While it doesn’t happen often, getting a flat tire can be a major inconvenience. Being prepared by understanding the basic steps to change a flat can help make an unpleasant experience manageable.
The basic steps for changing a flat tire:
- Make sure your vehicle is in a safe place, away from traffic (if possible) on a level surface. Set your emergency brake and turn on your hazard lights.
- Review your owner’s manual for instructions and tips on changing a tire specific to your car.
- Use your lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car on the jack.
- Carefully lift your vehicle using the car jack.
- Remove the lug nuts and flat tire.
- Place the spare tire on the car and tighten the lug nuts by hand before lowering the car.
- Slowly lower the car to the ground and remove the jack.
- Tighten the lug nuts using the lug wrench. To ensure an even fit, tighten every other nut and then go back and tighten the nuts you skipped.
It’s always a good idea to set aside some time on a nice day and practice changing a tire on a level surface close to home. Familiarity with the process will give you the confidence and skills to change your tire under more stressful conditions – like picking up the kids from school. We invite you to stop by Addison Auto Center anytime and we’ll show you how to safely change a tire on your car. If you don’t feel comfortable with the concept of changing a tire, it’s a good idea to subscribe to a roadside assistance service, such as AAA.
