How to Change a Tire Safely, Step by Step
Most flat-tire guides skip the two decisions that actually keep you safe: where you stop, and where the jack goes. Here is the whole sequence, with the parts that vary by car pointed at the book that knows.
- Get completely out of traffic before you touch the jack. If you cannot, call roadside assistance.
- Hazard lights on, parking brake set, and wheel chocks at the tire diagonally opposite the flat.
- Loosen the lug nuts while the tire is still on the ground, then jack only at the manufacturer's jack point.
- Mount the spare, hand-tighten, lower the car, then tighten in a star pattern.
- A compact spare is temporary. Its speed and distance limits are on the sidewall and in the manual.
The short answer
To change a tire, get well clear of traffic, turn on your hazard lights and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts while the wheel is still on the ground, jack the car only at the manufacturer's jack point, swap the flat for the spare, then tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern after lowering the car. Never put any part of your body under a car supported only by a jack, and check the compact spare's sidewall for its speed and distance limits before you drive on it.
Step 1: Get clear of traffic first
Slow down gently, turn on your hazard lights, and pull into a parking lot, side street, exit ramp, or wide level shoulder. Get well clear of traffic before you start. If you cannot stand and work around the car without being near moving traffic, call roadside assistance instead. Losing ten minutes beats working from the bad side of a highway.
Step 2: Secure the car
Put an automatic in Park or a manual in gear, turn off the engine, and set the parking brake. Keep passengers away from the road and out of the vehicle while it is on the jack. If you have wheel chocks, place them at the tire diagonally opposite the flat.
Step 3: Find the tools
Get the spare tire, jack, lug wrench, wheel lock key if your car uses one, and the owner's manual. Check the manual for where the spare and jack are stored, because manufacturers hide them in different places. Look the spare over before you fit it, and do not use it if it is visibly damaged or flat.
Step 4: Loosen the lugs before lifting
Remove the hubcap or wheel cover if it blocks the lug nuts. With the flat tire still on the ground, turn each lug nut counterclockwise just enough to break it loose. Do not remove them yet. The grounded tire is what gives you resistance while you apply force.
Step 5: Jack at the right point
Put the jack on firm, level ground and place it only at the manufacturer's jack point shown in the owner's manual. Raise the vehicle until the flat tire clears the ground. Never get any part of your body under a car supported only by a jack. If the jack shifts, leans, or sinks into soft ground, lower the car and reset before continuing.
Step 6: Swap the tire
Remove the loosened lug nuts and put them somewhere they cannot roll away. Pull the flat tire straight off the hub, then lift the spare onto the studs and push it flush against the mounting surface. Thread the lug nuts on by hand first so you do not cross-thread them.
Step 7: Tighten in a star pattern
Snug the lug nuts in a star pattern while the car is still raised. Lower the car until the spare touches the ground, tighten again in the same star pattern, then lower it fully and remove the jack. Use the torque value from your owner's manual, and have a shop check it if you do not have a torque wrench.
Step 8: Treat the spare as temporary
Stow the flat tire, tools and chocks before you leave. If the spare is a compact one, check its sidewall and your manual for speed and distance limits, because they vary by vehicle. Drive gently and get the real tire repaired or replaced as soon as you can.
When to call roadside assistance instead
Call for help if you are on a narrow shoulder, around a curve, on a hill, in poor visibility, or anywhere traffic is close. Call as well if the car has no spare, the spare is damaged, the jack point is rusted or unclear, or a lug nut will not break loose. A safe tire change starts with a safe location, not with determination.
The numbers this page deliberately does not give you
Lug nut torque, tire pressure and spare tire limits all vary by vehicle, so a single number printed on a web page is worse than no number. Torque comes from your owner's manual. Regular tire pressure comes from the placard in the driver's door jamb. Compact spare pressure and its speed and distance limits come from the spare's own sidewall and the manual. Those three sources are the authority, not us.
Full-size spare versus compact spare
A full-size matching spare can usually be driven more normally, though it is still worth repairing the damaged tire promptly. A compact spare is an emergency tire with limits printed on the sidewall, and it changes handling, braking and traction. Drive gently and go straight to a shop.
More step-by-step guides are on the guides index.