What you need before you start
Replacing a tire yourself takes about 15 to 30 minutes if you have the right tools and a safe spot to work. You will need a jack (usually comes with your car), a lug wrench (the cross-shaped tool that fits your wheel bolts), a spare tire, and ideally a wheel wedge or heavy block to stop the car rolling. A flashlight helps if you are working at night or in low light.
Before you begin, find a flat, stable surface away from traffic — a parking lot or quiet street is better than the roadside. Turn on your hazard lights. If you are on a slope, turn your steering wheel fully toward the curb so the car will roll away from traffic if the jack fails. Engage the parking brake firmly.
Check your spare tire pressure before you need it. A flat spare is useless. Most car manuals tell you the correct pressure; it is usually printed on a sticker inside the driver's door frame. If the spare is flat, take it to a gas station and inflate it before you drive anywhere.
Key Takeaways
- Loosen the lug nuts while the tire is still on the ground, then jack up the car, remove the nuts completely, and lift the tire straight toward you.
- Line up the holes on the new tire with the bolts on the wheel hub, push it on straight, and hand-tighten the lug nuts before lowering the car.
- Once the car is back on the ground, tighten the lug nuts in a star or cross pattern so the wheel sits evenly.
- Drive slowly to a tire shop or gas station within a few miles to have the lug nuts torqued to the correct tightness with a proper tool.
- Get the flat tire repaired or replaced as soon as you can so you have a working spare again.
Loosening the lug nuts before you jack up the car
This step is straightforward to skip and hard to fix if you do. While all four wheels are on the ground and the car is stable, use the lug wrench to loosen (but do not remove) each lug nut by a quarter turn. You are breaking the seal, not unscrewing them. The car's weight holds the wheel still, so you have leverage.
If a nut is stuck, do not force it and strip the bolt. Spray it with penetrating oil (like WD-40), wait a few minutes, and try again. If it still will not budge, stop and call a mechanic or roadside information. Trying to force a stuck nut can damage the bolt permanently.
Jacking up the car safely
Locate the jacking point on your car — it is a reinforced spot on the frame, usually marked by a small notch or dimple. Your owner's manual shows exactly where it is. Never jack under the door, the sill, or the engine. Place the jack directly under the jacking point and pump or crank it until the tire is about six inches off the ground.
If you have a wheel wedge or a heavy block, place it behind the wheel diagonally opposite the one you are changing — so if you are changing the front left, wedge the back right. This stops the car rolling if the jack shifts. Do not get under the car while it is jacked up. If the jack fails, you can be crushed.
Removing the old tire and installing the new one
Now unscrew the lug nuts the rest of the way and set them somewhere you will not lose them — a cup or small container works. Grab the tire with both hands, pull it straight toward you, and set it flat on the ground. Do not let it fall or roll away.
Take the spare tire and line up the holes with the bolts on the wheel hub. Push it straight on until it sits flush against the hub. The tire should not wobble or sit crooked. Hand-tighten each lug nut as far as you can without tools, then lower the car back to the ground by reversing the jack.
Tightening the lug nuts in the correct order
Once the car is resting on all four wheels again, use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts properly. Do not tighten them one at a time all the way. Instead, tighten them in a star or cross pattern — if the wheel has five bolts, tighten the top one, then the bottom right, then the top left, then the bottom left, then the remaining one. This pulls the wheel evenly onto the hub.
Tighten each nut until it is snug and the wheel does not move, but do not use all your strength. You are aiming for firm, not maximum force. If you over-tighten by hand, you can strip the bolt or make it impossible for the next person to remove the nut.
Getting the lug nuts torqued to the correct tightness
Hand-tightening is not enough. Lug nuts need to be tightened to a specific force measured in foot-pounds, and only a torque wrench can do that accurately. Drive slowly — no faster than 50 mph — to the nearest tire shop, gas station, or mechanic within a few miles. Most shops will torque your lug nuts for free or a small fee.
Your owner's manual lists the correct torque specification for your car. If you cannot find it, a tire shop can look it up by your vehicle's year, make, and model. Lug nuts that are too loose can cause the wheel to wobble and eventually fall off. Lug nuts that are too tight can strip the bolt or make it impossible to remove later.
What to do with the flat tire
Take the flat tire to a tire shop as soon as you can. Many punctures can be patched for $10 to $20 if the damage is in the tread and not near the sidewall. If the tire is old, worn, or damaged beyond repair, you will need to replace it. Once it is fixed or replaced, put it back in your car as the spare so you have a working backup again.
Do not drive long distances on a spare tire. Most spares are designed for temporary use only and are smaller and weaker than regular tires. They can overheat or fail if you drive too fast or too far. Check your owner's manual for the speed and distance limits for your spare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change a tire if I do not have a jack?
No — you need a jack to lift the car safely. If yours is missing or broken, call roadside information or a tow truck. Trying to lift the car by hand or with improvised tools can cause serious injury.
What if the lug nuts are stuck and I cannot loosen them?
Spray them with penetrating oil and wait 10 to 15 minutes. Try again with steady pressure — do not jerk or hammer the wrench. If they still will not move, stop and call a mechanic or roadside information. Forcing a stuck nut can break the bolt.
How fast can I drive on a spare tire?
Most spare tires are rated for 50 mph maximum. Check your owner's manual for your car's specific limit. Driving faster or farther than recommended can cause the spare to overheat and fail. Get to a tire shop as soon as you safely can.
Do I need to balance the spare tire?
If the spare is new or has been sitting unused, it should be balanced before you drive on it regularly. However, if you are just using it temporarily to get to a tire shop, balancing is not urgent. Ask the shop to balance it when they repair or replace your flat tire.
What if the spare tire is also flat?
Check your spare tire pressure before you need it — do this every few months. If it is flat when you discover a puncture, inflate it at a gas station if one is nearby, or call roadside information or a tow truck to take you to a tire shop.