Here at Kearny Pearson Ford, we highly value our drivers here in San Diego. That’s why we want to do our best to equip you with the best knowledge to master your whole driving experience, including the occasional inconvenient circumstances that arise while driving like getting a flat tire. No need to stress out about being stranded, just follow these simple steps.

Pull Over and Find Your Supplies

Make sure you are in a safe spot off to the side of the road, or even in a parking lot if possible. Open your trunk, where you will find your spare tire, car jack, and tire iron. Make sure the car is in park and has the e-brake activated in order to maximize safety.

Loosen the Wheel Lugs

To get the wheel off with the flat tire, you’ll need to remove the lugs holding the wheel in place. You won’t remove it at this step, but you’ll need to loosen the lugs with the tire iron before you jack up the car to make it easier to unscrew them all the way. This will likely take a significant amount of force.

Raise the Car

Position the car jack under the frame near the wheel and begin cranking the handle until the tire is raised a good few inches off the ground. You obviously don’t want to overdo this step, but you’ll need a decent amount of space to work with.

Replace the Tire

At this point, you’ll fully unscrew the lugs, pull off the wheel with the flat tire, and prepare to put on the spare tire wheel. Many people are surprised by how hard it can be to line up the holes with the wheel studs, so be prepared to take your time with this step. Once you get the tire on, put the lugs back on and make sure they are tight.

Finally, make your way over to our San Diego Ford service center, where our technicians can get a fresh tire for your Ford car.