How to Change a Tire: Step-by-Step Guide for Every Driver

Tools You Need

Every car should come with a spare tire, lug wrench, and jack. Check your vehicle to confirm these items are present and in good condition. The spare tire should be properly inflated. The jack and lug wrench should be in the trunk or under the cargo floor. If you are missing any of these items, purchase replacements before you need them.

Additional items that help include a flashlight, work gloves, a wheel chock or large rock, and a rain poncho or blanket for kneeling. A tire pressure gauge is useful for checking the spare's pressure. If you have an electric impact wrench, it speeds up the lug nut removal process. Keep these items in your vehicle at all times for emergencies. The NHTSA provides vehicle safety guidelines and resources for drivers.

Find a Safe Location

Safety is the most important consideration when changing a tire. If you get a flat on a highway, take the next exit if possible. If you must stop on the shoulder, pull as far away from traffic as possible. Choose flat, level ground. Avoid soft shoulders, hills, and curves where other drivers may not see you.

Turn on your hazard lights immediately. Set the parking brake firmly. Place reflective triangles or flares behind your vehicle if available. For stopped vehicles, place a warning triangle 50-100 feet behind the car. On highways, stand behind the guardrail or away from traffic while preparing to change the tire. If conditions are unsafe, call for roadside assistance instead.

Loosen the Lug Nuts

Loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car. If you loosen them after jacking, the wheel may spin. Use the lug wrench to turn each lug nut counterclockwise about one full turn. Do not remove them completely yet. If the lug nuts are stuck, apply penetrating oil or use your body weight on the wrench.

If the lug nuts are extremely tight, you can step on the wrench or use a length of pipe for leverage. Impact wrenches make this step much easier. For vehicles with locking lug nuts, use the special key adapter that came with your car. Keep the adapter in your glove compartment rather than the trunk, so it is accessible if the trunk is full.

Position the Jack

Each vehicle has specific jacking points indicated in the owner's manual. Look for reinforced metal flanges along the frame near the flat tire. Never place the jack under a plastic panel, exhaust pipe, or suspension component. The car must be supported by the frame or designated jacking point only.

Position the jack on firm, level ground. If the ground is soft, place a sturdy board under the jack for stability. Ensure the jack is perpendicular to the ground and centered on the jacking point. Most jacks have a slot or notch that fits into the reinforced flange. Double-check the position before applying weight.

Jack Up the Car

Raise the jack until the tire is about 2-3 inches off the ground. The tire should spin freely by hand. Do not lift higher than necessary, as a higher car is less stable. If the car shifts or the jack tips, lower it and reposition before continuing.

Once the car is lifted, place the spare tire under the frame as a safety precaution. If the jack fails, the spare prevents the car from dropping completely. Never put any body part under a car supported only by a jack. Use jack stands if available. The car can fall off the jack from vibration or movement, causing serious injury or death.

Remove the Flat Tire

Remove the loosened lug nuts completely by hand. Place them in a clean location, such as a pocket or the hubcap, so they do not roll away or get lost. Grasp the tire at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and pull it straight toward you. If the tire is stuck, kick the sidewall firmly or use the lug wrench to pry it loose.

Set the flat tire aside, away from the work area. Avoid leaving it in the roadway or where it could roll into traffic. If the flat tire is visibly damaged, handle it carefully. A tire that has been run flat may be hot and contain sharp debris. Wear gloves if available.

Mount the Spare

Lift the spare tire and align the holes with the wheel studs. This step requires some strength and coordination. Push the spare onto the studs as far as it will go. If it does not slide on easily, check that you have the correct spare and that the studs are clean and free of debris.

For full-size spares, the process is the same as mounting a regular tire. For compact temporary spares, also called donuts, mount them the same way. Do not mount a compact spare on the front drive axle if possible. If a front tire is flat, you should ideally mount the spare on the rear and move a rear tire to the front.

Tighten the Lug Nuts

Thread the lug nuts onto the studs by hand until they are all finger-tight. This prevents cross-threading. Once all nuts are started, use the lug wrench to tighten them in a star pattern rather than sequentially around the wheel. The star pattern ensures even pressure and prevents the wheel from warping.

For a 5-lug wheel, tighten the top-left, then bottom-right, then top-right, then bottom-left, then the center. For a 4-lug wheel, tighten in an X pattern. Tighten each nut firmly but do not fully tighten until the car is lowered. The goal at this stage is to secure the wheel so it does not wobble.

Lower the Car

Remove the spare tire from under the car if you placed it there as a safety precaution. Slowly and carefully lower the jack until the tire contacts the ground. Do not put the full weight of the car on the tire yet. Tighten the lug nuts as much as possible in the star pattern with the car's weight partially on the tire.

Lower the car completely and remove the jack. Give each lug nut one final tightening with the lug wrench. Use your full body weight for maximum tightness. Replace the hubcap if your vehicle has one. Store the flat tire, jack, and tools in the trunk. Do not drive away until all tools and the flat tire are secured.

After Changing

After changing a tire, there are important follow-up steps. Drive to the nearest service station and have the spare tire's pressure checked. Compact spares typically need 60 psi, which is much higher than standard tires. Check your owner's manual for the correct pressure. Drive cautiously and do not exceed 50 mph on a compact spare.

Have the flat tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Compact spares are for temporary use only and should not be driven for more than 50-70 miles. If you replaced a tire on a drive axle, have the other tire on that axle checked too. Retorque the lug nuts after 50 miles of driving. For more practical skills, visit our How-To hub.