How to Change a Tire: A Step-by-Step Guide— Cars.com, by Cars.com on YouTube. 2 min 1 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 1 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pull off the road onto flat, solid ground, away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights and set the parking brake. Put the car in park or in gear if it is a manual.
Take out the jack, lug wrench and spare tire. Check the spare is inflated. Place wheel chocks, or a heavy object, in front of and behind the wheel diagonally opposite the flat.
Pry off the hubcap if your car has one. With the car still on the ground, loosen each lug nut about half a turn. Turn counterclockwise. Do not remove them yet.
Put the jack under the car's jack point, near the flat tire. Check your owner's manual for the exact spot. Raise the car until the flat tire is just off the ground.
Remove the loosened lug nuts and set them somewhere safe. Pull the flat tire straight off the hub and set it aside.
Lift the spare onto the hub and line up the holes with the bolts. Push it on until it sits flush. Hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
Lower the car until the tire touches the ground but the full weight is not on it. Tighten the lug nuts firmly in a star pattern. Then lower the car completely and remove the jack.
Put the flat tire and tools back in the car. Check the spare's pressure soon and drive at reduced speed to the nearest tire shop.
Tips and common mistakes
Never crawl under a car held up only by a jack.
Loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car, or the wheel will spin.
Tighten in a star pattern so the wheel sits evenly on the hub.
Most spares are temporary and limited to about 50 mph, so get the flat repaired quickly.
Questions
What if a lug nut will not budge?
Use a longer wrench or step on the wrench handle carefully with the car on the ground. Never do this once the car is jacked up.
Can I drive on a space-saver spare?
Yes, but only at low speed and for a short distance. Check the label on the spare for its speed limit and get the flat tire fixed soon.
Where is the jack point on my car?
Check the owner's manual. It usually sits behind the front wheel or in front of the rear wheel, marked by a notch or arrow on the sill.
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.
