Flat tire service is just one of the amazing benefits offered to AAA roadside assistance program subscribers. After calling for assistance a service expert will be dispatched to your location. Whether you are the driver or a passenger, you are allowed to call for roadside assistance to fix a flat tire in any vehicle. You can also change tires for car rentals.
Maybe, You are Stuck in the middle of a road or your close one is stuck with a flat tire and maybe they have a spare tire or maybe they don’t.
Don’t worry because In either case, AAA can help you.
The goal of AAA Roadside Assistance is to get you back on the road with a fleet of more than 63,000 towing and roadside service trucks spread out across the nation. AAA can help you get back on the road if your car or truck breaks down and you need roadside assistance. Whatever the issue with your vehicle, AAA is here to get you back on the road as soon as possible.
What are the causes of a flat tire
- A puncture from a sharp object is one of the common causes of a flat tire, the debris lying on the road can also cause the puncture
- Improper inflations of tires will cause pressure differences between them and damage the tire from the inside,
- if your tire has no puncture then check for the leakage of the valve, air leakage from valves can cause a flat tire,
- Potholes or uneven roads will damage not only the tires but also the axles and undercarriage
- During summer time the temperature rises and causes the air to expand inside the tire creating excess pressure
- There is no set reason for a flat tire. Normal wear and tear of prolonged use of wheels will lead to a flat tire.
How to avoid a Flat tire
Drive around the debris whenever you can. If you are in a parking lot, check for any sharp objects around you, and drive cautiously in construction areas and uneven roads, whenever you are going to do your regular car maintenance, request them to check your valve system, check if you have the ideal tire pressure for your car before you drive
Can AAA Bring you a Spare Tire
The AAA Tire assistance cannot bring you a Spare Tire for your car, but it can help you in removing a flat tire and installing a spare tire if you have one already in your car, but unfortunately most modern cars don’t come with spare tires and hence if you are among those unlucky fellow then you can call AAA and they will tow you to the nearest mechanic so that you can get your tire patched or replace the tire completely.
AAA is always ready to help you if you have a flat or punctured tire. If your automobile doesn’t have a spare tire on hand, you can ask a AAA professional to examine the condition of your current tire to see if it can still hold air. Given the seriousness of the tire damage, AAA Roadside Assistance may be able to tow the car or install a replacement part.
But, note that the towing distance depends on the membership plan of your AAA i.e. if you have basic plan then only 7 miles of towing distance is provided for free and higher memberships have higher distance
Can AAA add Air to Tires
AAA can add air to your tires and it does not matter whether you are at home or in middle of somewhere, you can call AAA and they will inflate your tire. After you contact the AAA a service technician will be sent to your location and assess the condition of your tires.
If you are wondering about the charges, then don’t worry it is completely FREE as long as your calls to AAA are not exceeded i.e. 4 calls per year
Anyways, you can login to the AAA Portal or Contact AAA to know about more details
What a service technician can’t do
When dispatched the service technician cannot bring along a spare tire and cannot fill up your spare tire for you however they can fill up the car tires installed in the vehicle. They cannot tow you somewhere to buy a tire or inflate one. The technicians cannot Install a tire if it cannot be inspected when a such case occurs they will bring the vehicle to the nearby service station to get a detailed inspection.
In a few cases, if you happened to have a spare tire from another vehicle with you they cannot install a tire that is not designed for your vehicle. Other than installing a serviceable spare, they do not repair or provide roadside assistance for any other issues as they should not change the agenda without first consulting AAA, and you should not request services other than those provided by AAA.
Can AAA Change a Tire/ Install your Spare tire
AAA can easily change or Install a Spare tire but the condition is that you must have a fully working spare tire to be installed as AAA will not bring any tire with them.
You can get the tire installed in anyplace you wish to, whether it is your home or in middle of a desert.
The cost of getting a tire installed is completely free if your calls are not exceeded.
Contact AAA now to know about the status of your calls
Can AAA Repair/ patch a Tire
AAA will not be able to repair or patch your tire but they can install a spare tire (if you have any) or they can tow you to the nearest AAA authorised service center or any location of your choice to get your vehicle tire repaired or install a completely new tire depending upon the condition of the tire. Because patching a tire sometimes may not be easy with the tools they have in hand it requires heavy machinery to do process such as vulcanising the tire.
Note that AAA will only tow you the number of miles mentioned in your membership and the further miles will be charge.
For eg. If you have the basic membership of AAA then you are only allowed 7 miles of free towing and if you need to be towed further than that, then you will need to pay upto $7-$12 per mile for that.
How much time does AAA take to patch a Tire?
The procedure of inserting a plug commonly only takes a few minutes and can also be completed while the tire is still fixed onto the automobile, as supposed to patch a tire, which can take anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes. In some cases, it can be required to vulcanize the tire patch, which is a process that uses heat and curing substances to strengthen the rubber of your tire.
In this case, the tire cannot be patched on the spot and will have to be taken to the service centre.
How much AAA charge for a Flat tire
After taking AAA membership if you got stuck with a flat tire then you just need to call AAA and they will either install a spare tire, reinflate your tire or tow you to the nearest automotive center, and all of this is completely free of charge.
Your charge will be told by the automotive center where you are towed and depending your tie condition they will either patch the tire or completely install a new tire which can range from $100 – $300
But in case you are advised to buy a new tire instead the pricing normally varies depending on the car. It doesn’t matter what you choose to do, you’ll eventually discover yourself without flat tires, spare components, run-flat tires, sealant/inflator, and any sort of plans
How many times can I use the roadside assistance
Roadside assistance can be requested up to four times every membership year. This is true for all service calls and membership levels. For example, you won’t receive four service calls for flat tires and four for fuel refilling. All requests for assistance count toward the four-call maximum.
You may still call for assistance if you end up stranded on the side of the road but have already used all four of your service calls. However, each additional call will cost you $80.
However, even though it falls inside your four-call limit, you won’t be allowed to use roadside assistance until any leftover service charges are not paid if you have any prior balances. Different membership plans offer various benefits like the free tow distance or the free fuel delivery and additional cost will be applied if you want to add associate members to your card.
Does AAA Fix flat tires at Home
AAA can fix flat tires at home but they can only install a spare tire, re-inflate a tire or tow you to the nearest automotive centre. This is because home visits are carried out by roadside service. It’s comparable to a roadside breakdown. Call the hotline and a technician will be dispatched. A technician will arrive at your home within about an hour of giving your address over the phone.
First of all, we will ask you about the condition of the car and judge the condition of the car. You can also look up how to change a tire online while you wait. They usually do the above work very quickly. It takes about 20-30 minutes to repair a flat tire. However, They cannot patch or repair your tire on the spot.
How many tows you get with AAA
When you join AAA membership , you get a number of free tows per year per member of your family depending upon your membership level.
The first membership level is Basic membership and you get 4 calls per year and 7 miles of tows on each call for free.
The Plus membership level gets 4 tows of 100 miles on each call for each year per family member.
and the Premier membership level gets one tow of 200 miles and 3 tows of 100 miles each.
Note: These are the free calls you get per year and if you need further assistance then you will be charged for each call and if you need extra towing then you will be charged based on OPAR i.e. 7$-12$ pr mile depending upon your state.
Can I Join AAA and use it Immediately
You cannot use AAA membership immediately after joining or upgrading your membership. You will have to wait for 3 days after the payment is processed in order to use the roadside assistance.
and, if you wish to use it before then you need to pay in order to use it.
Also, this waiting period is valid for people who have upgraded their membership, and they can use their current membership if they wish to before the new membership level is activated.
For eg. If you are at basic level membership and you upgraded to premier level then you will be able to use premier level only after 3 days and till the you can use basic membership.
Can I Help a Friend with his Tire Problem
You can help a friend with tire problem if you are present there with your AAA membership card otherwise you won’t be able to help him.
Because according to AAA, a membership is associated with the person not the car they are using, so basically if you are driving a friend’s car or you are a passenger in their car then you can help them with all the services AAA offers.
You or the Associate person must be present during the time of service, you cannot use the roadside service if the person listed in the membership is not present at the location. Friends and family cannot use your membership to obtain benefits such as discounts and roadside aid without you present.
Note: The Call will be deducted from your account, i.e. since you get only 4 calls per year then 1 call will be used from it.
Can AAA tow my Car If I am Drunk
AAA will tow your car even if you are drunk , you just need to show your membership card. Under the condition that your car cannot run properly but in the case the car is functional, it is unnecessary to tow the vehicle you could just ask for a driver to drive to your location. If you have basic membership you can only have your vehicle towed for 7 miles for free and after that for every additional mile, you will be charged $7-$12 depending on the state you are in.
Can my daughter use my AAA Card for getting her Car towed
AAA Membership comes with associates i.e. If a primary member of a household buys the membership then he can add all the people living in the household as associate members and they can use all the services the offered to primary members.
You can add associate members by calling AAA directly.
Yes, your daughter can use your AAA card only if she is associated with the membership as such she can avail of any service on her own not only your daughter but everyone who is an associate member can get their car towed.
How to Contact the AAA tire assistance
You can contact the AAA’s roadside assistance by either calling them or through their app or their website. But, you should note that AAA road side assistance depends on county you are in , so you need to visit the correct website.
Steps to use AAA roadside assistance
- Pull over to the side of the road
- See if you are nearby any dangerous areas(AAA has a different protocol for such situations)
- Check if you have a spare tire or not service technicians are sent to your location if you have a spare tire or else they will tow your vehicle
- Contact AAA using the national hotline at 800-222-4357 or by texting HELP to 800-AAA-HELP
- Provide the operator with necessary information like the condition of the car, if you have a spare tire or not or if you are in a dangerous area
- Wait in the car until the technician arrives at your location. Verify if he/she is the technician sent
- After showing the technician your membership number they will inspect your condition and decide the solution.
- After assessment of your condition, they will report the situation
If you have the AAA app installed on your mobile device open the app and request roadside assistance select the location and fill in the required information.
AAA Member Login
http://www.aaa.com/drrweblogin
AAA Road side Assistance Number: 8002224357
You can also Text APP10 to 86792 to receive a link to download the app.*
To wrap up
Whether you are the driver or a passenger, you are allowed to call for roadside assistance to fix a flat tire in any vehicle. The goal of AAA Roadside Assistance is to get you back on the road with a fleet of more than 63,000 towing and roadside service trucks spread out across the nation. AAA can help you get back on the road if your car or truck breaks down and you need roadside assistance.
Whatever the issue with your vehicle, like inflating, patching, or even changing a tire AAA is here to get you back on the road as soon as possible. If your issue cannot be solved on the spot you will be towed to your local mechanic or your preferred location as a member you get 4 free service calls per year and will be charged from the fifth one. You can add associate members to the membership and they can use roadside services such as towing by themselves.
We hope that we are able to answer all the questions of yours, if you have any other question, then you can comment down below and will answer them asap.
