A flat tire will always happen at the worst possible time. Without warning, your tire will blow out, which will mean that you’ll have to look for a safe space to pull over. We hope this won’t happen when driving in Bowie, MD, but we’d like to tell you how you can easily fix this problem.
Easy Steps to Follow If You Get a Flat Tire
Find a Safe Place
The most important first step is ensuring you and your car are in a safe place. When you change a tire, all your focus is on the task. Make sure that your car is as far from moving vehicles as possible.
Gather Your Tools
Changing a tire requires your tire iron or lug wrench, jack, and spare tire. In addition, if you have cones or road flares, you can place them a safe distance behind your car to warn other drivers. It’s advisable to check the condition of your spare regularly to ensure it’s in good condition if needed.
Ensure your transmission is in park mode and your emergency brake is engaged. This helps prevent your car from moving while you work.
Loosen the Lugs
The lugs hold your tire in place, and they’re very tight. It requires brute force to loosen them, and they turn counterclockwise. If the lugs are loose now, removing the tire when the wheel is off the ground is easier.
Place the Jack
Your Honda has several jacking points on its underside. These points allow you to lift your car without damaging anything. The exact points for your model are listed in your car manual. Place the jack under a jacking point and slowly lift your car until the flat is completely off the ground.
Replace the Tire
Remove all the lugs from the flat and place them safely to one side so they don’t roll away. Once the lugs are removed, remove the flat, and position the spare over the wheel studs. Positioning can be difficult as you must balance the spare and rotate it to match the studs. An easy way to do this is to put your foot under the spare to give you extra balance.
Carefully insert the lug nuts into each wheel stud. Once all the lugs are in place, tighten them by hand, then use the tire iron to ensure the lugs are snugly in place.
Lower Your Car
Carefully lower the jack until your tires are back on the ground. Use the tire iron again to tighten all the lugs until they’re securely in place. Finally, pack your tire iron, jack, and flat into the trunk and drive away.
Now you know the easy steps to change a flat safely. Visit our service department at DARCARS Honda, and we can fit a new tire or replace your spare.
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