How to change a flat tyre safely

Before you start

A puncture is stressful — especially on a motorway hard shoulder or an unlit road. If you cannot get fully clear of traffic, have no spare or kit, or the tyre failed at speed with sidewall damage, call breakdown recovery instead of attempting a DIY change.

What you’ll need

• Hazard lights + high-visibility vest
• Jack, wheel brace and locking-nut key
• Spare wheel or manufacturer puncture kit / compressor
• Wheel chock or solid brick
• Torch and gloves
• Handbook for jacking points and spare speed limits

Watch a good how-to

Popular walkthroughs that match this job. Watch for technique — always follow your handbook for torque figures, jacking points and fluids.

Step-by-step guide

1. 1

   Turn on hazard lights, apply the parking brake and, if possible, move behind the barrier. Put on a hi-vis vest before leaving the car.

2. 2

   Find the jack, brace, locking key and spare (boot floor, under the car or under-boot tray). Confirm the jacking point in the handbook — never use the sill edge or suspension arm as a makeshift point.

3. 3

   Chock the opposite wheel. Loosen the wheel nuts slightly while the car is still on the ground (anti-clockwise).

4. 4

   Jack only at the marked point until the tyre clears the ground. Remove nuts, pull the wheel straight off, and hang it under the car as a safety prop if you can.

5. 5

   Fit the spare, start all nuts by hand, lower the car, then tighten in a star / diagonal pattern. Recheck after a short drive and at a tyre shop with a torque wrench.

6. 6

   If you only have a plug kit or sealant: use it only for small tread punctures as a temporary get-you-home fix, then get a proper repair or new tyre. Do not plug sidewall damage.

7. 7

   Note the spare’s speed limit (often 50 mph for a space-saver) and pressure. Book a proper tyre promptly — do not treat a temporary spare as long-term.

Pro tips

• Practise finding the jack and locking key at home once — midnight rain is a bad first attempt.
• Many modern cars have no spare: know whether you have sealant, a compressor, or run-flats before you need them.
• If the locking nut key is missing, you may need a specialist socket set or recovery.
• Motorway hard shoulder: if it does not feel safe, stay in the car behind the barrier if possible and call National Highways / breakdown — do not walk in live lanes.

FAQs