How to change a flat tire
Loosen, jack, swap, lower, and tighten in a star, in the right order.
How to change a flat tire
Start by getting somewhere safe.
- 1Pull over somewhere flat and firm, well away from traffic. Hazard lights and parking brake on; everyone out.
- 2Wedge the wheel diagonally opposite the flat.
- 3Get out the spare, the jack and the lug wrench.
- 4Loosen each lug nut half a turn, anticlockwise, while the tire is still on the ground.
- 5Jack the car up at the jack point in your manual until the flat is off the ground.
- 6Take the nuts off and pull the flat straight off.
- 7Put the spare on and thread the nuts on by hand.
- 8Lower the car and take the jack out.
- 9Tighten the nuts fully, in a star pattern across the wheel.
- 10Check the spare's pressure, pack up, and get the flat fixed.
Safety
- Never change a tire on a busy road, a hard shoulder, a slope or soft ground: drive slowly somewhere safe, or call roadside assistance or the police.
- Never put any part of your body under a car held up only by a jack.
- Use the jack points and lug-nut torque in your owner's manual, and keep to the speed and distance limits printed on a temporary spare.
General information, not professional advice: your manual and local rules come first. You use this at your own risk; see our Terms.
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