How to Change a Flat Tire and Fit a Spare
The Short Answer
To change a flat tire, park on firm, level ground away from traffic, secure the vehicle and loosen the wheel nuts slightly while the tire is still on the ground. Then raise the car with the jack at the manufacturer's designated lifting point, remove the flat wheel, fit the spare, hand-tighten the nuts and lower the car. Finish by tightening the nuts in a star (criss-cross) pattern. The spare is a get-you-home measure until the original tire is repaired or replaced, and its driving limits depend on what type it is.
Two terms come up throughout. Wheel nuts, also called lug nuts or, on some vehicles, wheel bolts, hold the wheel to the hub. A temporary spare, often called a space-saver or donut, is a narrower, lighter spare with restricted speed and distance limits printed on its label or listed in the owner's manual. Some vehicles do not carry a spare at all. Instead they have a tire sealant and inflator kit or run-flat tires, and the steps below do not apply to them. Follow the owner's manual for those systems.
This guide covers the general procedure for a typical passenger car or light SUV with a jack and spare supplied by the manufacturer. No vehicle-specific instructions were available for it. Jacking points, wheel nut torque, spare tire pressure and temporary-spare limits all vary by model, so check them in your owner's manual or on the vehicle's labels.
Stop First: When Not to Change the Tire Yourself
Do not attempt the change, and call roadside assistance or emergency services instead, in any of these situations:
You are on a narrow shoulder, a bend, or any spot where passing traffic could reach you or the car. The ground is soft, sloped, icy or uneven, so the jack could sink, tip or slip. The spare is flat, damaged or missing, or the jack or wheel wrench is missing. The wheel has a locking wheel nut and you cannot find the key or adapter. The vehicle is heavily loaded or towing, and you cannot unhitch or unload it safely. You are unsure where the jacking point is or how the supplied jack works.
If you have to keep moving to reach a safe place, drive slowly and as short a distance as possible. Driving on a flat can damage the wheel and make the tire unrepairable, but your safety comes first.
Tire Changing Tools and Equipment
Most cars sold with a spare come with a basic kit, usually stored under the boot or cargo floor, in a side panel, or with the spare mounted under the vehicle. Check that it is complete before you need it.
Spare wheel and tire, either full-size or temporary. Jack: the scissor or bottle jack supplied with the vehicle, or a jack rated for its weight. Wheel wrench (lug wrench) that fits your wheel nuts. Locking wheel nut key or adapter, if your wheels have locking nuts. Owner's manual, for the jacking points, jack operation, torque figure and spare tire limits. Wheel chocks, or a solid block if you have no chocks. Warning triangle and a high-visibility vest, where carried or required locally. Flashlight, gloves and something to kneel on. Tire pressure gauge, to check the spare. Torque wrench, for tightening the nuts to specification. It is often not supplied, so a tire shop may do this step.
Step-by-Step: Changing the Tire
1) Park and secure the vehicle
Pull over as far from traffic as possible, onto firm, level ground. Turn on the hazard lights, apply the parking brake firmly and select Park in an automatic, or first or reverse gear in a manual. Switch off the engine. Get passengers out and have them wait somewhere safe, away from the road. Place a warning triangle behind the vehicle if you carry one and it is safe to walk there.
2) Chock the wheels
Place chocks against the wheel diagonally opposite the flat, on the side facing downhill if there is any slope. This stops the car from rolling when one corner is lifted.
3) Get out the spare and tools
Remove the spare, jack and wrench. Check that the spare looks undamaged and has air in it. If it is mounted under the vehicle, the manual explains how to lower it, usually with a winch operated by the jack handle or wrench.
4) Remove the wheel cover and loosen the nuts
If the wheel has a hubcap or nut covers, pry or pull them off as the manual describes. With the car still on the ground, turn each wheel nut counterclockwise about a half to one full turn to break it loose. Do not remove the nuts yet. If a nut will not move, pressing down on the wrench with your foot gives more leverage. Never stand on a wrench that is not fully seated on the nut. If a nut still will not budge, or the nut or stud looks damaged, stop and get help.
5) Position the jack and raise the vehicle
Place the jack only at the designated lifting point for that corner, shown in the owner's manual. These points are usually a reinforced section of the sill or frame, often marked by notches or an arrow. Lifting anywhere else can damage the body or let the car slip off the jack. Raise the vehicle until the flat tire is just clear of the ground, leaving enough room to fit the inflated spare.
Warning: a supplied jack is designed only for changing a wheel. Never put any part of your body under the vehicle while it is supported by the jack. Stop and lower the car if the jack leans, the base shifts or the vehicle moves.
6) Remove the flat wheel
Unscrew the loosened nuts fully and keep them together so none roll away. Pull the wheel straight toward you and off the studs. Lay it flat, outer face up, so it cannot roll. Some vehicles use wheel bolts instead of studs and nuts, which makes it harder to line up the new wheel. The owner's manual may describe a method or a guide tool for this.
7) Fit the spare
Line up the holes in the spare with the studs or bolt holes and push the wheel flush against the hub. Thread each nut on by hand first to avoid cross-threading. Some temporary spares need different nuts, or the original nuts fitted a particular way round, so check the manual. Snug the nuts down with the wrench in a star pattern, working across the wheel rather than around it, so the wheel seats evenly. Do not apply full force yet.
8) Lower the vehicle and tighten the nuts
Lower the jack until the tire carries the car's weight, then remove the jack. Tighten each nut firmly in the same star pattern. The correct tightness is a torque value set by the manufacturer and listed in the owner's manual. It varies by vehicle and is not given here. If you do not have a torque wrench, tighten the nuts firmly with the supplied wrench and have them torqued to specification at a tire shop or garage as soon as possible.
9) Pack up
Refit any wheel cover that is designed for the spare, then stow the flat tire, jack, wrench and chocks securely. Loose items can become dangerous projectiles under hard braking. Keep the locking nut key with the toolkit.
Completion Check
All wheel nuts are present, seated and tightened in a star pattern. The spare's pressure matches the figure on its sidewall label, the tire placard or the owner's manual. Temporary spares often need a higher pressure than standard tires. The jack is removed and stowed, and the chocks are collected. The nut tightness is rechecked after a short distance, as many manufacturers advise. The manual gives the recommended interval. No vibration, pulling or unusual noise appears once you are moving. If any does, stop safely and check the wheel.
Driving on the Spare
A full-size spare that matches the other tires can normally be used like a regular wheel, although a mismatched brand or tread depth may still call for a check. A temporary spare carries a maximum speed and often a maximum distance, printed on the wheel or tire label and in the owner's manual. Stay within those limits. Expect reduced grip and longer braking distances, and avoid sharp maneuvers.
Some vehicle systems may react to a temporary spare. The tire pressure warning light may stay on because the spare has no sensor. On some all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles, a smaller-diameter spare can strain the drivetrain or affect stability and traction control. Whether this applies depends on the specific model, so check the owner's manual for any restrictions.
Work for a Tire Shop or Qualified Technician
Deciding whether the flat tire can be repaired or must be replaced. Damage to the sidewall or shoulder is generally not repairable. Tightening the wheel nuts to the specified torque, if you lack a torque wrench. Replacing damaged, stripped or seized wheel nuts, bolts or studs. Removing a wheel stuck to the hub because of corrosion. Re-fitting the repaired or new tire, checking balance and resetting or servicing the tire pressure monitoring system. Any vehicle with run-flat tires or a sealant kit, where the manufacturer's instructions specify the next step.
Information Gaps
No manufacturer documentation was available for this guide. It therefore gives no specific jacking points, wheel nut torque values, spare tire pressures, temporary-spare speed or distance limits, or legal requirements for warning equipment, all of which vary by vehicle and jurisdiction. Check your owner's manual, the tire placard (usually on the driver's door frame) and the label on the spare before relying on any figure.