How to Change a Tire Safely: Step by Step, in the Right Order

Once you’ve practiced, a tire change takes about 20 minutes: get somewhere safe, block the wheels, loosen the lug nuts while the car is still on the ground, jack it up at the spot your manual shows, swap the wheel, and tighten everything in a star pattern. Most of learning how to change a tire is learning that order; strength matters far less. Every car hides its jack and spare in a slightly different place, so check your owner’s manual before you need it.

Quick version

• Safety first: get off the road, hazards on, parking brake set, wheel chocked.
• Loosen lug nuts before jacking. Tighten them in a star pattern.
• Jack only at the manufacturer’s jack point, and never put any part of you under the car.
• A donut spare is a temporary fix: 50 mph max and a tire shop within a day.
• Recheck the lug nuts after a few miles.

Before you touch a tool: get safe

1. Slow down gently and pull off as far from traffic as you can. Keep both hands on the wheel. A rest stop or parking lot beats a shoulder. Consumer Reports says rolling a short distance on the flat is OK if it gets you somewhere safer, though it can damage the wheel.
2. Hazards on, car in Park (or in gear for a manual), parking brake set.
3. Put out reflective triangles if you have them, about 100 feet behind the car on a fast road.
4. Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the flat. Flat front right? Block the rear left. A rubber chock, a brick or a block of wood all work.
5. Get everyone out and away from traffic. If you’re waiting for help, don’t sit in the car or stand in front of or beside it.

How to change a tire, step by step

1. Get out the manual, spare, jack and lug wrench. They’re usually under the trunk floor; on some trucks and SUVs the spare hangs under the vehicle. If your wheels have a locking lug nut, find the key (glove box or with the spare).
2. Pop off the hubcap or wheel cover if you have one. Your manual says whether it pries off or has plastic nuts.
3. Loosen each lug nut about half a turn, counterclockwise, with the tire on the ground. Don’t remove them yet. If a nut is stubborn, this is the moment to lean on the wrench with your body weight, while the car is stable on all four tires. Never fight a tight nut once the car is up.
4. Place the jack at the manufacturer’s jack point. On most cars it’s a reinforced notch on the pinch weld, the metal seam under the doors. On soft ground, put a flat board under the jack.
5. Raise the car until the flat is a few inches off the ground. The spare is fully inflated, so give yourself a little extra clearance for it.
6. Remove the lug nuts and the flat. Keep the nuts together in a hubcap or pocket so none roll away. Lift the wheel off with both hands.
7. Mount the spare. Line up the holes with the studs, push it on, and spin the nuts on by hand. Tapered side of the nut faces the wheel.
8. Snug the nuts in a star pattern. Go across the wheel, not around it. Just snug, so the wheel doesn’t wobble.
9. Lower the car, remove the jack, then tighten firmly, again in the star pattern.
10. Check the spare’s pressure, pack up and stow the flat. The correct pressure for a compact spare is on its sidewall and is often higher than your regular tires. Keep the flat; a shop has to inspect it to tell whether it can be repaired.
11. Drive a few miles and tighten the nuts once more. Then get them torqued to spec. Your owner’s manual lists the number.

After the change: the next 24 hours

Drive gently to a tire shop today or tomorrow. Consumer Reports says compact spares aren’t meant for more than 50 mph and have a very limited service life. A full-size spare has fewer limits, but the damaged tire still needs attention.

Bring the flat with you. Michelin points out that a technician has to inspect it, inside and out, to decide whether a tread puncture can be repaired; toss it and you lose that option. Ask about replacing more than one tire, too. Your owner’s manual may say whether a single new tire can run alongside worn ones or whether you need a matched pair or set.

Then check the other three. NHTSA recommends checking every tire, spare included, once a month when cold (not driven for at least three hours). Use the pressure on the driver’s door label, not the number molded into the tire. For tread, put a penny in the groove with Lincoln’s head upside down; if you can see the top of his head, the tire is worn out.

Change it yourself or call roadside?

Trunk kit checklist: inflated spare (check it monthly), jack, lug wrench, locking lug key, owner’s manual, gloves, flashlight, two wheel chocks, a small flat board, reflective triangles, a tire pressure gauge, and a phone charger. While you’re at it, learn how to jump-start a car, since the same trunk usually holds the cables.

What the pros say

• Ryan Pszczolkowski, Consumer Reports’ tire program manager, says changing a tire is simple in perfect conditions, but the location is often dangerous and the spare may not work, so knowing when and who to call for help matters as much as the steps. CR also suggests practicing once on every car you drive, because jack points and tool storage differ.
• ChrisFix, a DIY car repair channel, shows why the lug nuts stay on while the tire is on the ground: loosening them under load and then jacking on a tilt can let the wheel drop. He tightens in a star pattern and finishes with a torque wrench, noting that many wheels call for about 100 ft-lb but the spec varies by car.
• Rob Kenney, creator of Dad, how do I?, blocks the opposite rear tire when parked on a hill, breaks the lug nuts loose before jacking so he doesn’t knock the car off the jack, and repeats that the small spare is only for getting you to a tire shop.
• Charles at Humble Mechanic, a Volkswagen technician, keeps blocks of wood in the car to use as wheel chocks and as a solid base for the jack on gravel or grass. He once got a flat with no jack in the car and walked a mile to buy one, so check your kit now.

Gear that helps

We picked these from what the pros above use and recommend and from verified Amazon listings; we did not test every product ourselves.

Do this this week

• Open your trunk and find the spare, jack, lug wrench and locking lug key.
• Check the spare’s pressure against the number on its sidewall.
• Look up the jack points and lug nut torque in your owner’s manual.
• Practice once in your driveway or a quiet lot, start to finish.
• Add gloves, a flashlight, chocks and a board to the trunk.
• Save your roadside assistance number in your phone. If you have a teen driver, walk them through it too (here’s our age-by-age life skills checklist).