How to Change a Flat Tire

📋 Quick Facts

A flat tire on the side of the road is stressful, but the procedure is the same on every car. The two things people get wrong: jack placement (lifting on the wrong spot bends the rocker panel) and lug nut order (which causes wheel wobble). Get these right and you are 90% of the way there.

🛠 What You'll Need

• Spare tire (usually under cargo floor or hanging beneath truck bed)
• Scissor jack and lug wrench (came with car)
• Wheel chocks or rocks (wheel chocks on Amazon)
• Reflective triangles or road flares (reflective triangles on Amazon)
• Work gloves recommended (mechanic gloves on Amazon)

✅ Before You Start - Checklist

• Park on level, solid ground (no slopes, no soft dirt)
• Engine is at the correct temperature (cold or warm as specified)
• All tools and parts on hand BEFORE you begin
• Owner's manual nearby for torque specs and locations
• Safety: gloves, eye protection if needed, hood propped open

📝 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Pull off onto level, solid groundFind a flat parking lot, driveway, or wide shoulder. Soft dirt or grass will let the jack sink. Avoid hills - jacks can slip on slopes.
2. Turn on hazards, engage parking brake, shift to Park (auto) or 1st gear (manual)Set up your reflective triangle or flares 30 feet behind the car. Block the diagonally-opposite wheel with a chock or large rock.
3. Locate the spare, jack, and lug wrenchIn most cars, lift the carpeted floor in the trunk. In trucks, the spare hangs underneath - lower it with a long rod through the bumper hole.
4. Loosen lug nuts BEFORE jacking the carWith the wheel still on the ground (so it cannot spin), break each lug nut loose with the wrench - counter-clockwise, about 1/2 turn. Do NOT remove them yet. This is much easier on the ground than in the air.
5. Position the jack at the proper jack pointLook in the owner's manual for the jack point - it is a reinforced welded seam, usually marked with a small notch on the pinch weld, behind the front wheel or in front of the rear wheel. Lifting elsewhere bends the rocker panel ($800+ to fix).
6. Crank the jack until the flat tire is 1 inch off the groundLift slowly. Listen for any creaking or shifting. If the car starts to lean, lower and re-position.
7. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel offSpin off all lug nuts (keep them in your pocket or in the wheel well - never on the ground). Pull the wheel straight off and set it down flat.
8. Mount the spare tire on the hubLift the spare onto the wheel studs. Make sure the valve stem faces outward. Push it firmly against the hub - no gap.
9. Hand-tighten lug nuts in a STAR patternSpin each lug nut on by hand. Then snug them up with the wrench in a star pattern - across the wheel, not around it. This centers the wheel on the hub.
10. Lower the car and torque the nuts properlyLower the jack until the spare has weight on it (not all the weight). Now fully tighten lug nuts in star pattern with body weight on the wrench (about 80-100 lb-ft for most cars). Lower all the way and remove jack.
11. Stow the flat tire and toolsPlace the flat where the spare was. Stow the jack and wrench in their slots - loose items rattle and can fly forward in a crash.
12. Drive directly to a tire shopMost spares are "donut" temporary spares - rated for 50 mph maximum and 50 miles maximum. Do NOT drive home on it for a week. Get the flat repaired or replaced today.

✅ After You Finish - Verify Checklist

• No tools left in the engine bay or under the car
• Test the system you worked on (start, drive, check, etc.)
• Look for leaks or drips after 5 minutes of running
• Record the date and mileage in your service log
• Recycle or properly dispose of any old parts/fluids

🔗 Related Guides

❓ Frequently Asked Questions