How to change a flat tire
If the car is on level ground away from traffic, you can change a flat: hazards and parking brake on, a chock behind the opposite wheel, loosen the nuts a half turn while the tire touches the ground, jack at the marked lift point, swap the wheel, and tighten the nuts in a star pattern. Practice once at home first.
You come out after a late shift to a flat on a quiet side street.
Why it matters: It is the most cited skill on every list, and one practice run makes it doable.
Steps
- Stop on level, firm ground away from traffic; if you cannot, stay in the car and call roadside help.
- Turn on the hazards, set the parking brake, put the car in park, and block the wheel diagonally opposite.
- Find the spare, the jack and the wrench, and check the owner's manual for the lift points.
- Loosen each lug nut a half turn counterclockwise while the tire is still on the ground.
- Place the jack at the marked lift point and raise the car until the flat just clears the ground.
- Remove the nuts, pull the wheel off, fit the spare, and thread the nuts on by hand.
- Snug the nuts in a star pattern, lower the car, then tighten them fully in the same pattern.
- Check the spare's pressure and speed limit on its label, and get the flat repaired soon.
Stop and call a professional if
- you are on a highway shoulder, a bend, a bridge or a slope: stay belted in the car or behind a barrier and call roadside assistance
- a lug nut will not move, needs a locking key you do not have, or the spare is also flat
- the car feels unstable on the jack at any point: lower it and call for help
Questions to ask the professional
- Can this tire be repaired, or does it need replacing?
- Should the other tires be checked while it is here?
Common mistakes
- Jacking on a slope, gravel or soft ground.
- Putting any part of your body under the car while it is on the jack.
- Driving on a small temporary spare faster or farther than its label allows.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to change a flat tire
What to say
If the car is on level ground away from traffic, you can change a flat: hazards and parking brake on, a chock behind the opposite wheel, loosen the nuts a half turn while the tire touches the ground, jack at the marked lift point, swap the wheel, and tighten the nuts in a star pattern. Practice once at home first.
What to show
- Stop on level, firm ground away from traffic; if you cannot, stay in the car and call roadside help.
- Turn on the hazards, set the parking brake, put the car in park, and block the wheel diagonally opposite.
- Find the spare, the jack and the wrench, and check the owner's manual for the lift points.
- Loosen each lug nut a half turn counterclockwise while the tire is still on the ground.
- Place the jack at the marked lift point and raise the car until the flat just clears the ground.
- Remove the nuts, pull the wheel off, fit the spare, and thread the nuts on by hand.
- Snug the nuts in a star pattern, lower the car, then tighten them fully in the same pattern.
- Check the spare's pressure and speed limit on its label, and get the flat repaired soon.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if you are on a highway shoulder, a bend, a bridge or a slope: stay belted in the car or behind a barrier and call roadside assistance.
Check question
Which wheel do you block before jacking?
Answer: The one diagonally opposite the flat. Blocking the opposite wheel stops the car rolling on the jack.
Your checklist
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Quick quiz
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Related skills
Sources
- US national highway traffic safety guidance for drivers, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .