How to Change a Flat Tire

1) Turn the flashers on and slowly and safely pull off the road. Find a spot that is
visible but also away from traffic. Avoid soft shoulders and inclines. Put the hood up
to indicate to other motorists that you are in mechanical distress, or set out some
orange triangles. (you should have these in your trunk)

2) Apply the parking brake and put the transmission in park or in gear so the car
won't roll.

3) Open the trunk and take out a spare tire, leverage pipe, jack, lug-nut wrench and
(if it's dark out) flashlight . The leverage pipe is simply a piece of hollow pipe that
can help you loosen a lug nut previously tightened with an air ratchet; you can buy
this at a hardware or plumbing supply store.

4) Chock the other wheels with a board or a log to prevent the car from rolling.

5) Remove the hubcap with a screwdriver or tool that came with your vehicle. Many
newer cars have hubcaps that don't require removal for access to the lug nuts.

6) Use the lug-nut wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire (but do not remove
them). To loosen the nuts, turn counterclockwise. Remember: lefty-loosy,
righty-tighty. If it doesn't come off easily, place the leverage pipe over the end of the
lug-nut wrench and pull up rather than push down to avoid back injury. If one lug on
each wheel looks different from the rest and the lug-nut wrench doesn't fit it, then
you have locking o keyed lug nuts (to prevent wheel theft). Check the glove
compartment for a special key that fits on this lug nut and makes removal with the
lug-nut wrench possible. If you don't have the lug nut key you may have to call a tow
truck for help.

7) When all the nuts are loose, jack up the car, making sure the jack is vertical and
well planted on the hard surface of the road (do not jack up a car on sand or dirt).
You'll find diagrams indicating where to place the jack either in the car owner's
manual or on a sticker affixed to the jack. Most cars have a small slot near each tire
for the jack. Jack up the car slightly higher than needed to remove the flat tire; the
spare will be larger because it is full of air.

8) Remove the lug nuts. Put them in your pocket or someplace else where they won't
get lost.

9) Take the flat tire off and put it in the trunk.

10) Put the spare on. If you are unsure which way the wheel goes on, look for the
air-pressure valve--it always faces out.

11)Tighten the lug nuts by turning clockwise. Use a crisscross or star pattern so the
wheel doesn't go on cockeyed .

12Lower the car and remove the jack.

13) Tighten the lug nuts again using the leverage pipe. Make them as tight as you
can. The chart below shows you the order to tighten the lug nuts in

14) Replace the hubcap (if applicable).

15) Put everything away neatly so it's ready for next time.

16) Remove the chock, then drive to a tire shop.
Its a good idea to go straight to the nearest shop and have them check it out to see if
the lug nuts are tight enough.
Most shops can fix flats while you wait, and it's usually inexpensive.