How to change a car tyre
Change a flat safely in about fifteen minutes with the tools already in your car.
Start here — the basics
- Stop on firm, level ground away from traffic; hazard lights and handbrake on, passengers out
- Loosen the wheel nuts while the tyre is still on the ground
- Jack only at the car's proper jacking point
- Tighten the nuts in a star pattern, then re-check the torque later
A flat tyre is the one roadside problem almost everyone meets eventually. With the spare and tools that came with the car, most people can change a wheel in about fifteen minutes. The order below keeps you safe and stops the car moving while it is in the air.
Safety first. Stop on firm, level ground, well away from traffic. Switch on hazard lights, apply the handbrake, and get every passenger out and behind a barrier. Never put any part of your body under a car held up only by a jack.
What you need
- The spare wheel (check it holds air) or a tyre-repair kit.
- The jack and wheel brace (wrench) from the boot tool kit.
- The locking-wheel-nut key, if your car has one.
- A wheel chock or a large stone, and a hi-vis vest and warning triangle.
Step by step
- Secure the car. Handbrake on, car in first gear or park. Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the flat so the car cannot roll.
- Loosen the nuts first — on the ground. Prise off any wheel trim, then turn each nut anticlockwise about half a turn while the tyre still carries the weight. This stops the wheel spinning once it is lifted.
- Find the jacking point. It is a reinforced spot on the sill, just behind the front wheel or ahead of the rear. The owner's manual shows the exact arrow. Placing the jack anywhere else can bend the floor.
- Raise the car until the flat tyre is about two centimetres clear of the ground.
- Remove the nuts and wheel. Take the loosened nuts fully off, keep them in your pocket or the trim, and lift the wheel straight towards you. Wheels are heavy — use your legs.
- Fit the spare. Line up the holes, push it on, and hand-tighten the nuts in a star pattern (opposite to opposite, never in a circle) so the wheel seats evenly.
- Lower and torque. Bring the car down until the tyre just grips, then fully tighten the nuts in the same star pattern. Lower all the way and give them a final firm pull.
After the change. A space-saver spare is limited — usually 80 km/h and a short distance. Get the proper tyre repaired or replaced, and have the nut torque checked, as soon as you can. Re-check the spare's pressure next time you are at a pump.
What to do and what to avoid
Do
- Secure the car and chock a wheel before lifting it
- Loosen the nuts on the ground, then jack up
- Tighten the nuts in a star pattern (opposite to opposite)
- Treat a space-saver spare as temporary and low-speed
Avoid
- Never put any part of your body under a car held up only by a jack
- Don't jack on soft ground or at the wrong point
- Don't tighten the nuts in a circle
- Don't drive fast or far on a space-saver spare
Further information
RAC — how to change a tyre ↗