How to Change a Flat Tyre: A Step-by-Step Guide
A flat tyre is one of those problems that doesn't wait for a convenient moment. Knowing how to handle it — before it happens — is one of the most practical skills any driver can have. The process is straightforward, but the details depend on your vehicle, your spare tyre type, and where you're pulled over.
What You'll Need Before You Start
Most vehicles come from the factory with a basic tyre-changing kit stored in the boot or under the cargo floor. Before you're ever stranded, check that yours includes:
- A spare tyre (full-size or compact/temporary)
- A jack (scissor jack or hydraulic floor jack)
- A lug wrench
- Your vehicle's owner's manual
It's also worth keeping a few extras in your vehicle: a reflective triangle or road flares, gloves, a torch, and a tyre pressure gauge.
Step 1: Get to Safety First 🚗
Pull as far off the road as possible — onto a flat, stable surface away from traffic. Avoid soft ground, which can cause a jack to sink. Turn on your hazard lights immediately. If you have them, place warning triangles or flares behind the vehicle to alert other drivers.
Apply the parking brake before doing anything else. On an automatic transmission, put the vehicle in Park. On a manual, leave it in gear.
Step 2: Loosen the Lug Nuts Before Jacking
This step surprises many first-timers: loosen the lug nuts while the tyre is still on the ground, not after you've lifted the car. The tyre needs friction against the road to resist spinning.
Use the lug wrench to turn each nut counterclockwise — just enough to break the resistance. Don't remove them yet.
Step 3: Position the Jack Correctly
This is where your owner's manual becomes essential. Every vehicle has designated jack points — reinforced spots along the frame or pinch welds where the jack should contact the vehicle. Using the wrong spot can bend body panels, damage the undercarriage, or cause the car to slip off the jack entirely.
Common jack point locations vary by vehicle:
| Vehicle Type | Typical Jack Point Location |
|---|---|
| Sedan / Hatchback | Reinforced pinch weld behind front wheels or ahead of rear wheels |
| Truck / SUV (body-on-frame) | Solid frame rails |
| SUV / Crossover (unibody) | Specific notched points along the rocker panel |
Raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is approximately 6 inches off the ground — enough clearance to swap in the fully inflated spare.
Step 4: Remove the Flat and Mount the Spare
Finish removing the lug nuts — keep them somewhere safe, like a pocket — then pull the flat tyre straight toward you and set it aside.
Mount the spare by aligning the wheel's bolt holes with the hub studs. Push it firmly onto the hub. Hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern (opposite pairs, not clockwise around the wheel) to seat the wheel evenly.
Step 5: Lower and Torque the Lug Nuts
Lower the vehicle until the tyre contacts the ground but still bears minimal weight. Then tighten the lug nuts fully — again in a star pattern — using your body weight on the wrench if needed. Once the vehicle is fully lowered, give them a final check.
Most manufacturers recommend a torque specification for lug nuts (commonly between 80–120 ft-lbs, though this varies by vehicle). A torque wrench gives you a precise tightening if you have access to one, but roadside hand-tightening is typically sufficient to get you safely to a tyre shop.
Compact Spare Tyres: Know the Limits ⚠️
Many passenger cars carry a compact temporary spare — the narrow "donut" tyre. These are not designed for regular driving. They typically come with two hard restrictions:
- Speed limit: Usually no more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
- Distance limit: Often rated for no more than 50–70 miles
Compact spares are thinner, have shallower tread, and are not built for cornering or braking loads equivalent to a standard tyre. Some modern vehicles — particularly EVs and certain sports cars — carry no spare at all, relying instead on run-flat tyres or a tyre inflation kit. Check your vehicle before assuming you have a traditional spare.
Factors That Change the Process
Several variables affect how this goes in practice:
- Vehicle ground clearance: Trucks and SUVs sit higher, which affects how much you need to raise the jack before the tyre clears the ground
- Spare location: Some trucks store the spare tyre underneath the bed on a cable-lowering mechanism, which requires a different release procedure
- Wheel locks: If your vehicle has locking lug nuts (common on alloy wheels), you'll need the matching key socket — typically stored in the glovebox
- Run-flat tyres: These can be driven on for a limited distance after a puncture but cannot be safely re-mounted as a repaired tyre in most cases
- AWD and 4WD vehicles: Some manufacturers advise against using a compact spare on an AWD vehicle because mismatched tyre diameters can stress the drivetrain — your owner's manual will specify whether this applies
After the Change
Once you're moving again on the spare, a few things still need attention:
- Check the spare's pressure as soon as possible — compact spares typically require around 60 psi, but the correct figure is printed on the tyre sidewall
- Have the flat inspected — many punctures, especially nail holes, can be repaired inexpensively; whether repair is possible depends on the puncture's location and size
- Reinstall the flat in your spare storage location so it can be taken to a shop
Your specific vehicle's owner's manual is the most reliable guide for jack points, torque specs, spare tyre limitations, and AWD restrictions. What's standard practice on one vehicle can cause real damage on another.
