazard lights and stay in or very near the vehicle. Most highway patrol units drive regular circuits and will stop to check on vehicles with hazard lights on. You can also use the SOS feature built into most smartphones, which works via satellite even without cellular coverage in newer iPhone and Android models. Raise your hood as an additional distress signal visible to passing motorists.
A standard tow in North America costs between $150 and $300 for the first few kilometres, with additional per-kilometre charges beyond that. Long-distance tows can run $500 or more. By comparison, adding roadside assistance to your insurance policy costs $10 to $25 per year, and a full CAA or AAA membership is typically $75 to $120 per year with unlimited service calls included.
Information verified by the CIQ-AI System using latest April 2026 industry rates and roadside assistance coverage data. For city-specific coverage guidance, see: Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Miami, Denver.
See real rates from top carriers in 90 seconds. No personal info required to start.
Get My Rate →