How to Change a Tire
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A flat tire is the most common roadside breakdown, and changing one is a skill every driver should have. This guide walks you through it one step at a time — designed to be used on your phone at the roadside. Most spare-tire changes take 15–30 minutes.
Only change a tire on firm, level ground well away from traffic. If you are on a highway shoulder, a narrow road, soft ground, or a hill — or you do not feel safe — call roadside assistance instead. A spare is a temporary fix: drive directly to a tire shop.
What you'll need
- Spare tire (inflated — check it every few months)
- Jack (supplied with the car)
- Lug wrench (supplied with the car)
- Tire pressure gauge (and an inflator if the spare needs air)
- Owner's manual (for jack point locations)
- Wheel chock or heavy object (optional but smart)
- Flashlight and gloves (nice to have)
The steps
Tap through one step at a time — built for one-handed use at the roadside — or switch to all 12 steps to read ahead or print.
Step 1 of 12: Get to a safe, flat spot
Step 1: Get to a safe, flat spot
Slow down gradually and pull onto firm, level ground — a parking lot, wide shoulder, or side street. Avoid hills and soft shoulders; a jack can slip on either. Straighten the wheels.
Never change a tire on a narrow shoulder with traffic passing. Your safety is worth more than a wheel — call roadside assistance if the spot feels dangerous.
Step 2: Hazards on, parking brake set
Switch on your hazard lights. Put the car in Park (or in gear for a manual), set the parking brake firmly, and switch off the engine. If you have a wheel chock or a heavy rock, wedge it against the tire diagonally opposite the flat.
Step 3: Get the spare, jack, and wrench
The spare and tools are usually under the trunk floor, though some trucks and SUVs carry the spare underneath. Before mounting it, measure the spare's pressure with a gauge against the spare specification in your owner's manual or vehicle placard — a compact spare often needs a different pressure from the road tires. Appearance cannot confirm pressure. If you cannot verify or inflate it to its specified pressure, call roadside assistance.
Step 4: Loosen the lug nuts — before jacking
Pry off the hubcap or wheel cover if there is one. Fit the wrench onto each lug nut and turn counterclockwise about a half turn — just break them loose, do not remove them yet. Use your body weight: push down on the wrench, or position it so you can press with your foot (carefully).
Loosen while the wheel is still on the ground — the ground stops the wheel from spinning. Never loosen lug nuts with the car already jacked up.
Step 5: Position the jack at the jack point
Every car has reinforced jack points on the frame near each wheel — usually a notch or seam in the pinch weld just behind the front wheel or ahead of the rear wheel. Check your owner's manual for the exact spot. Placing the jack on bodywork or a plastic trim can bend metal or cause the car to slip off the jack.
Step 6: Raise the car
Pump or crank the jack until the flat tire is about 2 inches off the ground — you need extra clearance because the inflated spare is taller than the flat. As the car rises, glance at the jack: it should stay vertical and seated on the jack point.
Never put any part of your body under the car while it is supported only by a jack. If the jack starts to lean or sink, lower the car and reposition.
Step 7: Remove the lug nuts and the wheel
Finish unscrewing the loosened lug nuts by hand and keep them together — a hubcap or pocket works. Grip the tire at 9 and 3 o'clock and pull it straight toward you. It may be heavy (30–50 lb) and stuck; a firm wiggle usually frees it. Lay the flat under the car's side sill as a backup catch.
Step 8: Mount the spare
Lift the spare onto the hub, lining up the bolt holes with the studs. This takes some wiggling — lift with your legs, not your back. Push the wheel flush against the hub.
Step 9: Hand-tighten the lug nuts
Thread each lug nut on by hand and snug them in a star (criss-cross) pattern — each nut, then the one opposite it. Hand-tight only for now; the wheel needs to be on the ground for final tightening. Make sure the tapered side of the nuts faces the wheel.
Step 10: Lower the car
Crank the jack down slowly until the tire touches the ground and the car's full weight is off the jack. Remove the jack from under the car.
Step 11: Tighten lugs in a star pattern
Now tighten each lug nut firmly with the wrench, again in a star pattern — tighten one, skip to the opposite one, and repeat until all are tight. Give each a final firm push. Your owner's manual lists the torque figure for your car (commonly in the 80–100 ft-lb range, but it varies by wheel and stud size); have a shop set them with a torque wrench soon.
Step 12: Stow everything and go to a tire shop
Put the flat tire and tools back in the trunk. Confirm the spare is at its specified pressure with your gauge before driving. Most compact spares ('donuts') are limited to 50 mph and about 50–70 miles — follow the limits on your spare and in your manual, and drive gently and directly to a tire shop to repair or replace the flat. Re-check lug tightness after the first 25–50 miles.
Compact spares are for emergencies only — no highway speeds, no long distances, and reduced braking and cornering grip.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Where the figures on this page come from. Your owner's manual still wins for your specific vehicle.
- Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness (TireWise)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Cited for: Cold tires have not been driven for at least three hours. Check all tires, including the spare, with a gauge and adjust measured pressure to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended inflation pressure. Checked .