Emergency Kit, Flat Tire and the 12V Battery

Published October 23, 2026 · Last reviewed October 23, 2026

Do this at home, in this order

None of the items below is exciting. Their value is that you decided before the bad day. Menu names move between software releases, and every model differs, so use the owner’s manual for model-specific steps.

1. Roadside Assistance contact saved in your phone and available from the Tesla app.
2. Phone charger and cable that work in the car.
3. Tire equipment: find out what your model carries and what the manual says about it. Many current models carry a repair kit rather than a spare.
4. Warm clothing, a blanket, water and snacks, because waiting for help takes time.
5. Visibility items: a high-visibility vest, reflective triangle or flares, and a flashlight.
6. A basic first-aid kit.
7. Mobile connector and adapters supplied with your car.

Flat tire

Action

Do not keep driving on a tire that is losing air. Slow down, turn on the hazard lights and steer to a safe place such as a car park, a service area or a wide side road.

Why it helps

Driving on a flat can destroy the tire and the wheel, and can affect handling. A car park is far safer than a roadside.

Verification

The car is stopped on level ground, as far from traffic as you can manage, with hazards on.

Action

On a highway shoulder, call Roadside Assistance, or emergency services if you feel unsafe, and leave the car by the side away from traffic if the manual and the situation allow, standing well back.

Why it helps

Fast traffic next to a stopped vehicle is the main danger, and it is far greater than the flat itself. Do not try to change a tire here.

Verification

You and passengers are clear of the lane, and help knows your exact location.

Action

If you are somewhere safe, follow the tire kit instructions and the manual. Do not guess jack points.

Why it helps

The manual shows the correct lift points for your model. Using the wrong point can damage the car.

Verification

You have read the matching manual page, or you have called for help instead.

Action

Treat a sealant repair as temporary: drive only as far as the instructions allow, and have the tire inspected, telling the shop that sealant was used.

Why it helps

A sealed tire may not be safe at normal speed or for long distances. A professional can judge whether it can be repaired or must be replaced.

Verification

A shop has inspected the tire and told you in writing what was done.

12V battery and getting into the car

The 12V (low-voltage) battery runs the car’s doors, screen and computers. If it is flat or fails, parts of the car may not respond to the key, app or screen. Read these pages in the manual now, not at the roadside:

• The manual door release. Its position differs by model and by door, and rear doors may differ from the front. Do not pry at trim or force a door.
• How to open the front trunk if the car has no power, if your model has one. The manual describes an access method for low-voltage power. Follow it exactly.
• How the car should be moved by a tow operator. Show them the manual page instead of explaining from memory.

Do not jump-start, connect external power, or work on the electrical system unless the manual says how. For anything unclear, call Roadside Assistance. Profile C, D

How it works

A Tesla leans on software and a small 12V battery for things that are mechanical on many other cars. Doors, the screen, the key, and the systems that wake the main battery all depend on low-voltage power. If that supply fails, a door handle or a phone key may not respond, even when the large battery is full.

That is why the manual door release exists. It is a physical backup for getting into the car without power. It is not obvious and varies by model, so knowing where yours is has more value than any other item here.

The spare tire question works the same way. Many current models do not fit a spare, and carry a repair kit, or nothing, in its place; check yours. A repair kit is a temporary measure for a small puncture, and it cannot fix a damaged sidewall or a blowout. So the useful question is not “do I have a spare” but “what will I do when this tire fails here”. Your answer should include who to call and how long a wait you can comfortably handle, which is what the kit supports.

Finally, Roadside Assistance is a tool, not a last resort. Calling early, from a safe place, is cheaper and less risky than improvising.

Worked example

Suppose a driver writes this plan before a trip, with made-up numbers. A pressure warning appears on a rural highway, 12 miles before the next exit. The nearest tire shop is 30 miles away, and the driver assumes Roadside Assistance might take 90 minutes.

The plan has three branches. First, if the warning is a slow loss and the car is on a quiet road with room to pull over, stop at the next safe place and check. Second, if the tire is flat or the road is a busy highway, stop at the safest spot available, put on the hazards, move away from traffic and call for help. Third, if help will take 90 minutes, use the kit: blanket, water, charger, and the cabin’s climate control sparingly, keeping a close eye on the displayed range.

The arithmetic is plain: 12 miles to the exit is not worth driving on a tire that is going flat, and 30 miles to a shop is much further. A 90-minute wait needs about an hour and a half of warm clothing and water, not a lot of battery. The verification is that every branch has a named action and a phone number.