Why Knowing This Skill Matters

A flat tyre never happens at a convenient time. Knowing how to change one yourself can save you from waiting hours for roadside assistance — and could be genuinely important in an isolated location. This guide walks you through the process safely and clearly, even if you've never done it before.

What You'll Need

Before you start, make sure you have these items in your vehicle:

  • Spare tyre (check it's properly inflated periodically)
  • Car jack (hydraulic or scissor jack)
  • Wheel brace or lug wrench
  • Vehicle owner's manual
  • Reflective warning triangle or hazard lights
  • Gloves (optional but recommended)
  • Torch if changing at night

Step 1: Get to Safety First

The moment you notice a flat, do not brake suddenly. Grip the steering wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator, and steer gradually to a safe stopping point — a flat, stable surface well away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights immediately.

Once stopped, apply the handbrake and place your warning triangle at least 45 metres behind the vehicle if you're on a road. If you're on a motorway, do not attempt to change the tyre yourself — call for roadside assistance from behind the barrier.

Step 2: Loosen the Wheel Nuts Before Jacking

This step surprises many first-timers: loosen the wheel nuts before you raise the car. With the tyre still on the ground, use the wheel brace to turn each nut anticlockwise by about half a turn. The resistance of the ground prevents the wheel from spinning.

Don't remove them yet — just break their resistance.

Step 3: Position and Raise the Jack

Check your owner's manual for the correct jacking points on your specific vehicle. Using the wrong point can damage the car's bodywork or, worse, cause it to fall.

  1. Place the jack under the designated jacking point nearest the flat tyre
  2. Raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is approximately 10–15 cm off the ground
  3. Never put any part of your body under a jacked-up vehicle

Step 4: Remove the Flat Tyre

Now fully remove the loosened wheel nuts, placing them somewhere safe (a pocket or small bag works well — dropped nuts are easy to lose). Pull the flat tyre straight toward you to remove it, then set it aside flat.

Step 5: Fit the Spare Tyre

  1. Lift the spare tyre and align the holes with the wheel bolts on the hub
  2. Push it flush against the hub
  3. Thread the wheel nuts back on by hand — use a cross pattern (opposite nuts alternately) to ensure even seating
  4. Tighten them firmly by hand before lowering the vehicle

Step 6: Lower and Final-Tighten

Lower the jack slowly until the vehicle is back on the ground. Once the weight is on the tyre, use the wheel brace to fully tighten each nut using the same cross pattern. Tighten firmly — not so hard you strip the threads, but secure enough that the wheel won't move.

Step 7: Check Pressure and Seek a Repair

Many spare tyres are temporary or space-saver spares with a lower speed limit (usually 50 mph / 80 km/h) and limited mileage. Check your manual for restrictions. Drive to a tyre repair shop as soon as possible to have the spare assessed and your original tyre repaired or replaced.

Quick Summary

  1. Pull over safely, hazard lights on
  2. Loosen nuts before jacking
  3. Jack from the correct point
  4. Remove flat, fit spare
  5. Hand-tighten nuts in a cross pattern
  6. Lower car, then fully tighten nuts
  7. Get to a tyre shop promptly

Practice this process at home once so the steps feel familiar before you ever need to do it on the roadside.