How To Change A Tyre

If you’ve got a puncture or a flat tyre, the first job is safety — not the wheel. This guide walks you through what to do before you jack the car up, how to change a wheel properly, and when it’s safer to call for help. 

Around Belfast and the wider area, a lot of tyre call-outs happen in places where it’s simply not safe to work at the roadside (tight streets, fast A-roads, poor visibility, soft verges). If you can’t stop somewhere safe, don’t risk it.

Step 1: Get to a safe stopping point

If a tyre fails while you’re driving:

• Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.

• Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually (avoid harsh braking).

• Indicate early and pull in somewhere safe and stable, well away from moving traffic.

Step 2: Decide if you should change it or not

Do not attempt a wheel change if any of these apply:

• You’re on a motorway hard shoulder or a fast road with limited space.

• The ground is soft, sloped, loose, or uneven (a jack needs a solid, stable base).

• Visibility is poor (dark, heavy rain, tight bend) or traffic is very close.

• You don’t have the right tools (locking wheel nut key is the common one).

If it isn’t safe to change the tyre where you are, it’s safer to get the car moved to a safe location and deal with the wheel there.

Step 3: Check what your car actually has

Many modern cars don’t carry a full spare wheel. You might have:

• a puncture repair kit (sealant + compressor),

• a space-saver spare (temporary tyre with a speed restriction),

• or no spare at all.

Check your handbook so you know what you’re working with.

Step 4: Safety checklist before you jack the car

• Hazard lights on, engine off.

• Handbrake on.

• Manual: 1st gear engaged. Automatic: “P”.

• Passengers out of the vehicle and standing well away from the road.

• Use the correct jack points shown in your handbook to avoid damage.

• Never work underneath a vehicle that’s raised on a jack.