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Step 1
The first thing you need to do is check your owners manual for spare tire location along with your jack and tools needed. While you are looking at this information in your manual you will need to also look at the proper placement of your jack to lift your vehicle. This will ensure you have the safest process. Before you do anything, make sure your vehicle is safely parked away from traffic and you have your emergency flasher lights on. Now you are ready to fix your own flat tire. This process should only take you about 15 minutes to do so. I also recommend that you know your spare location prior to your next trip away from your home.
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Step 2
Remove your spare tire from its compartment along with the jack and lug nut wrench and place them next to the flat tire. Place the jack in the proper lifting location under your vehicle and slightly lift your car but still have the flat tire resting on the ground. With your lug wrench you need to loosen each lug nut counter clock wise in a criss cross pattern. You will need to exert some force to loosen them but be careful not to have your hand slip off the wrench and hit the ground. (It hurts). Once the lug nuts are loosened, place the lug wrench to the side and lift the car using the jack enough that the flat tire is off the ground about 4 inches. Once you have done this, finish unscrewing the lug nuts all the way off and place them in a pile to the side and lift off your flat tire. Now you are half way done. Note:(Be sure to keep your hands and feet and legs away from your vehicle just in case the car slips off the jack). Now place the spare tire onto the lug studs of your vehicle. You may now start screwing on your lug nuts the the treaded studs by hand in a criss cross pattern until finger tight. Note: (You might want to jiggle your spare tie slightly to ensure the lug nuts are seating properly). Once the nuts are seated to the rim of your tire You may now lower your vehicle VIA the jack. Now that your jack is loose from your car, pull the jack and all your tools to the side. Now you will need to tighten the lug nuts in a criss cross pattern. Tighten them until you hear a slight creaking sound. Note: (You will need to go to a tire service station to have your lug nuts properly torqued to specifications and have your flat tire replaced).
Now that your lug nuts are tightened You can now stow your flat tire and tools. My advice is to toss them into your car trunk or somewhere that you can quickly get off the road for safety reasons and to get you to where you need to be sooner. If you have what they call a donut tire, You should know that you only have about 30 miles of safe travel. Please go to a service station as soon as possible. -
Step 3
It took me more time to write this then it would to actually complete this process. I also advise to take some time and practice this so that you can do this with confidence and not have to wait for 90 minutes to have someone come to help and then charge you for it.
