Skills · Automotive Basics
Changing a Flat Tire
Practice once in the driveway so the first time is not on a highway shoulder at night.
Nine steps. The two that matter most: loosen the lug nuts before lifting the vehicle, and place the jack only at the designated point. Everything else follows from there.
Before you start
Three things to know first.
The jack goes only at the designated point.
Every vehicle has four reinforced lifting points along its frame or body. They are shown in the owner's manual and are often marked by a notch or arrow on the rocker panel under the vehicle. Placing the jack anywhere else can crush body panels, damage the vehicle, or allow the jack to slip. The owner's manual is the authority. If you do not have the manual, check the manufacturer's website or search for your year, make, and model plus "jack point location" before proceeding.
Loosen before lifting.
The lug nuts are loosened one-half to one turn while the vehicle is still on the ground and the tire cannot spin. If you raise the vehicle first, the wheel spins freely when you try to loosen the nuts, and you cannot apply enough force. This is the single most common mistake, and it means lowering the vehicle and starting over.
Never place any part of your body under the vehicle.
A scissor jack is designed for emergency tire changes only. It is not stable enough for any other purpose. Do not crawl under the vehicle, reach under it, or place your legs beneath it while it is supported by a jack. If the jack slips, the vehicle drops instantly. The flat tire placed under the rocker panel (Step 7) is a safety backup for exactly this risk.
What you need
Helpful but not required
Vehicles without a spare tire
Some newer vehicles ship with a tire inflator kit instead of a spare. The kit uses a small compressor and sealant canister to temporarily seal a tread puncture and reinflate the tire. It cannot fix a sidewall blowout, a large puncture, or a tire that has been driven flat and destroyed. If your vehicle has only an inflator kit, know its limitations before you need it. Consider whether purchasing a compact spare and jack for your specific vehicle is worthwhile.
The procedure
Nine steps. Take them in order.
The order matters. Loosening before lifting prevents the wheel from spinning. Tightening in a star pattern prevents the wheel from wobbling. Skipping a step or changing the order creates problems that are harder to fix than just starting over.
Get off the road completely.
Pull as far off the road as possible onto a firm, level surface. A parking lot, a wide paved shoulder, or a flat gravel area. Avoid soft ground (the jack sinks), hills (the vehicle can roll), and curves where approaching drivers cannot see you. Turn on hazard flashers immediately.
If you are on a highway and the flat allows it, drive slowly to the next exit rather than stopping on the shoulder. A parking lot is far safer than the edge of a highway, and a flat tire driven at low speed for a quarter mile destroys the tire but not the wheel. A tire is replaceable. A collision with highway traffic is not.
Secure the vehicle.
Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or in first gear or reverse (manual). Set the parking brake firmly. Turn off the engine.
Move all passengers to the far side of the vehicle from traffic, or well off the road entirely. Children and pets should be out of the vehicle and away from the road.
Place reflective triangles or flares behind the vehicle if you have them. At night or in low visibility this is especially important. Place the first triangle about 10 feet behind the vehicle and the second about 100 feet back.
If you have wheel chocks, bricks, or heavy objects, place them snugly against both sides of the tire diagonally opposite the flat. If the front-left tire is flat, chock the rear-right tire. This prevents the vehicle from rolling when it is raised.
Get the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench.
Retrieve all three from the trunk floor, cargo area, or under-vehicle mount. If the spare is mounted underneath, the owner's manual shows the lowering mechanism. Some use a long rod threaded through a hole in the rear bumper or cargo area floor.
Remove the hubcap or wheel cover from the flat tire if it has one. Some pry off with the flat end of the lug wrench. Some unscrew. Some are held by the lug nuts themselves and will come off when the nuts are loosened.
Loosen the lug nuts before lifting.
With the vehicle still on the ground and the full weight on all four tires, place the lug wrench on each lug nut and turn counterclockwise. Loosen each nut one-half to one full turn. Do not remove them yet.
Lug nuts are tight. They may take significant force to break loose. Place the wrench on the nut so the handle extends to the left (counterclockwise). Push down with your hand, or if needed, carefully stand on the wrench handle with your weight centered directly over the socket, using the vehicle's weight to hold the tire still.
If the nuts still will not move, a short section of pipe slipped over the wrench handle gives you more turning force. If you feel the stud beginning to round off or strip, stop. A rounded stud is a reason to call roadside assistance.
Why this order matters: If you raise the vehicle first, the wheel spins freely when you try to loosen the nuts, and you cannot apply enough force. You would have to lower the vehicle, loosen, and raise again. Doing it in the right order the first time avoids this.
Position the jack at the designated lifting point.
Open the owner's manual to the jack-point diagram. Each corner of the vehicle has a specific reinforced point on the frame or body. These are typically along the rocker panel (the bottom edge of the body between the front and rear wheels), at reinforced notches or flat sections.
Place the jack only at the designated point for the tire you are changing. Ensure the jack base sits on firm, flat ground. On soft ground, place a flat board, a piece of plywood, or even the owner's manual under the jack base to spread the load and prevent sinking.
Placing the jack on any point other than the designated location can crush body panels, crack plastic trim, damage the vehicle's unibody structure, or allow the jack to slip suddenly. The owner's manual is the only reliable source for your vehicle's jack points. If you are unsure, call roadside assistance rather than guessing.
Raise the vehicle.
Crank the jack slowly and steadily. Raise the vehicle until the flat tire is approximately one inch off the ground. The spare tire, which has more air and a fuller profile, needs slightly more clearance, but one inch is usually sufficient.
Watch the vehicle as it rises. If it leans to one side, the jack shifts on the ground, or you hear any creaking or popping from the jack point area, stop immediately. Lower the vehicle, reposition the jack, and try again. Do not continue raising a vehicle that is not sitting squarely on the jack.
Remove the flat and mount the spare.
Remove the loosened lug nuts completely. Put them somewhere they cannot roll away: a pocket, a cup, the hubcap placed face-up on the ground, or a zip-lock bag from the emergency kit.
Pull the flat tire straight toward you off the wheel studs. It may be stuck to the hub by corrosion; a firm tug or a tap with your foot on the rubber should free it. Set the flat tire on its side on the ground directly under the vehicle near the jack.
Lift the spare tire and align the holes with the wheel studs. Push it flush against the hub. Thread the lug nuts on by hand, turning clockwise, until each is finger-tight. Do not use the wrench yet.
Why the flat tire goes under the vehicle: If the jack fails while the vehicle is raised, the vehicle drops onto the flat tire and wheel instead of dropping to the ground. This prevents the brake rotor or drum from hitting pavement and gives you clearance to reposition the jack. This is a standard safety practice taught in every automotive program.
Lower partially and tighten in a star pattern.
Lower the jack until the spare tire touches the ground and bears some weight, but the vehicle is not fully resting on it. The tire should be pressed against the ground but still have some give.
Now tighten the lug nuts firmly with the wrench in a star or crisscross pattern. On a five-lug wheel, imagine a five-pointed star: tighten one nut, skip the one next to it, tighten the one across from it, and continue in that pattern. On a four-lug wheel, tighten opposite pairs. This seats the wheel evenly against the hub and prevents it from wobbling.
Make two full passes around the pattern, tightening a little more each pass. Then lower the vehicle completely to the ground and remove the jack. With the full weight of the vehicle on the spare, give each lug nut one final check in the same star pattern.
Why the star pattern matters: Tightening the lug nuts in order around the circle (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) pulls the wheel off-center and seats it unevenly. The star pattern pulls it evenly from opposite sides, ensuring the wheel sits flat against the hub. An unevenly seated wheel vibrates, wears unevenly, and can loosen over time.
Secure everything and drive to a tire shop.
Stow the flat tire, jack, and lug wrench. Remove wheel chocks and reflective triangles. Check the spare's pressure with a gauge if you have one.
Drive to the nearest service station or tire shop. Have the spare tire's pressure verified and the damaged tire inspected. Many punctures in the tread area can be repaired for $15 to $30. Sidewall damage, large punctures, or tires that were driven flat typically cannot be repaired and require replacement.
At the tire shop, ask them to torque the lug nuts to the manufacturer's specification. Hand-tightening on the roadside gets you there safely. Proper torque from a calibrated wrench ensures the wheel stays secure long-term.
Important limitation
Compact spare limits.
If your vehicle carries a compact spare (often called a donut), it is smaller and narrower than the regular tires. It is designed to get you to a tire shop, not to serve as a long-term replacement. The specific limits are printed on the spare tire itself and in the owner's manual.
Most compact spares are rated for a maximum of 50 miles per hour and 50 to 70 miles of distance. Some are rated for less. Exceeding these limits risks tire failure on the spare itself, which creates a far worse situation than the original flat.
What changes while driving on a compact spare
Traction is reduced. The smaller contact patch grips less, especially in rain or on turns.
Braking distance increases. Expect longer stops and brake earlier.
Handling changes. The vehicle may pull slightly toward the spare and feel different in turns.
ABS and traction control may behave differently because the spare's circumference does not match the other three tires.
Full-size spare
If your vehicle carries a full-size spare that matches the other tires, it can be driven at normal speeds and for normal distances. However, many full-size spares are older tires that have been stored in the trunk for years. Tires degrade internally over time regardless of tread depth. Check the manufacture date on the sidewall: the last four digits of the DOT code show the week and year (for example, 2219 means the 22nd week of 2019). A spare older than 6 to 10 years should be inspected by a tire professional before highway driving, even if the tread looks good.
Tire inflator kits
Some vehicles include a tire inflator kit instead of a spare. The kit has a small air compressor that plugs into the 12V outlet and a canister of liquid sealant. It can temporarily seal a small tread puncture and reinflate the tire enough to drive to a shop.
What it cannot fix: sidewall damage, large punctures, a tire that has separated from the wheel, or a tire that has been driven flat and destroyed. The sealant has an expiration date. Check it annually. Once used, the tire may not be repairable because the sealant contaminates the interior.
Repair versus replacement
A puncture in the tread area from a nail or screw can usually be repaired with a plug-patch combination for $15 to $30. A puncture near the sidewall, a cut or gash, a bulge in the sidewall, or a tire that was driven flat and shows internal damage cannot be safely repaired and must be replaced. A tire shop will inspect the damage and advise. If they say it cannot be repaired, trust the assessment.
When to call for help instead
There is no shame in calling.
A roadside service call costs far less than an injury or a vehicle falling off a jack in a dangerous location. These are all legitimate reasons to call rather than change the tire yourself.
The flat is on the traffic side of a busy road.
If you cannot get the vehicle far enough off the road to work on the traffic side safely, or if there is no shoulder, call for a tow. Being struck by passing traffic while changing a tire is a real and serious risk.
The ground is too soft, steep, or uneven for the jack.
A jack on soft soil, steep grade, or gravel can sink or slip. If you cannot find a firm, level surface, the procedure is unsafe.
You do not have a spare, or the spare is flat.
A flat spare is no help. If yours has no pressure, you need either an air source or a tow.
The lug nuts will not break free.
Over-tightened or corroded lug nuts may require a breaker bar or impact wrench that you do not have. Forcing a stud that is beginning to round off creates a more expensive problem.
You feel unsafe.
The location is isolated, it is dark, or the situation does not feel right. Trust that instinct. Lock the doors, stay in the vehicle, and call for assistance.
Weather makes the procedure dangerous.
Heavy rain, snow, ice, or extreme heat all make roadside tire changes significantly more hazardous. Wet tools slip. Cold hands lose grip. Kneeling on hot asphalt in summer can cause burns.
You are physically unable to manage the jack and tire.
A tire and wheel weigh 30 to 50 pounds. The jack requires sustained cranking. If an injury, disability, or physical limitation makes this unsafe, calling for help is the right choice.
Sources for roadside assistance: many auto insurance policies include roadside assistance. AAA membership provides it. Some vehicle manufacturers include complimentary roadside service with new or certified pre-owned vehicles. Check your coverage before you need it and keep the phone number in your vehicle information sheet.
The practice run
Do this once in the driveway.
The worst time to learn how to change a tire is the first time you need to. The driveway practice run takes 20 to 30 minutes and eliminates every variable that makes a roadside tire change stressful: darkness, traffic, time pressure, unfamiliarity with the tools.
Pick a weekend afternoon. Park on a flat, dry surface. Go through all nine steps at your own pace. Discover where the spare is stored, how the jack operates, how much force the lug nuts require, and where the lifting points are. Make your mistakes here, where they cost nothing.
Teach every licensed driver in the household. The person who gets the flat may not be the one who has practiced.
Practice checklist
Time yourself.
A practiced tire change takes 15 to 20 minutes. The first time takes 30 to 45 minutes because you are reading and learning as you go. On a roadside at night, under stress, with traffic passing, add time and difficulty. The practice run converts a 45-minute stressful ordeal into a 20-minute routine task.
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