Find a stable and safe place to work. You need a solid, level surface. Avoid soft ground and hills. If you are near a road, park as far from traffic as possible and turn on your emergency flashers (hazard lights).
Make sure that the car cannot roll. Apply the parking brake and put car in “Park” position or in first or reverse if using a standard transmission. If possible, it is a good idea to place a heavy object (such as a brick) in front of the front tire (if changing a rear tire), and vice-versa.
Take out the spare tire and the jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change. Make sure that you place it where it will meet the metal portion of the frame.
Remove the hub cap and loosen the nuts by turning counterclockwise. Don’t take them all the way off. Just break the resistance. Having the wheel on the ground means that you’re turning the nuts instead of the wheel.
Pump or crank the jack to lift the tire off the ground. You need to lift it high enough to remove the flat tire and to put the spare on it. As you lift, make sure that the car is stable. If you notice any instability, lower the jack and fix the problem before full lifting the car.
Remove the nuts the rest of the way. Turn them counter clockwise until they are loose. Repeat with all lug nuts, then remove the nuts completely.
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