How to Change a Tyre Safely: UK Step-by-Step Guide

Before you start: is it safe?

Never attempt to change a tyre on a motorway hard shoulder or anywhere close to moving traffic. In those situations, get behind the barrier and call for assistance. Only change a tyre when you are on firm, level ground, well away from traffic, with the car in a safe position.

What you will need

• The spare wheel (or space-saver) and the jack, wheel brace, and locking wheel nut key from your car.
• A warning triangle if you are in a safe location to place one.
• Wheel chocks or bricks to stop the car rolling, and gloves.

Step by step

• Apply the handbrake, switch on hazard lights, and put the car in gear or park.
• Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the one you are changing.
• Loosen the wheel nuts about half a turn while the wheel is still on the ground, using the locking nut key where needed.
• Place the jack at the correct jacking point (see your handbook) and raise the car until the tyre is just clear of the ground.
• Fully remove the nuts, take off the wheel, and fit the spare.
• Hand-tighten the nuts, lower the car, then fully tighten the nuts in a diagonal (star) pattern.
• Check the spare pressure as soon as you can, and if it is a space-saver, observe its speed and distance limits.

When to call a mobile fitter instead

Many modern cars no longer carry a spare wheel, only a sealant kit that is a temporary fix at best. If you have no spare, a damaged sidewall, a lost locking wheel nut key, or you are in an unsafe spot, do not risk it. A mobile tyre fitter can come to your home, work, or the roadside, and supply and fit a proper replacement tyre on the spot, which is safer and gets you back on the road properly rather than on a space-saver.