Alicante Fast-Fit Car Tyre Specialists - How To Change A Tyre

It is best to replace all four tyres at the same time. If that´s not necessary you should replace the two front tyres or the two rear tyres as a pair. Replacing just one can seriously affect your car's handling.

So, to change a tyre...

Park the vehicle on firm, level and non-slippery ground away from traffic. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn the ignition switch to LOCK (0) and remove the keys. Warning! If the vehicle is in a dangerous or very busy location, ask for roadside or police assistance.

Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual). Apply the parking brake. All passengers have to get out of the vehicle while you change the tyre. Warning! According to the law and your safety you must wear a high visibility jacket/vest. It is recommended to wear heavy-duty gloves. Wheels and tyres can be hot or, in a blowout situation the source of puncture or wire from the tyre itself can cause injury.

Remove the spare wheel. Spare wheels are usually located under the rear floor of the boot. Tip: Place blocks in front of and behind the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel that you are changing.

Remove the wheel cover or centre cap and, whilst the wheel with the flat tyre is on the ground, loosen all of the wheel nuts 1/2 a turn with the wheel wrench. This will allow you to create more torque on the wheel nuts.

Find the jacking point, as identified in the owner's manual. Place the jack under the jacking point. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the top of the jack contacts the jacking point. Make sure that the jacking point tab is resting in the jack notch. NB: Use the jack that came on your car. If you try to raise another car by this jack or use another jack to raise your car, the car or jack can be damaged. Warning! Never get under a vehicle when only supported by the jack.

Turn the jack handle clockwise further to raise the car until the flat tyre is off the ground.

Remove the wheel nuts (don´t lose them). Top tip: In the event of losing all nuts from one wheel remove one nut off each of the other wheels in order to get you the nearest automotive servicing facility.

Before mounting the spare wheel, wipe any dirt off the mounting surface of the wheel and hub with a clean cloth.

Now put on the spare wheel. Put all of the wheel nuts on finger-tight, and then tighten them in a criss-cross pattern with the wheel wrench until the wheel is firmly against the hub. Do not try to tighten them fully.

Lower the vehicle to the ground and tighten the nuts securely in the same criss-cross pattern.

Check the tightness of the wheel nuts after 40-80 km and then on regular basis (recommended by: British Standard).