Changing a tire takes 20 to 30 minutes once you know the order of the steps. Park on firm, flat ground away from traffic, switch the hazard lights on, and apply the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts a quarter turn while the wheel is still on the ground, place the jack on the correct reinforced point near the flat tire, and raise the car until the tire clears the ground. Remove the nuts, swap the flat wheel for the spare, snug the nuts by hand, lower the car, and then tighten the nuts fully in a star pattern. That order matters. Loosening the nuts before lifting and doing the final tightening after lowering are the two steps people most often get wrong.
What you need before you start
Everything you need should already be in the car, usually under the trunk floor. Check for these items now, not when you are stranded at night:
- A spare tire with air in it. A flat spare helps nobody, so check its pressure a few times a year. Small spares usually need about 60 psi, far more than a normal tire.
- The jack that came with the car.
- A lug wrench. A cross shaped wrench from a parts store gives better leverage than the short one many cars include.
- A flashlight if it is dark, and gloves if you have them. Wheels are filthy.
| Item | Typical cost if missing |
|---|---|
| Cross shaped lug wrench | 15 to 30 dollars |
| Portable 12 volt tire inflator | 25 to 60 dollars |
| Reflective warning triangle | 10 to 20 dollars |
Some newer cars carry a sealant kit and inflator instead of a spare. Sealant only works on small tread punctures. A torn sidewall or a bent rim means a tow truck, not a wrench.
Step 1: Get the car somewhere safe and stable
Pull well off the road onto ground that is flat and firm. Soft soil and gravel let the jack sink or tilt, and a slope lets the car roll. Keep everyone away from the traffic side. Put an automatic car in Park, or a manual car in first gear, and apply the parking brake firmly. A rock or block of wood against the wheel diagonally opposite the flat one adds cheap insurance against rolling.
Never change a tire on a slope, and never put any part of your body under a car held up only by the small trunk jack. It is made for lifting, not for holding a car up while you work beneath it.
Step 2: Loosen the lug nuts before you lift
Remove the hubcap or wheel cover first if your car has one. Some covers are held by the lug nuts, and some hide a locking nut that needs the special key stored in the glovebox or with the spare.
Fit the wrench onto each lug nut and turn it counterclockwise to break it loose, a quarter to a half turn. Do not remove the nuts yet. This has to happen while the tire is on the ground because the weight of the car stops the wheel spinning as you push. If a nut refuses to move, push the wrench with your foot using your body weight, hands on the car for balance. Nuts last tightened by a shop impact gun will put up a fight.
Step 3: Position the jack correctly and lift
Every car has reinforced jacking points, usually a metal seam or notch just behind the front wheel or just ahead of the rear wheel. Your manual shows exactly where they are. Placing the jack on a random part of the floor or on plastic trim can punch through, bend the body, or let the car slip off.
Raise the car slowly until the flat tire is about an inch or two clear of the ground. The spare is full of air and slightly larger than the flat, so you need that clearance. Check the jack looks straight and stable before going further. If it leans, lower the car and start again.
Step 4: Swap the wheels
Now remove the lug nuts completely and keep them somewhere they cannot roll away, such as an upturned hubcap or a pocket. Grip the flat wheel with both hands, pull it straight toward you, and lift it off the hub. It is heavier than most people expect, especially on trucks and larger SUVs.
Push the spare onto the hub so the holes line up with the studs. Thread the lug nuts back on by hand and turn them until they are snug against the wheel. Tighten them lightly with the wrench in a star pattern. At this stage you only want the wheel sitting flat and even on the hub. Full tightening happens on the ground.
Step 5: Lower the car and tighten properly
Lower the jack slowly until the car is fully back on the ground, then remove the jack. Now tighten each lug nut as firmly as you can with the wrench, again in a star pattern, going around the pattern twice. The star pattern pulls the wheel down evenly. Tightening one side fully first can leave the wheel seated at a slight angle, which causes vibration and can damage the studs.
Proper lug nut torque on most cars falls between 80 and 100 foot pounds, but check the manual, because some trucks need much more. Within the first 25 to 50 miles, check the nuts again or have a shop verify the torque. Nuts settle slightly as the wheel seats, and catching a loose one early is far cheaper than a wheel coming off.
Driving on the spare and sorting the flat
Most spare tires are temporary donuts, smaller and narrower than a normal tire. Keep your speed at or below 50 mph, avoid sudden braking and sharp corners, and treat 50 to 70 miles as your range limit. The donut is only meant to get you to a tire shop. A simple puncture repair usually costs 20 to 50 dollars, while sidewall damage cannot be repaired safely and means a replacement, which is where our guide to what a new tire costs helps you budget before you arrive. If you are unsure what the numbers on the sidewall of the spare or the replacement tire actually mean, our explainer on how to read the numbers on your tires breaks them down in plain words.
Put the flat wheel in the trunk, gather your tools, and get the flat repaired or replaced as soon as you can. Driving for weeks on a donut wears it out and leaves you with no spare at all if you get another puncture.
Frequently asked questions
How far and how fast can I drive on a spare tire?
On a temporary donut spare, stay at or below 50 mph and plan on 50 to 70 miles at most. It is a get to the shop tire, not a normal tire. A full size matching spare can be driven on like a regular tire, but get its pressure checked.
What do I do if a lug nut will not budge?
Use your body weight on the wrench with your foot, or fit a longer bar over the wrench handle for leverage. Penetrating oil helps on rusty nuts. If the nut rounds off or a stud snaps, stop and call a tow truck or mobile tire service, because forcing it makes the damage worse.
Can I change a tire if my car has no spare?
Many newer cars carry a sealant and inflator kit instead. That works only for small tread punctures. Pump the sealant in as the kit directs, inflate the tire, and drive slowly to a shop. For sidewall damage, a large cut, or a damaged rim, you need a tow.