If you’ve never had a close call with a tire popping on you, count yourself lucky. It can be an extremely jarring experience! Navigating yourself out of that situation is only half of the battle though. The other half comes in when you need to actually change your tire. I know that when I was a new driver I wasn’t sure how exactly to change a tire, and I wasn’t sure that even if I did, I had the tools I’d need to change the tire. For those of you out there who want to be prepared in the event of a tire change, below we’ll provide info on the supplies you will need and the steps to take to change the tire.

Things you’ll need: Spare tire, Tire Jack, Lug Wrench, and Wheel Chocks

1. Make sure your vehicle is on a flat surface. NEVER change a tire on an incline or hill; always seek a flat surface, even if it means driving on a flat tire. Once you are on a flat surface, use bricks, wooden wedges, or metal wheel chocks to block the wheels at the opposite end of the car from the end that is to be raised to secure your vehicle.

2. Remove the wheel cover. You can use a screwdriver to pry the wheel cover off by inserting the point of the tool where the edge of the cover meets the wheel, and apply a little leverage. The cap should pop off. You may have to do this in a couple of places, as if you were prying the lid off a can of paint.

3. Loosen the lug nuts SLIGHTLY. Don‘t remove the lug nuts completely; just get them loose enough to remove by hand after you jack up the vehicle. If you’re having trouble, a hollow pipe and a cross-shaft wrench can loosen the tightest lug nuts. If you have alloy wheels that are held on by lug nuts with delicate finishes, the delicate aluminum or chrome-plated lug nuts need careful handling. They should never be loosened or replaced with power tools that can scratch the delicate finish.

4. Secure your jack under your vehicle. Use your owner’s manual to identify where these areas might be depending on which tire needs to be replaced. Jack up the vehicle about 6 inches off the ground.

5. Take the lug nuts completely off by hand and put them in a safe place — inside the wheel cover or hubcap works well. Grasp the flat tire with both hands and pull it straight toward you. As you pull the flat off, it should slide along the bolts until it clears the end of the bolts and you find yourself supporting its full weight. Roll the flat along the ground to the rear of the vehicle to get it out of the way.

6. Lift the spare onto the lug bolts. Remember, tires tend to be quite heavy so use caution when lifting so that you don’t hurt your back.

7. Replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand as tight as you can get them. Wait until the car is on the ground before you tighten the lug nuts all the way with the wrench.

8. Replace the wheel cover or hubcap. If your car has wheel covers with a delicate finish, the owner’s manual should provide instructions for replacing it. If your car has hubcaps, place the hubcap against the wheel and whack it into place with the heel of your hand. Cushion your hand with a soft rag first so that you won’t hurt it. And don’t hit the hubcap with a wrench or hammer — you’ll dent it.

Ta da! You did it! You changed your tire and are able to safely drive away. Make sure to stop by Destination Nissan as soon as possible following replacing the tire, as spare tires are not meant to be driven for extended periods of time. We will happily hook you up with some new tires! While you’re there, check out some snow tires to be ready for the incoming winter weather!