How To: Change a Flat Tire, by O'Reilly Auto Parts on YouTube. 5 min 34 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 34 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Slow down as soon as you feel the flat and pull off in the best spot you can find. Aim for a wide, flat shoulder, a parking lot, or anywhere with less traffic.
Check the ground. If it is soft, sloped, on a narrow shoulder or on a curve, it is not safe to change the tire there. Call a tow truck instead.
Turn on your hazard lights and set out reflective triangles behind the car if you have them.
Put an automatic in park, or a manual in gear. Set the parking brake, then chock the wheels still on the ground.
Loosen the lug nuts about a quarter turn while the tire is still on the ground. Do this before you raise the car.
Place the jack where your owner's manual says, usually a reinforced seam near the flat tire. Raise the car until the flat clears the ground.
Unscrew the lug nuts the rest of the way and pull the wheel straight off. Keep the nuts together in one spot.
Lift the spare into place, line up the holes and hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
Lower the car until the tire grips the ground, then tighten the lug nuts firmly in a star pattern.
Check the spare's pressure soon after and drive to a shop to get the flat repaired or replaced.
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 jacking, or the wheel will just spin.
A donut spare is usually limited to around 50 mph and short distances, so check the label.
If you are not comfortable doing this, call a tow truck. That is always a valid choice.
Questions
Do I need to loosen the lug nuts before jacking the car up?
Yes. Break them loose about a quarter turn while the tire is still on the ground. Once the wheel is in the air it will spin freely and you may not be able to loosen them.
What if I have no wheel chocks?
Use a rock or a log, or anything solid you can wedge against the wheels that stay on the ground. The goal is to stop the car from rolling.
How fast can I drive on a spare?
A temporary donut is usually rated for around 50 mph and a short distance. Check the sidewall or your owner's manual, and get the flat fixed soon.
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.
