How to Safely Change Your Tire on the Side of the Road, by NARPRO on YouTube. 6 min 16 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 16 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Stay calm and slow down. Pull as far off the road as you can, onto a flat, firm surface away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights.
Set the parking brake and put the car in park or first gear. Ask passengers to get out and stand behind a barrier, away from the road.
Open the trunk and lift the floor cover to find the spare tire. Check that it is inflated. Some cars store the spare under the rear of the car.
Take out the jack and lug wrench. On some cars the tools sit in a tray beside the spare or under a side panel.
Place wheel chocks or a heavy object in front of and behind the wheel diagonally opposite the flat. This stops the car rolling.
Fit the jack under the car's jacking point near the flat tire. Raise the car until the flat tire is just off the ground, not higher.
Loosen each lug nut half a turn with the wrench before the car is fully lifted. Turn counterclockwise. Leave the nuts on for now.
Raise the car a little more, then remove the lug nuts and pull the flat tire straight off. Lift the spare onto the hub and push it on.
Hand-tighten the lug nuts, then tighten them in a star pattern, skipping across the wheel. Lower the car and tighten fully.
Lower the jack slowly and remove it. Put the tools and flat tire away, then drive to a tire shop to have the spare checked and the nuts re-torqued.
Tips and common mistakes
Never put any part of your body under a car held up only by a jack.
Loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car, or the wheel will spin.
Check your spare's pressure every few months so it is ready when you need it.
On a highway, call for help if you cannot get far from traffic.
Questions
How tight should the lug nuts be?
Tighten them firmly in a star pattern with the wrench. Have a shop check the torque with a torque wrench as soon as you can.
Can I drive on a spare tire?
Yes, but most spares are temporary. Keep your speed low, often under 50 mph, and drive to a tire shop soon.
What if the lug nuts will not move?
Use the wrench with a steady push or step on it carefully. Do not use a pipe extension that could slip and hurt you.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
