How to Change a Flat Tire in 10 Easy Steps

Be prepared for a tire emergency by following these steps for changing a flat.

Things You'll Need

• Spare tire.
• Lug wrench.
• Tire jack.
• Wheel chocks.

Instructions

1. Make sure you are well off the highway, parked on a hard, level surface. Turn on your emergency flashers. Place the car in park, or if you have a stick shift place the transmission in first or reverse gear. Engage the parking brake.

2. Locate and remove your spare wheel, lug wrench, tire jack, and wheel chocks.

3. Remove the hub cap, if equipped, using the tapered end of the lug wrench. Using the other end of the lug wrench, loosen the lug nuts holding the wheel on. Do this while the wheel is still on the ground. All you are doing is loosening the nuts slightly, do not remove the lug nuts at this time.

4. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat on both sides of the tire to keep the car from rolling while it is being jacked up.

5. Place the jack underneath the car in the location specified in your owner's manual. Not doing so may cause the car to fall off the jack, damaging the car and possible causing injury to you. Using the jack handle, jack up the car until the flattened wheel is completely off the ground.

6. Finish loosening the lug nuts and completely remove them.

7. Remove the wheel and set it aside.

8. Install the spare wheel, lining it up over the wheel studs. Thread the lug nuts back onto the studs, installing the tapered end of the nut towards the wheel. Be careful not to cross thread the lug nuts. Hand tighten the lug nuts.

9. Lower the car back to the ground. Using your lug wrench, tighten all of the lug nuts.

10. Reinstall the hub cap. Put away the spare and all of your tools, and you are ready to drive away!

Tips & Warnings

• Carry wheel chocks in your vehicle. These are available at Autozone, Advance, NAPA, or any other auto parts store. You can also use small blocks of wood.

• If your wheel lugs were tightened by an air wrench at a garage, chances are you may not be able to loosen them with a lug wrench while on the side of the road. At home, try your lug nuts to see if they are too tight to loosen. If they are too tight, take your car to a garage and have the lug nuts loosened with an air wrench, then re-tightened with a torque wrench to the correct foot pounds indicated in the owner's manual.

• Carry an "X" lug wrench in your car's trunk (available at any auto parts store). This type of wrench works much better than the car's factory lug wrench.