Be prepared for a tire emergency by following these steps for changing a flat.
Make sure you are well off the highway, parked on a hard, level surface. Turn on your emergency flashers. Place the car in park, or if you have a stick shift place the transmission in first or reverse gear. Engage the parking brake.
Locate and remove your spare wheel, lug wrench, tire jack, and wheel chocks.
Remove the hub cap, if equipped, using the tapered end of the lug wrench. Using the other end of the lug wrench, loosen the lug nuts holding the wheel on. Do this while the wheel is still on the ground. All you are doing is loosening the nuts slightly, do not remove the lug nuts at this time.
Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat on both sides of the tire to keep the car from rolling while it is being jacked up.
Place the jack underneath the car in the location specified in your owner's manual. Not doing so may cause the car to fall off the jack, damaging the car and possible causing injury to you. Using the jack handle, jack up the car until the flattened wheel is completely off the ground.
Finish loosening the lug nuts and completely remove them.
Remove the wheel and set it aside.
Install the spare wheel, lining it up over the wheel studs. Thread the lug nuts back onto the studs, installing the tapered end of the nut towards the wheel. Be careful not to cross thread the lug nuts. Hand tighten the lug nuts.
Lower the car back to the ground. Using your lug wrench, tighten all of the lug nuts.
Reinstall the hub cap. Put away the spare and all of your tools, and you are ready to drive away!
