How to Change a Flat Tire

Picture this: You're in a sporty little car that has just suffered a flat tire. You've pulled safely out of traffic, turned on your flashers and found the pieces of your jack system. You weren't too good at Rubik's Cube, and the collection of metal you've just retrieved doesn't look any less complicated. All you really have to do, assuming there's any traffic at all, is stand there with tire iron in hand and look confused. In no time, somebody will surely stop to help.


Unfortunately, looking confused on the side of the road is not nearly as safe as it once was. So it behooves everyone to know how to change a flat tire.

No-Stress Rehearsal
If you're particularly non-mechanical, it's not a bad idea to locate your jack and its related pieces and rehearse this procedure. A practice run in broad daylight and on a flat surface will likely reward you later. While this approach may seem a bit extreme, it's much easier than trying to change a tire on the side of a busy freeway, especially at night and/or in the rain. At least check out your owner's manual to identify your jack and spare tire equipment.


There are lots of different types of jacks, each designed for placement at various locations on your vehicle. One fits into a sill locator bracket on the side of the car, while another slides into a slot on the bottom of the bumper. Still others have a screw-type scissor mechanism that is placed under the vehicle axle or suspension. The jack handle usually doubles as a socket wrench to remove the wheel nuts, and as a pry-bar to remove wheel covers.


Spares come in all shapes and sizes as well, from conventional, full-size setup to small, temporary tires. There are even collapsible spares that require a specially charged canister for inflation. The latter two should only be used long enough to get a new or repaired tire on the vehicle and only at speeds below 50 mph (or whatever limit is noted in the manual). All the information you need to locate and release the spare and operate the jack is in your owner's manual.