A flat tire can be unsettling, especially if you have never changed one. This guide walks through the basic process of fitting a spare tire, with an important first step: deciding whether the roadside location is safe enough to work in.
Cars differ, so read your owner’s manual before you need it. It shows where to place the jack and explains the equipment supplied with your vehicle. If traffic, ground conditions, or weather make the job unsafe, stay out of the roadway and call for roadside assistance.
What you will need
Check that your car has a usable spare, a jack, and a lug wrench—the tool for turning the wheel nuts. You may also need the wheel-lock key if your car has locking lug nuts. Keep the owner’s manual handy. A wheel chock or sturdy blocks can help prevent a wheel from rolling; never use an object that may shift or break.
Steps
- Find a safe place to stop. Move as far from traffic as you safely can, onto firm, level ground. Avoid soft soil, steep slopes, and narrow shoulders. If you cannot get to a safe spot, do not attempt the change beside moving traffic; call for help.
- Secure the car. Switch on the hazard lights, put the transmission in Park or in gear, and set the parking brake. Keep passengers away from traffic and the work area. If you have wheel chocks or blocks, place them according to your manual to help keep the car from rolling.
- Get the spare and tools ready. Take them out before lifting the car. Check that the spare appears usable and is inflated; if you are unsure, do not rely on it. Follow the manual if your vehicle has a special procedure or a different type of spare.
- Loosen the wheel nuts while the tire is on the ground. Use the lug wrench to turn each nut counterclockwise. Loosen them only enough to break their initial resistance; do not remove them yet. If a nut will not budge, do not use a method that could make you lose balance or damage the tool.
- Position the jack at the designated lifting point. Use the location shown in your owner’s manual, on firm, level ground. Raise the vehicle only enough for the flat tire to clear the ground. Never put any part of your body beneath a vehicle supported only by a jack.
- Remove the flat tire. Take off the loosened nuts and keep them together. Pull the wheel toward you. If it sticks, avoid placing yourself under the car while trying to free it.
- Fit the spare. Line up the spare’s holes with the wheel studs, slide it on, and put the nuts back on. Tighten them by hand until they hold the wheel in place.
- Lower the car and tighten the nuts. Lower the vehicle until the spare touches the ground and cannot turn freely. Tighten the nuts with the wrench in a crossing, or star, pattern so the wheel seats evenly. Lower the car fully and tighten again. Use the torque specification in your manual if you have a suitable torque wrench.
- Stow the equipment and check the spare’s instructions. Put the flat tire and tools away securely. Check the manual and the spare’s label for any speed or distance limits, then arrange for the damaged tire to be repaired or replaced promptly.
Things to know
A compact spare may have restrictions that differ from those for a full-size tire; follow the instructions for your specific car and spare. A tire that is visibly damaged, a missing spare, or a jack that will not sit securely are reasons to stop and call for help. After the change, have the wheel nuts checked to the vehicle maker’s specification as soon as practical.
Knowing where your spare and tools are—and where your car’s jack points are—can make a stressful moment easier to manage. Review your manual before a flat happens, and choose safety over a roadside repair whenever the location does not feel secure.
