A flat tire can feel like a big problem. Cars may rush past you. You may not know what to do first. The safest choice is to slow down, find a safe place, and work one step at a time.
This guide explains the basic process used on many U.S. cars. Your car may be different. Always check the owner’s manual for the right jack point, spare-tire limits, and wheel torque.
Before You Start
Do not change a tire in a place that puts you close to fast traffic. Move to firm, level ground if you can do so safely. Turn on your hazard lights. Set the parking brake. If the shoulder is too narrow, the ground is soft, or you do not feel safe, call roadside help.
Hot pavement can make a roadside stop harder. If you travel during very hot weather, our extreme heat safety guide can help you plan for heat as well as car trouble. Bad storms can also make a tire change unsafe. In heavy rain, high wind, or flooding, the storm driving safety tips are a good reminder that finding a safer place may matter more than saving the tire.
What You Need
Many cars come with a spare tire, a jack, and a lug wrench. Some do not. Check before you need them.
- Spare tire or approved repair kit
- Jack
- Lug wrench
- Wheel chocks
- Flashlight
- Gloves
- Tire pressure gauge
- Owner’s manual
A tire pressure gauge is small and easy to keep in the glove box. A pair of wheel chocks can also help keep the car from rolling.
Step 1: Stop in a Safe Place
Slow down in a controlled way. Avoid hard braking if the tire fails while you are moving. Look for a parking lot, rest area, or wide shoulder with firm, level ground.
Put the car in Park. If you drive a manual car, follow the manual for the right gear. Set the parking brake. Turn on the hazard lights.
Keep children and pets in a safe place away from traffic. If you must work near a road, stay on the side of the car that is farthest from moving traffic when possible.
Step 2: Block the Wheels
Use wheel chocks if you have them. Place them at a tire that will stay on the ground. This adds another layer of protection against rolling.
Do not trust a loose rock if you have a safer option. A purpose-made chock is more stable.
Step 3: Get the Spare and Tools Ready
Take out the spare, jack, lug wrench, and locking-lug key if your car uses one.
Check the spare before you lift the car. A flat spare will not help. Many compact spares need a much higher pressure than normal tires. Use the pressure printed for the spare or listed by the vehicle maker.
If your car has only an inflator and sealant kit, follow the instructions that came with that kit. Sealant kits are not made for every type of tire damage.
Step 4: Loosen the Lug Nuts
If a hubcap covers the lug nuts, remove it first.
While the tire is still on the ground, loosen each lug nut a small amount. Turn the wrench counterclockwise. Do not remove the nuts yet.
Use steady force. Avoid jumping on the wrench or making sudden moves that could make you fall.
Step 5: Find the Correct Jack Point
This step matters. Cars have specific lift points built to hold the load from the jack.
Look in the owner’s manual. Do not guess. A wrong jack point can damage the car or let it slip.
Set the jack on firm, level ground. Make sure the base is flat before you raise the car.
Step 6: Raise the Car
Lift the car only high enough for the flat tire to clear the ground and for the spare to fit.
Never put your head, arm, leg, or any other part of your body under a car that is held up only by a tire-change jack.
If the jack leans, shifts, sinks, or does not feel stable, lower the car and stop.
Step 7: Remove the Flat Tire
Remove the loosened lug nuts. Put them in a safe place where they cannot roll away.
Pull the wheel straight toward you. If it sticks, do not crawl under the car or strike the wheel in a way that could shake the jack. If you cannot remove it safely, call for help.
Set the flat tire on the ground where it will not roll.
Step 8: Mount the Spare
Line up the spare with the wheel studs. Push it into place.
Start each lug nut by hand. Turn the nuts until they are snug. Starting them by hand helps reduce the risk of damaged threads.
Step 9: Lower the Car and Tighten the Nuts
Lower the car until the tire touches the ground and cannot spin. Then tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern.
The final torque should match the value from your vehicle maker. A torque wrench makes this much easier. Do not use a guessed number. Different cars need different torque.
Once the nuts are secure, lower the car fully and remove the jack.
After the Tire Change
Put the flat tire, jack, wrench, and other tools back in the car. Make sure they cannot slide around.
Check the spare’s sidewall and owner’s manual before you drive. Compact spare tires often have strict speed and distance limits. Follow the limit for your exact spare.
Drive gently. Avoid hard turns, hard braking, and high speed. Get the damaged tire repaired or replaced as soon as you can.
If your route is a long one, a tire problem can change the whole day. Our New York to Philadelphia travel guide is one example of why it helps to leave room for delays on a road trip. A slower trip is better than a rushed one after a roadside problem.
Tire Pressure and Tread
Good tire care can lower the chance of a flat or tire failure.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tire guide says drivers should check tire pressure at least once a month when tires are cold. Use the pressure shown on the driver-door label or in the owner’s manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as your target.
Check the spare too. It may sit unused for years.
Look at tread and sidewalls for cuts, bulges, cracks, and other damage. Replace tires that are worn out or damaged.
When Not to Change a Tire Yourself
Call roadside help when the location is unsafe, the road is too narrow, traffic is too close, the ground is soft or steep, the jack is damaged, the spare is missing or flat, the wheel is badly damaged, or you are not sure what to do.
There is no prize for changing a tire in a dangerous place. The goal is to get home safely.
Roadside Gear Worth Keeping
A few small tools can make a flat much easier.
A flashlight helps at night. Gloves protect your hands. A tire gauge helps you check both the road tires and the spare. Wheel chocks help keep the car still. A torque wrench helps you tighten the wheel to the car maker’s spec.
If you use your vehicle for camping or long outdoor trips, Noah’s Outdoors has a useful guide to legal, low-profile vehicle camping. It is a good reminder to think about where you can stop safely and legally if a breakdown changes your plan.
Simple Tire Care Before a Trip
Before a long drive, check tire pressure, tread, and visible damage. Make sure the spare has air. Confirm that the jack and wrench are in the car and that the wrench fits the lug nuts.
Do the same before a very hot trip or a long rural drive. A few minutes in the driveway can prevent a much harder problem on the shoulder.
A Calm Process Works
Changing a tire is not about speed. It is about order.
Get safe. Secure the car. Loosen the nuts. Find the right jack point. Raise the car. Change the wheel. Tighten it correctly. Then get the damaged tire fixed.
Once you know the steps, the job feels much less stressful.
