Changing A Flat Tire

It's happened to many of us: the feeling of being stranded on the side of the road thanks to a flat tire. While many prefer having a professional change a flat for them, the time may come where you may have to do it on your own. This page will arm you with the knowledge you need to make this task a little easier.

If you are on the highway, be sure to turn your hazard lights on. Drive your vehicle out of traffic and park on a stable, firm surface. Try to avoid parking on grass or dirt, since there is the possibility of the vehicle jack sinking into the ground, causing further issues. Also, do not park on a hill - your vehicle may begin to roll.

Turn the engine off and put on the emergency brake. Place a heavy rock behind the opposite side of the wheel to prevent it from rolling away.

Make sure you have your tools ready! This includes your jack and spare tire. Don't know where these are? Your owner's manual will tell you their location. Familiarize yourself with how to use the items if you've never use them before; it's important to pull these out before a flat tire occurs to you can become comfortable with them when the time comes. Don't wait until you have a flat tire!

Before you jack the car up, lightly loosen the lug nuts from the wheel. If they are tight, use penetrating oil to loosen them up. Don't remove them just yet.

Best standards are to jack the vehicle up at least six inches, or a proper height to allow you to remove the tire. Lifting the car up too high could make the jack unstable and cause it to slip, damaging the vehicle and putting you at risk of potentially major injury.

Once the vehicle is in the air, you can then remove the lug nuts and wheel from the tire. Be sure to place the lug nuts in a place where you can easily access them when you're done. A good place is in the compartment on your door.

After removing the wheel, you can now remove the flat tire. Be sure to use both hands when doing so! Place it underneath the tire just in case the car drops due to an unstable jack.

If your vehicle has a spare tire, place it on the wheel well, ensure that the bolts are lined up properly, and them place the lug nuts on. Hand tighten the lug nuts and use your wrench to finish the job, but make sure they are not fully tight.

You can now slowly engage the jack to lower the car. Then, remove the vehicle jack and finish tightening the lug nuts as tightly as possible. NOTE: Some spare tires are not built to drive at highway speeds and are intended for short distance driving only.