How to Change Your Tire

Perhaps the best tools for dealing with flats are a cell phone and a roadside assistance number. However, it's still a good idea to know how to replace a flat tire with a spare because you may be in an area with poor cell phone reception or the wait for roadside assistance may be too long.

Safety Precautions

The two main safety issues are avoiding passing traffic and avoiding injury from the car falling off the jack. When you get a flat, turn on your flashers and find a safe spot as far onto the shoulder and away from moving traffic as possible. The spot should not be on a blind curve or hill. Don't attempt to jack up your car on an incline or on a soft surface such as dirt or sand.

Required Items

Spare tire

Jack

Tire iron / lug wrench

Car owner's manual

Tire blocks

Flashlight

Changing Your Tire

Place the car in park or in gear (manual transmission), apply the parking brakes and place the tire blocks on the wheel that's diagonally opposite of the flat tire. After removal of the hubcap (if the wheel has one), loosen the lug nuts with the lug wrench by turning counterclockwise. The nuts should be loosened so that they are finger tight. Do not remove. The tire should still be held in place by the nuts. You may have to place your body weight on the lug wrench arm if the lug nuts are very tight.

Consult the owner's manual to find the correct spot to place the jack. After placing the jack on this spot and checking that it is securely in position, raise the wheel until it is clear of the ground. Remove the lug nuts and place them together in a spot where they won't get lost. Pull the tire out directly toward yourself and place it to the side.

Place the spare tire onto the bolts and push the tire in towards the wheel base until it goes no further. Put the lug nuts back on the wheel until they are finger tight and the tire is seated firmly against the wheel base.

With the jack, lower the car to the ground until you are able to remove the jack from under the car. Tighten the nuts with the lug wrench starting at any nut and tighten it to about fifty percent, then do the same to the opposite nut (180 degrees from the first nut). Repeat this with the other pairs of lug nuts. At this point, all the nuts are fifty percent tightened. Continue with this procedure until all the nuts are completely tightened.

Place the flat tire and your tools into your trunk. And that’s it—you’re done!

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