How to Change a Tire: 8 Easy Steps to Replace a Flat Tire Safely | Beginner's Guide, by How to do Anything on YouTube. 2 min 27 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 27 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Pull off the road as far as you can onto flat, firm ground. Turn on your hazard lights and put out a warning triangle if you have one.
Apply the parking brake and put the car in park or first gear. Ask passengers to stand well behind the barrier, away from traffic.
Take out the spare wheel, jack and lug wrench. Check the spare is inflated to the pressure listed in the manual or on the tire label.
Loosen each lug nut about half a turn with the wrench while the wheel is still on the ground. Turn counterclockwise.
Place the jack under the jacking point nearest the flat tire. These points are marked in the owner's manual and often by a notch on the sill.
Raise the car until the flat tire is about 2 to 3 cm off the ground. Chock the opposite wheel so the car cannot roll.
Remove the lug nuts and keep them in a safe place. Pull the wheel straight off and set it flat on the ground.
Lift the spare onto the hub, lining up the bolt holes. Hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until the wheel sits flush.
Lower the car until the tire touches the ground, then tighten the nuts firmly in a star pattern. Finish tightening once the car is fully down.
Put the tools and flat tire in the trunk. Check the spare's pressure soon and drive to a garage to repair or replace the flat.
Tips and common mistakes
Never put any part of your body under a car held only by a jack.
Loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car, or the wheel will spin.
A space saver spare is usually limited to about 80 km/h, so check your manual.
Tighten in a star pattern so the wheel sits evenly and does not warp.
Questions
Do I need to loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car?
Yes. With the wheel on the ground the nuts resist turning. Once the car is in the air the wheel may just spin.
How tight should the lug nuts be?
Firm and even, tightened in a star pattern. Use a torque wrench set to the figure in your owner's manual if you have one.
Can I drive on a space saver spare?
Yes, but only at reduced speed and for a short distance. Check the limit in your manual and get the flat repaired 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.
