How to Change a Tire

These instructions will teach you how to change a tire when in an emergency situation on the side of the road.

• Jack
• Spare Tire
• Socket Wrench

Find a safe place to stop the car, as far away from traffic as possible. Shift into park (or reverse gear if your car has a manual transmission) and set the parking brake.

The car should be on level, solid ground. If the ground is soft, the jack will sink into the soft earth and not lift the car. If the car isn't sitting level, it could fall off the jack. If possible, put something under the tires on the opposite side of the car from the flat tire—a block of wood or a brick will do—as insurance the car won't roll when you jack it up. On most vehicles, the jacking points are located underneath the car, just behind the front wheels or ahead of the rear wheels. Check your owner's manual for their exact location.

Find the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench in the trunk (or cargo area of your SUV).

Use the wrench to loosen the lug nuts that hold the wheel in place. Just loosen them slightly. Don't remove them yet! Next locate the reinforced jacking points.

 It's not required that you do this, but it is a good idea nonetheless. Place the jack in position beneath the jacking point closest to the flat, and lift the car until the tire clears.

Remove the lug nuts and put them in a convenient place nearby (but far enough away that you won't step on them by accident and scatter them). Pull the flat off.

Slide the spare tire on to the threaded studs. Make sure the wheel's valve stem (where the air goes in) is facing outward, toward you. Screw the lug nuts back on and tighten them by hand. Then use the lug wrench to make them a little more snug, but not fully tight.

 Lower the jack until the tire just touches the ground and use the lug wrench to snug the bolts up—but you won't be tightening them all the way until you lower the car fully and remove the jack.

Finish lowering the car, remove the jack, and give the lug nuts a final tightening. If there are five lug nuts on the wheel, tighten every other one until you've tightened them all. If there are four nuts, tighten them in opposing pairs. Lean into it, but don't use all your strength. If they feel tight they'll stay tight. Put the jack, the wrench, and the flat tire back into the trunk and you're done!