A woman learned the hard way that sometimes, trying to DIY car repairs solo can lead to unexpected outcomes.
TikTok user Brooklyn Watson (@bklynnatl) shared her experience in a video that’s racked up over 424,400 views, recounting how her independent spirit almost turned into a blowout—literally.
Where did the she go wrong?
Watson starts her story with the all-too-relatable moment when her tire pressure light came on.
“I was just like, OK, cool, I’m just gonna fill up my tires with air,” she says, noting she didn’t feel the need to involve her boyfriend in the situation.
“I figured I am a strong independent Black woman. I can do this myself,” she adds.
However, things quickly went awry.
When she arrived at the gas station, she realized the pressure gauge on the air pump was broken. Assuming it wouldn’t take much air to fix the issue, Watson improvised.
“I count like 10 seconds cause I’m like, you don’t want to overfill them,” she explains. Confident she had it under control, she reset the sensor and drove off.
The air pressure situation takes a turn
But her confidence was short-lived. “I don’t even get two minutes up the [expletive] street and the tire pressure light pops back on,” Watson says.
After consulting her coworkers, she decided to visit an auto shop to check the issue. That’s where she got her first shock: The tire pressure gauge reading didn’t seem to make sense.
“I was like, is this [expletive] in like European or something? Like, is this in kilometers?” she jokes, referring to the supposed mismatch between her expected PSI of 33 and the reading she got.
When a mechanic double-checked the tires, the problem became clear: Her PSI was at an alarming 104.
“He said, ‘Ma’am, did you fill the tires up today?’ I said, ‘Yeah, like 30 minutes ago,’” she recalls.
The mechanic then informed her just how close she’d come to disaster. “He said, ‘Yeah, it’s good that you didn’t like hit any speed bumps or potholes on the way here, cause they would have blown the [expletive] up.’”
Watson says she then immediately texted her boyfriend to confess the ordeal. “He said, ‘Brooklyn… you’re just a girl,’” Watson shares.
“I’m literally just a girl,” she concludes, referencing the popular TikTok meme.
The risks of an overinflated tire
According to a blog post by HiQ Tyres & Autocare, tire pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) or BAR pressure. Most vehicles should maintain a PSI between 32 and 45, the blog explains.
Watson’s PSI of 104, however, suggests she severely overinflated her tire—a potentially dangerous situation. Firestone Complete Autocare notes that overinflated tires can lead to a tire blowout, which may result in “loss of vehicle control and increased braking distance.”
Beyond that, overinflated tires can cause uneven tread wear, reduce the tire’s contact with the road, and decrease overall traction.
If you accidentally over inflate a tire, Firestone recommends releasing excess air through the valve stem, but only after the tire is completely cold—ideally after parking the car for a few hours.
Viewers react
In the comments, users were horrified at Watson’s lack of car knowledge.
“The scream I let out at work lmaoo 104,” said one user.
“The way my eyebrows raised off my head when I heard ‘I counted 10 seconds,’ HUH??? exclaimed another. “YOU DID WHAT??? WHO TAUGHT YOU THIS?”
“Girllll, you better be glad that tire shop was close!” wrote a third.
@bklynnatl that man is actually SO sick of me😭 #relationship #independentwoman #imjustagirl ♬ original sound – BK
The Daily Dot has reached out to Watson via TikTok and Instagram direct messaging.
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