24/7 Flat Tire Change in Des Moines
Des Moines Roadside Rescue puts your spare on from $98 at the curb, in a lot or on a highway shoulder: call (515) 585-8351. Tell us which tire went flat and whether the spare holds air.
Answered day and night, 24/7. Hear the price and the timing, say yes, and help is dispatched.
Tell us the road, the nearest exit or mile marker, or the cross street where you stopped.
Each price is a starting price. Availability, late hours, the distance, the weather and the vehicle can raise it. You get the final number on the call, before anything is set in motion.
Prices updated November 2026.
Key takeaways
- A flat tire change in Des Moines starts at $98 when you carry a usable spare.
- Iowa's no-stopping rule does not apply to a car too disabled to leave the pavement.
- No usable spare? We can bring a replacement tire or tow the car to a shop.
- Find the wheel-lock key before help comes; it is often in the glove box.
What is included
Spare on, so you can drive to a tire shop. Have the wheel-lock key handy if your wheels have locks. No usable spare means a replacement tire or a tow, priced on the same call.
Flat tire on I-235 or I-35/I-80: waiting on the shoulder
A flat on I-235 or the shared I-35/I-80 freeway leaves little room between you and the next lane. Ease the car as far right as the rim allows and switch on the hazard lights. Stay buckled in with the doors shut until help pulls up behind you. Dial 911 first if the car is stuck in a travel lane, anyone is hurt or the flat came with a crash.
Then call us at (515) 585-8351. Give the road, your direction and the exit or mile marker, or the cross street in town. Tell us which tire went. You hear the price and the timing on that call.
Is it legal to stop on an Iowa highway with a flat?
On highways outside business and residence districts, Iowa Code 321.354 bars stopping on the pavement when you could pull off it. Code 321.355 exempts a car so disabled that stopping there cannot be avoided. Section 321.354 also asks for 20 feet of open pavement beside a stopped car. It asks for a view of that car from 200 feet in both directions, which a curve or a hill crest can take away.
Legal or not, changing a tire beside a live lane is risky. If the rim will carry you, creep onto the shoulder, the next ramp or a lot first.
Pothole flats in Des Moines
If a pothole took out the tire, note the street and the nearest cross street. Des Moines Public Works takes reports of potholes and damaged streets at (515) 283-4950 or through the myDSMmobile app.
No spare, or a flat spare
Compact spares lose air in storage, and some cars carry only a sealant kit. If the spare is flat or missing, say so on the call. We can bring a replacement tire to you, or tow the car to a tire shop from $124.
If the wheels have locks, find the lock key before help comes. It is often in the glove box or with the jack.
Changing a flat tire yourself
Would you rather change it yourself? Do it only well off the road. Set the parking brake and loosen the lug nuts a turn before the car goes up on the jack. Keep your body on the side away from traffic. On I-235 or the shared I-35/I-80 freeway, traffic passes close at speed, so a call is the safer choice.
Questions
What is the price of a flat tire change in Des Moines?
A flat tire change in Des Moines starts at $98 with us when you have a usable spare. The price climbs with a second flat, a missing spare, or wheel locks whose key is lost. We give you the final price on the call. You decide before anything is charged.
Can I drive on a flat tire to the next exit?
Only slowly, and only as far as the nearest shoulder, ramp or lot in the Des Moines area. Driving farther on a flat can ruin the wheel. Once you are off the lanes, call us at (515) 585-8351. We put your spare on from $98 and tell you the price before we send anyone.
Should I stay in the car while I wait for a tire change?
Yes, on a Des Moines highway shoulder you should stay in the car with the belt on and the hazard lights flashing. If the car is in a lane of traffic, dial 911 first. Otherwise wait inside until the roadside technician pulls up behind you. Stepping out puts you beside traffic moving at speed.
How far can I drive on a compact spare?
A compact spare is built for short, slow trips, so head to a tire shop soon after we put it on. It often has a top speed printed on the wheel or the sidewall. If the spare is flat too, we can bring a replacement tire anywhere around Des Moines. That tire is priced on the call by size, brand and stock.
Flat tire and no spare near Des Moines: who can I call?
Call us at (515) 585-8351 for a flat tire with no usable spare anywhere around Des Moines. We can bring a replacement tire and mount it where it is safe to work. If the wheel is bent, we can tow the car to a tire shop instead. Both options are priced on the same call.