Your place · Car ownership

How to change a flat tire

Get somewhere safe and level, block a wheel so the car can't roll, loosen the lug nuts before you jack the car up, and tighten them in a star pattern. Then check the spare's pressure and get to a tire shop.

Moderate30 min to doFree with your spareChecked October 3, 2026

You'll need

Your spare tire
The jack and lug wrench (usually under the trunk floor)
Your owner's manual
A tire pressure gauge
Wheel wedges, reflective triangles and a flashlight, if you have them

Do it like this

Loosen before you lift. Tighten after you lower.

Pull over somewhere flat, as far from traffic as you can. A parking lot or side street is safest; on a highway, take the next exit if you can. Source: AAA² Hazards on, park, parking brake on.
Set reflective triangles behind the car, about 100 feet back on fast roads. Source: Consumer Reports¹
Block the wheel on the opposite corner from the flat with a wheel wedge. A large rock works if you don't have one. Source: AAA²
Loosen each lug nut, turning counterclockwise, while the tire is still on the ground. Don't take them off yet. Source: Consumer Reports¹
Put the jack at the exact spot your owner's manual shows, and raise the car until the flat is a few inches off the ground. Source: Consumer Reports¹
Remove the nuts and the flat, and put the spare on. Snug the nuts in a star pattern, going to the nut across from the one you just did instead of the one next to it. Source: AAA²
Lower the car and tighten the nuts firmly in the same pattern. Source: Consumer Reports¹
Check the spare's pressure with your gauge. Spares sit unused and often lose air, and most compact spares take about 60 psi, much more than your other tires. Source: AAA²
Drive a few miles, then tighten the lug nuts one more time. Source: Consumer Reports¹ At the tire shop, ask them to tighten the nuts to your car's torque spec (it's in the owner's manual). AAA says the final tightening should be done with a calibrated torque wrench, not an impact wrench. Source: AAA⁴

Watch out Compact spares are only meant to get you to a shop. They aren't meant for speeds above 50 mph, so replace the tire that day or the next. Source: Consumer Reports AAA¹²

See it done

Video by AAA Connect Video Hub | Auto Club Group Auto Club Group Nonprofit

How to Change a Tire

Watch on YouTube: How to Change a Tire

2024 · Checked October 3, 2026

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

Lug nut won't budge? Make sure you're turning counterclockwise. Some alloy wheels have a locking nut that needs a special key, usually stored with the spare or in the glovebox. Source: Consumer Reports¹
No spare, only an inflation kit? Those are designed for temporary fixes of small tread punctures. Otherwise call roadside assistance. Source: Consumer Reports¹
On a narrow road or bridge? Hazards on and roll slowly to a safer spot. Driving on the flat for a short distance beats changing it in traffic. Source: Consumer Reports¹

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

The tire pressure warning light

The tire pressure light is a tire cross-section with an exclamation mark inside, or a top view of a car showing all four tires. When it comes on, at least one tire is significantly underinflated. Check your tires with a gauge as soon as you can. If it flashes for 60 to 90 seconds and then stays on, the system itself isn't working right. Source: NHTSA³

Waiting for help

Don't sit in the car or stand in front of it. Stay off the road, behind the vehicle. Source: Consumer Reports¹

Prevent the next one

Check pressure in all tires, including the spare, at least once a month when the tires are cold. Source: NHTSA³ The warning light only comes on once a tire is already very low.

The right pressure

Use the number on the label on the driver's door edge or in the manual, not the number on the tire. Source: NHTSA³

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

Consumer Reports How to change a car tire
AAA How to change a tire in 11 easy steps
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Tires
AAA Wheel installation and inspection tips

Lesson H6.4 · Last checked October 3, 2026 against the sources listed.

Report a mistake

Next in Your placeChecking for recalls

Once a week, if you want it

One new lesson or checklist a week. Totally optional. The lessons never need a sign-up.