How to Change a Flat Tire, Step by Step

By ShoulderCrew · Updated October 27, 2026 · Denver, Colorado

Changing a tire takes about 20 to 30 minutes once you know the steps. The most important part is where you do it. If the spot is not safe, do not change it there.

1. Get to a safe place

Slow down, turn on your hazard lights and pull as far off the road as you can. A flat, level, firm spot such as a parking lot or a wide shoulder is best. On a highway, an exit or a rest area is better than a narrow shoulder, even if you have to drive slowly on the flat for a short distance. Put the car in Park (or in gear for a manual), set the parking brake, and place reflective triangles behind the car if you have them and it is safe to do so.

2. Get your tools

You need a spare (or a sealant or inflator kit if the car has no spare), a jack, and a lug wrench, usually under the trunk floor. Many newer cars do not have a spare at all, so check before you need it. Your owner's manual shows the correct jack points.

3. Loosen the lug nuts first

With the car still on the ground, loosen each lug nut about a half turn by turning the wrench counter-clockwise. Do not take them off yet. If a nut is stuck, standing on the wrench handle or using your body weight helps.

4. Jack up the car

Place the jack at the jack point on the frame near the flat tire, and raise the car until the flat is a few inches off the ground. Never put any part of your body under the car, and never use a jack alone to support it while you work under it.

5. Take off the flat and mount the spare

Remove the nuts, pull the wheel straight toward you, and put the spare on the studs. Thread the nuts on by hand with the tapered side toward the wheel, then snug them in a star pattern.

6. Lower and tighten

Lower the car until the tire touches the ground, then tighten the nuts firmly in a star (criss-cross) pattern, and lower the car fully. Remove the jack and store the flat tire and tools.

7. Check the spare

• Check the pressure. Spares often have low air. Use the pressure printed on the spare or in the manual.
• Mind the limits. A compact "donut" spare is made for short distances and lower speeds. Look at the sidewall or the manual for the limit, and drive straight to a tire shop.
• Re-check the lug nuts after driving a short distance, and get them tightened to the correct torque at a shop.

When to call for help instead

• You are on a busy highway shoulder, a curve, a hill, or in bad weather.
• The lug nuts are stuck or the car has locking nuts and you do not have the key.
• You have no spare, or the spare is also flat.
• The tire is badly damaged or the wheel is bent.
• You are physically not able to do it, or it just does not feel safe.

A ShoulderCrew helper can change a flat for you in the Denver area (see flat tire help in Denver). If the car needs a tow, that is separate, and towing is not part of a ShoulderCrew membership.

Winter note

Cold weather lowers tire pressure, so a tire can look flat on a cold morning even when it is not damaged. Check the pressure first. Winter also makes bolts and wheels stick, so give yourself extra time and keep warm clothes in the car. Our winter car kit for I-70 has a full list.