DIY Network

Roadside Emergencies - Servicing a Flat Tire From "Car Care Workshop" episode DCC-102

Even the most meticulous car owner may be left stranded by a flat tire or other mechanical failure. As the Boy Scouts say, be prepared.

Even if you're a skilled driver and practice preventive maintenance on your vehicle, you still may encounter unexpected roadside emergencies such as a flat tire. Whether the emergency is minor or major may depend on your level of preparedness. DIY Car Care host Trisha Hessinger gives advice on how to deal with flat tires, leaky hoses, the loss of traction and other inconveniences on the road. She also provides tips on assembling an emergency kit for your vehicle.

Servicing a Flat Tire

• Safety first: Changing a tire on a roadside can be dangerous. If you have a flat on a busy highway, attempt to change it only if there is a wide shoulder or you can pull well off the road. Driving on a flat until you reach the next exit may ruin the tire and damage the wheel, but it's better than putting yourself in danger. If you must drive on a flat, pull over far enough that you're out of the traffic flow (in the emergency lane, if there is one), keep your speed below 10 miles per hour, and turn on your hazard flashers. Be aware that the steering will be affected dramatically.

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1. If you must change the tire, pull well out of the flow of traffic and park on level ground. Shut off the engine, put the car in park and apply the parking brake. Leave your flashers on, and if you have them, use flares or reflective cones to alert other drivers. Wearing an orange reflective vest is also a good safety measure.

2. Check your owner's manual for the recommended procedure and the location of the car's spare and tire-changing equipment. It's best to review this section of the owner's manual in advance. Even if you have done so, it's wise to review the instructions before changing the tire, particularly if you haven't changed one in some time.

3. Remove the spare tire and equipment. These may be in the trunk, beneath the trunk liner. In some cases the jack may be behind a side panel (figure A). In larger vehicles such as SUVs, minivans and trucks, the spare may be mounted underneath the rear of the vehicle. In such a case, a hex nut in the floor of the rear cab usually lowers the spare from its mounting position (figure B). Use the hex wrench provided with the jack to turn the nut counterclockwise and lower the tire; continue turning until there's enough slack in the cable to permit removing the retaining clip from the center of the wheel (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

4. Chock the wheel diagonally opposite to the tire you're changing. This will help prevent the vehicle from rolling. (If you don't have a wheel chock, you may be able to use a rock or a log.)

5. Before jacking the vehicle, loosen the lug nuts on the wheel you're changing. Begin by "breaking loose" each lug nut (loosening it without removing it all the way), turning it counterclockwise with the lug wrench. If the nuts are very tight, you may need to step on the wrench to start it turning (figure D). Loosen each nut; don't remove them.

6. Check your manual for the correct placement of your jack, and follow the instructions to jack up the car until the flat tire is clear of the ground (figure E).

7. With the car jacked and the flat tire off the ground, pop off the hubcap, if there is one, and remove the lug nuts completely (figure F). Remove the uppermost nut last. Lift off the flat tire and set it aside.

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

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