How to Change a Tire

Tools Required

• Properly inflated spare tire or temporary spare
• Vehicle jack rated for your car
• Lug wrench or tire iron
• Owner’s manual for jack points and spare-tire limits
• Wheel chocks or sturdy blocks
• Flashlight or headlamp if visibility is poor
• Gloves and reflective vest if available
• Tire pressure gauge and portable inflator if available

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Step 1

   Move to the safest available place

   Slow down gradually, avoid sudden steering, and pull into a parking lot, side street, wide shoulder, or another flat area away from traffic. If the location feels unsafe, call roadside assistance instead.

2. Step 2

   Make the vehicle visible and stable

   Turn on hazard lights, place the transmission in park or in gear for a manual car, set the parking brake, and ask passengers to stand away from the road. Place chocks in front of or behind the wheels opposite the flat tire.

3. Step 3

   Gather the spare, jack, wrench, and manual

   Take out the spare tire, jack, lug wrench, and owner’s manual before lifting the vehicle. Confirm where the jack should contact the frame and check whether your spare has a speed or distance limit.

4. Step 4

   Remove the hubcap if needed

   If a hubcap or wheel cover blocks the lug nuts, remove it using the flat end of the lug wrench or the method listed in your owner’s manual. Skip this step if the lug nuts are already exposed.

5. Step 5

   Loosen the lug nuts before lifting

   Turn each lug nut counterclockwise about a quarter to half turn while the tire is still touching the ground. Use a star or crisscross pattern so the wheel stays evenly seated.

6. Step 6

   Place the jack at the approved jack point

   Position the jack under the reinforced metal jack point near the flat tire. Keep it vertical and stable. If the ground is soft, use a solid board under the jack only if it sits flat and cannot slip.

7. Step 7

   Raise the vehicle just enough

   Lift the car until the flat tire clears the ground by several inches. Do not lift higher than needed, and do not reach under the vehicle while it is supported only by the emergency jack.

8. Step 8

   Remove the lug nuts and flat tire

   Finish removing the lug nuts and keep them together in a safe spot. Grip the tire with both hands and pull it straight toward you. Lay the flat tire on its side so it cannot roll.

9. Step 9

   Mount the spare tire

   Line up the spare with the wheel studs, push it fully onto the hub, and make sure it sits flat against the mounting surface.

10. Step 10

    Hand-tighten the lug nuts

    Thread each lug nut by hand first to avoid cross-threading. Tighten them snugly in a star pattern, but do not fully torque them while the wheel is still off the ground.

11. Step 11

    Lower the car and fully tighten the nuts

    Lower the vehicle until the spare touches the ground and cannot spin, then tighten the lug nuts firmly in a star pattern. Lower the car completely, remove the jack, and check the nuts again.

12. Step 12

    Stow tools and drive carefully

    Put the flat tire, jack, wrench, and chocks back in the vehicle. Check the spare tire pressure if you can, then drive slowly to a tire shop to repair or replace the damaged tire.

Practical Example

Example: You notice a flat rear tire in a grocery store parking lot. You park on a flat section away from moving cars, turn on hazards, set the parking brake, chock the front wheels, loosen the rear lug nuts, jack the car at the rear jack point, install the spare, tighten the nuts in a star pattern, and drive directly to a nearby tire shop.

Common Mistakes

• Trying to change the tire too close to traffic
• Forgetting to set the parking brake
• Jacking the car from plastic trim, suspension parts, or an unapproved point
• Removing lug nuts before the vehicle is lifted
• Fully tightening lug nuts while the car is still high on the jack
• Driving normally on a temporary spare
• Not checking the spare tire pressure before continuing

Troubleshooting

When Not to Change the Tire Yourself

• You are on a freeway shoulder, blind curve, bridge, tunnel, hill, or any place where traffic is close.
• The ground is sloped, soft, icy, muddy, or uneven.
• You do not have a spare, jack, lug wrench, wheel lock key, or safe jack point information.
• The tire damage follows a crash or the wheel, suspension, or brake area looks damaged.
• You feel physically unable to loosen the nuts, lift the tire, or work safely.
• Weather, darkness, or visibility makes the roadside unsafe.

Emergency Roadside Safety Tips

• Stay calm, slow down gradually, and avoid hard braking after a blowout.
• Turn on hazard lights as soon as you realize there is a tire problem.
• If a safer parking lot or exit is close, it may be safer to drive slowly on the flat for a short distance than stop in traffic.
• Keep passengers away from the traffic side of the vehicle.
• Use reflective triangles or a vest if you have them, but only place them when it is safe to exit.
• After installing the spare, avoid high speeds and go to a tire shop as soon as possible.

FAQs

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