Before You Need This Guide: Be Prepared

The best time to check your spare tyre and tool kit is before you get a flat. Open your boot and confirm you have:

  • A spare tyre (full-size or compact/space-saver)
  • A jack (hydraulic scissor jack or bottle jack)
  • A wheel brace or lug wrench
  • Your vehicle's owner's manual (shows jack points)
  • Optional but useful: reflective triangle, torch, gloves, wheel chocks

Also check the spare tyre's pressure periodically — a flat spare is no help at all.

Step 1: Get to Safety First

If you hear or feel a blowout or flat while driving:

  • Stay calm and maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel.
  • Ease off the accelerator gradually — do not brake sharply.
  • Signal and move to the road shoulder or a safe, flat area away from traffic.
  • Turn on your hazard lights immediately.
  • If possible, pull into a car park or side street rather than changing a tyre on a busy road.

Step 2: Secure the Vehicle

  1. Turn off the engine.
  2. Apply the handbrake firmly.
  3. Place the car in Park (automatic) or first gear (manual).
  4. If you have wheel chocks or large rocks, place them against the tyres diagonally opposite the flat to prevent rolling.
  5. Put out a reflective warning triangle if you have one.

Step 3: Loosen the Wheel Nuts — Before Jacking

This is a step many beginners get wrong. Loosen the wheel nuts while the tyre is still on the ground — the tyre's friction against the road keeps the wheel from spinning while you apply torque.

  • Remove the hub cap or wheel cover if present.
  • Use the wheel brace to turn each nut counter-clockwise — just loosen them by half a turn. Do not remove them yet.
  • Nuts are often tight. Use your body weight by standing on the brace if necessary.

Step 4: Position the Jack and Lift the Car

Incorrect jack placement can damage your car's bodywork or cause it to slip off the jack — a serious hazard.

  • Consult your owner's manual for the designated jack points — reinforced sections of the vehicle frame near each wheel.
  • Place the jack under the correct point and raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is approximately 15 cm off the ground.
  • Never put any part of your body under a car supported only by a jack.

Step 5: Remove the Flat and Fit the Spare

  1. Fully remove the loosened wheel nuts and place them somewhere safe (a pocket works well).
  2. Pull the flat tyre straight off and set it aside.
  3. Lift the spare tyre onto the hub, aligning the bolt holes.
  4. Hand-tighten the wheel nuts in a star/cross pattern — not in a circle — to ensure even seating.

Step 6: Lower the Car and Fully Tighten

  1. Lower the jack until the tyre is touching the ground but the car's full weight is not yet on it.
  2. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel brace, again using a star pattern.
  3. Lower the car fully and remove the jack.
  4. Give the nuts one final tighten with the wheel fully on the ground.

Step 7: After the Change

  • Check the spare tyre's pressure as soon as possible.
  • If you fitted a compact spare (the small, narrow one), it has a speed limit — typically 80 km/h — and is only for temporary use. Get to a tyre shop promptly.
  • Have your wheel nuts re-torqued by a workshop within 50–100 km if possible.
  • Get the flat tyre repaired or replaced — don't drive without a functioning spare.

When Not to Change It Yourself

If you're on a motorway, in heavy rain or darkness without proper lighting, on a steep slope, or if the car feels unstable, call roadside assistance instead. Safety always comes first.