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How do I tell if my tire is flat?

I recently bought my first car and am trying to learn about proper vehicle maintenance and the like. Something I am not very knowledgeable about is identifying a flat tire—so how do I tell if my tire is flat?

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Andrew Biro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
If your car is parked and you notice your tire is flat when you come back to your vehicle, it’s a good idea to inspect it for visible damage and–-if you can’t find any–-test whether or not it holds the correct pressure.
Should you find that the tire doesn’t hold the correct pressure, you’re probably dealing with a leak, in which case your tire is flat and not underinflated. If your tire is flat, you’ll know because the tire visibly looks underinflated and the car will be sitting unevenly.
A few key symptoms undeniably signal a flat tire while driving, such as a loud thumping noise followed by a flapping or slapping sound that gets louder the more you accelerate.
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