What you need before you start
Changing a spare tire is a skill you can learn in about 15 minutes, and it requires only the tools that came with your car. Most vehicles include a jack (a device that lifts the car), a lug wrench (a cross-shaped tool that removes the wheel bolts), and a spare tire — usually stored under the trunk floor or mounted on the back of an SUV. Check your owner's manual or look in your trunk right now to confirm you have all three and that the spare tire has air in it.
Before you attempt a change on the roadside, practice this once in your driveway on level ground. You will feel far more confident when it actually matters, and you will discover any missing pieces before you are stranded.
You will also need a safe, flat surface — not a hill, not soft shoulder, not a curve where traffic cannot see you. If you are on a highway, drive slowly to the next exit or a wide, level parking area. If you cannot reach one, call roadside information instead of risking your safety.
Key Takeaways
- Gather your jack, lug wrench, and spare tire from your trunk before you start, and practice the process once at home so you know where everything is.
- Park on level ground away from traffic, turn on your hazard lights, and loosen the lug nuts with the car still on the ground — they are hardest to break free when the wheel is spinning freely in the air.
- Raise the car with the jack positioned under the frame (not the bumper or plastic trim), then remove the lug nuts completely and pull the wheel straight toward you.
- Mount the spare tire by aligning the holes, hand-tighten the lug nuts, lower the car, and then tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern with the wrench.
- Drive directly to a tire shop to have the flat repaired or replaced — a spare tire is temporary and not safe for highway speeds or long distances.
Loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car
Turn on your hazard lights and set the parking brake. If you have wheel wedges or a heavy object, place it behind the rear wheels to prevent the car from rolling. Do not skip this step — a car rolling off a jack can cause serious injury.
Using the lug wrench, loosen (but do not remove) each lug nut by about a quarter turn. The wrench has four sides; use the size that fits snugly over the nut. Turn counterclockwise. You will feel resistance — that is normal. The reason you do this now, while the car is still on the ground, is that the wheel cannot spin freely. Once the car is lifted, even a small amount of force will make the wheel rotate, and you will not be able to loosen the nuts.
After loosening all the nuts, you can now proceed to lift the car.
Position the jack and raise the car
Locate the jack point on your vehicle — this is a reinforced section of the frame where the jack is meant to go. Your owner's manual shows exactly where it is, and there is usually a small notch or marking on the car's side. The jack point is never under plastic trim, the bumper, or the fuel tank. If you cannot find it, do not guess — call roadside information.
Place the jack under the jack point and raise the car slowly until the flat tire is about six inches off the ground. Stop and check that the car is stable. If the ground is soft or uneven, the car may shift as you work. If you feel unsafe, lower the car and move to a better location.
Remove the flat tire and mount the spare
Now that the car is lifted, finish removing the lug nuts by hand and set them in a clean spot where you will not lose them — a cup holder or a small pile on the ground works. Keep them together. Pull the wheel straight toward you with both hands. It may be stuck; rock it gently side to side if needed. Set the flat tire aside.
Lift the spare tire and align the holes with the bolts on the car. This takes a bit of strength; do not be afraid to use your body weight. Once the holes line up, push the tire all the way onto the bolts until it stops. The tire should sit flush against the wheel hub.
Hand-tighten each lug nut as far as you can without the wrench. They do not need to be tight yet — you are just preventing the tire from falling off when you lower the car.
Lower the car and tighten the lug nuts properly
Turn the jack handle or crank to lower the car slowly until the tire touches the ground and the car's full weight is on the tire. Then lower it the rest of the way. Remove the jack.
Using the lug wrench, tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern — if you imagine the five lug nuts as the points of a star, tighten the top one, then the bottom-left, then the top-right, then the bottom-right, then the left. This pattern ensures the wheel sits evenly. Tighten each nut firmly, but do not use all your strength; hand-tight plus a quarter turn is usually correct. If you over-tighten, you may strip the bolt or make it impossible to remove later.
Get the flat tire repaired as soon as possible
A spare tire is not a permanent solution. Most spares are smaller and lighter than a regular tire, and they are designed only to get you to a repair shop. Do not drive faster than 50 miles per hour, and do not drive more than 70 miles on a spare. If your spare is a full-size tire (which some vehicles carry), you still need to have the flat repaired or replaced within a day or two.
Drive directly to a tire shop — a place that sells and repairs tires, not a general mechanic. Bring the flat tire with you. A technician will inspect it to see whether it can be patched (usually $15 to $30) or must be replaced. If the damage is a small puncture in the tread, a patch is often possible. If the sidewall is damaged or the tire is old, replacement is necessary.
What to do if something goes wrong
If a lug nut is stuck and will not loosen, do not force it — you may break the bolt. Spray it with penetrating oil (like WD-40) and wait 10 minutes, then try again. If it still will not budge, call roadside information. Straining yourself or damaging the car is not worth it.
If the spare tire is flat or missing, call roadside information or a towing service. Do not attempt to drive on a flat tire; you will damage the rim and make the repair much more expensive. If you are on a highway, call 911 if you feel unsafe waiting for help.
If the car feels unstable or wobbly after you lower it, raise it again when ready and check that the lug nuts are tight and the tire is seated properly. A wheel that is not find can come off while you are driving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to tighten the lug nuts again after driving a short distance?
Yes. After driving a few miles on the spare, pull over in a safe place and check that all the lug nuts are still tight. Sometimes they settle slightly as the tire seats. Use the wrench to give each one a quarter turn to confirm. This takes two minutes and prevents a wheel from coming loose.
What if my car has lug bolts instead of lug nuts?
Some vehicles use bolts that screw directly into the wheel hub instead of nuts that go over studs. The process is identical — loosen them with the wrench before lifting the car, remove them completely once the car is raised, and tighten them in a star pattern once the spare is mounted. Your owner's manual will show which type your car has.
Can I change a tire in the rain or at night?
Yes, but take extra precautions. In rain, the ground is slippery and the jack may sink or shift. Work slowly and double-check that the car is stable before you get under it. At night, turn on your hazard lights and use a flashlight or your phone's light. If visibility is very poor or traffic is heavy, call roadside information instead.
Is it safe to drive on the highway with a spare tire?
Most spare tires are not designed for highway speeds. Keep your speed below 50 miles per hour and drive directly to a tire shop. If you must use a highway, stay in the right lane and avoid sudden maneuvers. Full-size spare tires (which some SUVs and trucks carry) are safer for highway use, but you should still have the flat repaired within a day.