A flat tire always happens at a bad time, but changing one is a skill anyone can learn in ten minutes of reading — and it turns a roadside crisis into a minor delay. The steps are simple; the details (where the jack goes, the order you loosen the nuts) are what make it safe.
This guide walks through changing a tire from a safe stop to back on the road, with the safety checks that matter most.
What you need
- ✓The spare tire, jack and wheel wrench (usually in the boot).
- ✓A flat, firm, level surface away from traffic.
- ✓The car's manual to find the jacking points.
Step-by-step
- 1
Stop somewhere safe
Pull off the road onto firm, level ground, well away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights, apply the handbrake, and put the car in park (or in gear for a manual). On a hill or soft ground, don't attempt it — call for help.
- 2
Loosen the wheel nuts before jacking
Take the wheel wrench and loosen each nut about a quarter turn while the tire is still on the ground — anticlockwise. Doing this first stops the wheel spinning once it's lifted. Don't remove them yet, just crack them loose.
- 3
Position the jack and lift the car
Place the jack under the car's designated jacking point nearest the flat (check the manual — the wrong spot can damage the car or slip). Raise the car until the flat tire is a few inches off the ground.
- 4
Remove the nuts and the flat tire
Now fully unscrew the loosened nuts and keep them safe. Pull the flat tire straight off and set it aside — lay it flat so it can't roll away.
- 5
Fit the spare and hand-tighten
Lift the spare on, line up the holes, and push it fully onto the hub. Screw the nuts back on by hand until snug. Then tighten them a little more with the wrench in a star/criss-cross pattern (not in a circle) so the wheel sits evenly.
- 6
Lower the car and fully tighten
Lower the car with the jack until the tire is back on the ground, then firmly tighten the nuts in the same star pattern. Stow the flat and tools. If it's a temporary 'space-saver' spare, keep to its speed limit and get the tire repaired or replaced soon.
Examples
- Cracking the wheel nuts loose before jacking meant the wheel didn't spin uselessly once it was lifted — the step most people miss.
- Tightening the nuts in a star pattern rather than a circle seated the wheel evenly and prevented it working loose.
Tips
- →Loosen the nuts before you jack the car up.
- →Use the manual's jacking points — the wrong spot can damage or slip.
- →Tighten (and loosen) nuts in a star/criss-cross pattern, not a circle.
- →Keep to the speed limit on a space-saver spare and fix the real tire soon.
- →Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
Common mistakes
- Jacking before loosening the nuts. Crack the nuts loose while the tire is on the ground so the wheel doesn't spin.
- Wrong jack placement. Use the car's designated jacking points from the manual to avoid damage or slipping.
- Tightening nuts in a circle. Use a star pattern so the wheel seats evenly and won't work loose.
- Driving fast on a space-saver. Temporary spares have a low speed limit; obey it and replace the tire soon.
Conclusion
Changing a tire is straightforward once you know the order: stop safely, loosen before lifting, jack at the right point, swap the wheel, and tighten in a star pattern. Practise once in your driveway and a roadside flat becomes a ten-minute job instead of a panic.