How To Change A Tyre On Your Vauxhall

3 Posted: 3rd Jan 2021
How To Change A Tyre On Your Vauxhall

There’s nothing worse than being caught out with a puncture, or, even worse, a full tyre blowout. Thankfully, changing your Vauxhall car tyre is relatively easy, but you’ll still want to do everything possible to avoid getting in that situation in the first place.

Having a tyre fail at high speeds puts you and other road users at risk, but being faced with changing a tyre on a busy road is also something you’ll want to avoid.

  • Safety precautions

    Even if you take all the right precautions, it’s still quite possible for you to get a flat tyre due to unfortunate, unseen circumstances. It’s important to remember that if you don’t feel safe or comfortable changing your Vauxhall’s tyre, regardless of your location, then you should get help from a friend, family member or professional.

    Never attempt to change a tyre on a motorway. It’s simply too dangerous. Move to the hard shoulder and call for help.

    What you need when changing your Vauxhall’s tyre

    • Vauxhall space saver wheel
    • Vauxhall locking wheel nut
    • Car jack
    • Screwdriver
    • Cloth to prevent scratches
    • Vauxhall owner’s manual for reference

    Additional handy tools

    • Torch or flashlight in case it’s dark
    • Warning triangle
    • Hi-vis vest
    • Tyre pressure gauge

    Changing your Vauxhall car’s tyre

    If it’s safe to do so, and you feel comfortable changing a tyre, then, first of all, make sure your Vauxhall car is on a firm, level surface so it won’t skid or move.

    Make sure the front wheels are pointing forward and that the handbrake is on. You’ll also want to put the car in gear, so either select first, reserve or P if you’re driving an automatic.

    Finding your Vauxhall’s space saver wheel

    The next thing you’ll need is your Vauxhall space saver wheel. It has a steel rim and will most likely be located in the load compartment of your car’s boot underneath the floor covering.

    Vauxhall space savers are usually secured in place with a wing nut, which you’ll need to undo before removing the wheel. It’s important to remember that the use of temporary spare wheels can affect the drivability of your car, so the wheel will need to be replaced as soon as you can.

    There’s a label on your Vauxhall’s space saver wheel which shows the maximum speed you can go when driving with it on. Remain under this speed to ensure your safety. Directional tyres need to be fitted so they’re rolling in the direction of travel. You can check this by looking at the side of the tyre wall where you’ll find an arrow. Only ever attempt to change one wheel on your Vauxhall at a time.

    Loosening your Vauxhall’s wheel nuts

    Now it’s time to remove your damaged tyre and wheel. If you can’t already see the wheel nut, you’ll need to remove the wheel’s cover with the supplied hook. If the wheel bolts are already visible then you can carry straight on.

    With alloy wheels, it may be necessary to remove the bolt caps with a screwdriver. It’s a good idea to mask the head of the screwdriver in a piece of cloth to prevent damage to the wheel.

    If your Vauxhall wheel has locking wheel bolts, you’ll also need to fetch the key (usually in the glove compartment) and fit this into the wheel wrench before loosening the bolts half a turn each. This makes it easier to remove the bolts once you raise the car.

    Using your Vauxhall car jack

    It’s important to note that not all Vauxhall cars can be jacked up because of a certain sill panelling and doing so could cause damage to the car.

    Once you have loosened all the wheel bolts, you’ll need to raise the vehicle with your jack, usually found with the space saver wheel. Remove any heavy objects from the car, along with passengers and any pets before raising your Vauxhall.

    You’ll find the jacking points on your Vauxhall behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels.

    Once you’ve got the jack to the correct height for your vehicle so it’s resting directly below the jacking points, attach the handle and rotate it slowly and steadily so the car is lifted off the floor.

    Removing your Vauxhall’s wheel

    When the tyre is clear off the ground, take your wheel wrench and finish loosening the bolts. You’ll then be able to slide the wheel completely free. If it doesn’t come straight off, you may need to apply some pressure or give it a sharp knock to dislodge it. However, it’s vital to take care at this point not to destabilise the vehicle and dislodge the jack.

    Installing your Vauxhall space saver wheel

    Once you’ve removed the damaged tyre and wheel, put it to one side and pick up the space saver wheel. Slide the spare wheel on, put the bolts pack on and screw them with your fingers so they’re as tight as you can get them.

    Lower the jack gently to get the car back on the ground, then use the wheel wrench to fully tighten the bolts so the wheel is on securely.

    Putting everything back

    Don’t forget to put back any bolt or wheel covers you took off, as well as putting the jack and locking wheel nut where you found them. Put your damaged tyre in the boot, whilst being careful of any dirt, then make sure to check the tyre pressure of the space saver befre setting off.

    Get a new Vauxhall tyre

    Space saver wheels are only made for use in emergencies so don’t drive around with it on for longer than you have to. Come to your local Pentagon service centre as soon as possible to get your damaged Vauxhall tyre fixed.

    Vauxhall Tyre maintenance

    Keeping up good tyre maintenance habits is essential if you want to avoid damaged, punctured or flat tyres. Regularly check that your Vauxhall’s tyres are correcty inflated. It’s best to check tyre pressure of cold tyres every two weeks and before you go on any long journeys too.

    Make sure that you don’t forget to check the pressure of your space saver wheel, otherwise you face the possiblity of not being able to rely on it in an emergency.

    Poorly inflated tyres increase wear and can lead to internal damage. When checking your Vauxhall’s tyre pressure, inspect the wheel and tyre for other damage, which can be caused by everything from curbs and objects on the road to poor surfaces.

    If you notice a slow puncture, it's vital to get it fixed as soon as you can. If your Vauxhall tyre keeps deflating and being pumped up, the rubber weakens and rips, making it much more susceptible to further damage.

    If you find any cuts, disfigurements or potential damage, then make sure you get a specialist at Pentgon to take a look as soon as possible.

    Get in touch

    The Pentagon Service Centres are here to help should you need any advice with your Vauxhall wheels or tyres. Get in touch or give us a call on 0330 390 6849 to learn more, or book in now!

Notification

If you have a query relating to Discretionary Commission Agreements please email customer.care@pentagon-group.co.uk However, please note that if your query related to a purchase more that 7 years ago we will no longer hold any details due to our data retention policy.

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Representative Finance Example
APR Representative 13.9%
Cash Price £5,995
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1st Monthly Payment £136.55
58 Monthly Payment £136.55
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Duration 60 Months
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