It can happen to anyone, no matter how carefully you drive or how new the car is. If it's your own car, you already know what to do. But if you turned to car rent chisinau, things work a little differently, and in this guide we'll walk you through exactly what steps to take.
Why a flat tire happens more often than you'd think
Even though every car in our fleet goes through a thorough check before each rental, a flat tire usually has nothing to do with the tire's technical condition. More often than not, the cause is simply the road itself: a stray nail, a piece of broken glass, a pothole deeper than it looked, or a curb taken just a bit too close. In Moldova, especially on roads outside the city, the risk of a flat exists no matter which car you're driving. That's why, whether you're car rental in chisinau for a week-long vacation or just for a single day, it's worth knowing ahead of time what to do in this kind of situation.
First steps: safety comes before anything else
Before you start worrying about the wheel, the deposit, or who pays for the repair, the first thing to think about is your safety and that of your passengers.
Pull over safely. If you feel the car isn't handling normally, or that a tire has gone flat, don't keep driving. Slow down gradually and stop as soon as you safely can.
Turn on your hazard lights and set out the warning triangle. Every car in the Justrent fleet comes equipped with a warning triangle and a reflective vest, made exactly for situations like this.
Get out on the safe side of the car. If you've stopped on the shoulder of a busy road, get out and wait well away from traffic, not right next to the car, especially if traffic is heavy.
Only once you're sure you and your passengers are safe should you move to the next step: calling Justrent.
Call us right away — don't try to handle it all on your own
We know a lot of drivers have the instinct to fix the problem quickly, on their own, especially if they've changed a tire before. But when it comes to a rental car, our firm recommendation is: call us before doing anything else.
Why does that matter? For a few practical reasons:
First, our team can quickly assess the situation and decide on the most efficient solution — sometimes all that's needed is the spare tire, other times the car needs to be towed straight from where the incident happened, especially if the tire is completely destroyed or there's no spare in the trunk. On top of that, any work done on the car, even something as simple as swapping a tire, needs to be properly documented, so that any related costs are handled transparently, according to the contract signed at the start of the rental — whether you picked up the car from our lot or had it delivered through our car rental chisinau airport service.
How to prevent a flat, as much as possible
While you can't fully control the condition of the roads, a few simple habits significantly reduce the risk of a flat tire when you're driving a rental car:
- Take a quick visual check of the tires before setting off
- Avoid high speeds on roads with potholes or uneven surfaces
- Watch out for curbs taken too closely
- Don't ignore dashboard warning lights
What you have in the car for any situation
Every car in the Justrent fleet comes standard-equipped with everything you'd need in this kind of situation: a warning triangle, a reflective vest, a first-aid kit, and, depending on the model, either a full spare tire or a temporary repair kit. When you pick up the car, our team can quickly show you where these items are and how to use them, so you don't waste time searching for them right when you need them most. The contract also includes a phone number you can reach around the clock, exactly for unexpected situations like this one.
One last piece of advice: stay calm
It might sound obvious, but the most important thing you can do when you get a flat tire with a rental car is to stay calm. At Justrent, we want the car rental experience to stay pleasant and stress-free, even when the unexpected happens. That's why we keep investing in fleet inspections, team training, and a clear response process.