Safety first:
1. Pull your vehicle over to the side of the road in a safe location, away from traffic. Turn on your hazard lights and set the parking brake.
2. Get out of the vehicle and inspect the flat tire. If it is damaged or has a puncture, you will need to replace it.
Prepare your tools and equipment:
3. Gather the tools you will need: a jack, a lug wrench, a chock, and a spare tire. If you do not have these tools, you will need to call for assistance.
Loosen the lug nuts:
4. Use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire. Do not remove the lug nuts completely at this point.
Raise the vehicle:
5. Place the chock behind the tire that is diagonally opposite the flat tire. This will help prevent the vehicle from rolling while you are changing the tire.
6. Jack up the vehicle until the flat tire is off the ground. Be careful not to lift the vehicle too high, as this could damage the suspension.
Remove the lug nuts:
7. Now, you can remove the lug nuts and take off the flat tire. Be careful not to drop the lug nuts.
Install the spare tire:
8. Place the spare tire on the lug nuts and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
Lower the vehicle:
9. Carefully lower the vehicle until the spare tire is on the ground. Be careful not to drop the lug nuts.
Tighten the lug nuts:
10. Use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Tighten the lug nuts until they are snug but do not overtighten them.
Replace the hubcap:
11. If your vehicle has a hubcap, replace it.
Test the spare tire:
12. Drive slowly and carefully for a short distance to test the spare tire. Make sure that the spare tire is properly inflated and that it is balanced correctly.
Have the flat tire repaired or replaced:
13. As soon as possible, have the flat tire repaired or replaced. Do not drive on a flat tire for long distances, as this could damage your vehicle.
