2024+ 4th Gen Tacoma - How to Change a Flat Tire

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2024+ Tacoma - How to Change a Flat Tire​

This thread consolidates the information from pages 585-594 and 620 of your owner's manual into a complete, step-by-step guide for changing a flat tire on your 4th Gen Tacoma. This includes tool locations, jack placement, proper procedures, torque specifications, and temporary spare tire limitations.

Safety Precautions (From Owner's Manual)​

WARNING: If you have a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a flat tire can damage the tire and the wheel beyond repair, which could result in an accident.
Source: Page 585

Using the Tire Jack​

WARNING: Using the tire jack
Observe the following precautions.
Improper use of the tire jack may cause the vehicle to suddenly fall off the jack, leading to death or serious injury.

• Do not use the tire jack for any purpose other than replacing tires or installing and removing tire chains.
• Only use the tire jack that comes with this vehicle for replacing a flat tire. Do not use it on other vehicles, and do not use other tire jacks for replacing tires on this vehicle.
• Put the jack properly in its jack point.
• Do not put any part of your body under the vehicle while it is supported by the jack.
• Do not start the engine or drive the vehicle while the vehicle is supported by the jack.
• Do not raise the vehicle while someone is inside.
• When raising the vehicle, do not put an object on or under the jack.
• Do not raise the vehicle to a height greater than that required to replace the tire.
• Use a jack stand if it is necessary to get under the vehicle.
• When lowering the vehicle, make sure that there is no-one near the vehicle. If there are people nearby, warn them vocally before lowering.

Using the jack handle:
Insert the square head securely until you hear a click to prevent the extension parts from coming apart unexpectedly.
Source: Page 586

Replacing a Flat Tire​

WARNING: Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in serious injury:

• Lower the spare tire completely to the ground before removing it from under the vehicle.
• Do not try to remove the wheel ornament by hand. Take due care in handling the ornament to avoid unexpected personal injury.
• Do not touch the disc wheels or the area around the brakes immediately after the vehicle has been driven. After the vehicle has been driven the disc wheels and the area around the brakes will be extremely hot. Touching these areas with hands, feet or other body parts while changing a tire, etc., may result in burns.

Failure to follow these precautions could cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the tire to fall off, resulting in death or serious injury:

• Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts. Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened, leading to bolt or disc wheel damage. Remove any oil or grease that has adhered when installing the wheel nuts.
• After replacing a tire, check the tightening torque as soon as possible. Steel wheel: 154 ft-lbf (209 N-m, 21.3 kgf-m). Aluminum wheel: 97 ft-lbf (131 N-m, 13.4 kgf-m)
• When installing a tire, only use wheel nuts that have been specifically designed for that wheel.
• Retighten the wheel nuts within 100 miles (160 km) of driving.
• If there are any cracks or deformations in the bolt screws, nut threads or bolt holes of the wheel, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.
• Do not attach a heavily damaged wheel ornament, as it may fly off the wheel while the vehicle is moving.
• When installing the wheel nuts, be sure to install them with the tapered ends facing inward.

Source: Pages 590-591

WARNING: Stowing the flat tire
Failure to follow steps listed under stowing the tire may result in damage to the spare tire carrier and loss of the tire, which could result in serious injury or death.
Source: Page 592

WARNING: When using the temporary spare tire

• Remember that the temporary spare tire provided is specifically designed for use with your vehicle. Do not use your temporary spare tire on another vehicle.
• Do not use more than one temporary spare tires simultaneously.
• Replace the temporary spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possible.
• Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shifting operations that cause sudden engine braking.

Source: Page 594

NOTICE: When using a wheel lock key (if equipped)
Do not use an impact wrench. Using an impact wrench may cause permanent damage to wheel lock nut and wheel lock key. If in doubt about wheel lock application, contact your Toyota dealer.
Source: Page 587

Complete Tire Change Procedure​

Prerequisites​

Before You Begin:

• Safe, level location with hard, flat surface
• Parking brake engaged
• Emergency flashers activated
• Estimated time: 20-30 minutes (experienced), 45+ minutes (first-timers)
• Skill level: Beginner-friendly

Tools Included with Vehicle:

• Scissors jack (specific to your Tacoma)
• Jack handle with extension
• Lug wrench
• Wheel lock key (if equipped, stored in glove box)
• Temporary spare tire (under truck bed)

STEP 1: Vehicle Preparation and Safety Setup​

1.1 Position Your Vehicle Safely (Page 585)
Stop the vehicle in a safe place on a hard, flat surface. Avoid soft ground, slopes, or gravel that could cause the jack to sink or shift.

1.2 Secure the Vehicle

• Set the parking brake
• Shift to P (automatic transmission) or R (manual transmission)
• Stop the engine
• Turn on emergency flashers

1.3 Chock the Tires (Page 589)

Position wheel chocks according to which tire is flat:

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TH]Flat Tire Location[/TH]
[TH]Chock Position[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Front left-hand side[/TD]
[TD]Behind the rear right-hand side tire[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Front right-hand side[/TD]
[TD]Behind the rear left-hand side tire[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rear left-hand side[/TD]
[TD]In front of the front right-hand side tire[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rear right-hand side[/TD]
[TD]In front of the front left-hand side tire[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

STEP 2: Access Jack, Tools, and Spare Tire​

The 4th Gen Tacoma has two different tool storage configurations depending on whether your truck has rear seats.

FOR VEHICLES WITHOUT REAR SEATS (Pages 585, 587-588):

1. Turn the knob counterclockwise
2. Open the lid
3. Unhook the tightening strap and take out the tool bag
4. Unhook the tightening strap and take out the jack

FOR VEHICLES WITH REAR SEATS (Pages 586, 588):

1. Fold the head restraint
2. Pull the strap and fold down the seatback
3. Loosen and remove the jack
4. Unhook the tightening strap and take out the tool bag

Lowering the Spare Tire (Page 589):

1. Assemble the jack handle extension
2. Insert the end of the jack handle extension into the lowering screw and turn it counterclockwise
3. After the tire is lowered completely to the ground, remove the holding bracket

STEP 3: Loosen Wheel Nuts​

Before jacking the vehicle, slightly loosen the wheel nuts while the tire is still on the ground. This prevents the wheel from spinning when you try to loosen nuts with the vehicle raised.

Standard Wheel Nuts (Page 589):
Loosen each wheel nut one turn (approximately). Do NOT remove completely yet.

Wheel Lock Nuts (if equipped) (Pages 586-587):

For ease of removal, the wheel lock nut should always be the first one loosened.

1. Locate wheel lock key in glove box (stored there per manual, page 586)
2. Place the wheel lock key on top of the wheel lock nut, turning until patterns engage
3. Place the wheel nut wrench on the wheel lock key
4. While applying pressure on the wheel lock key, loosen the wheel lock nut one turn

STEP 4: Position and Raise the Jack​

4.1 Assemble Jack Handle (Page 590)
Assemble the jack handle extension as shown in the manual diagram. Insert the square head securely until you hear a click to prevent the extension parts from coming apart unexpectedly.

4.2 Locate Jack Points (Page 590)

Your 4th Gen Tacoma has specific jack points front and rear. Do NOT jack from any other location.

Front Jack Points:
Position the jack at the correct jack point as shown in the manual.

Rear Jack Points:
When positioning the jack under the rear axle housing, make sure the groove on the top of the jack fits with the rear axle housing.

4.3 Raise the Vehicle (Page 590)
Make sure the jack is positioned on a level and solid place.

Raise the vehicle until the tire is slightly raised off the ground—just enough clearance to remove the flat tire and install the spare.

STEP 5: Remove the Flat Tire​

5.1 Remove Wheel Nuts (Page 590)
Remove all the wheel nuts and set them aside in a safe place where they won't roll away.

5.2 Remove the Tire
Pull the tire straight toward you to remove it from the hub.

When resting the tire on the ground, place the tire so that the wheel design faces up to avoid scratching the wheel surface.

STEP 6: Install the Spare Tire​

6.1 Clean the Wheel Contact Surface (Page 591)

Remove any dirt or foreign matter from the wheel contact surface.

This step is CRITICAL: If foreign matter is on the wheel contact surface, the wheel nuts may loosen while the vehicle is in motion, causing the tire to come off.

6.2 Mount the Spare Tire (Page 591)
Install the spare tire and loosely tighten each wheel nut by hand by approximately the same amount.

Different wheel types require different tightening approaches:

• When replacing a steel wheel with a steel wheel (including a compact spare tire): Tighten the wheel nuts until the tapered portion comes into loose contact with the disc wheel seat.
• When replacing an aluminum wheel with a steel wheel (compact spare): Tighten the nuts until the tapered portion comes into loose contact with the disc wheel seat.
• When replacing an aluminum wheel with a spare aluminum wheel: Tighten the nuts until the washer of the nut comes into loose contact with the disc wheel.

STEP 7: Lower Vehicle and Final Tightening​

7.1 Lower the Vehicle (Page 592)
Slowly lower the jack until the tire is firmly on the ground and the vehicle's full weight is on the tire.

7.2 Tighten Wheel Nuts to Specification (Page 592)

Securely tighten the wheel nuts two or three times in the order shown in the illustration using a wheel nut wrench.

Star Pattern Tightening:
Tighten in a crisscross (star) pattern to ensure even seating: 1 → 4 → 2 → 5 → 3
Repeat the pattern 2-3 times.

Tightening Torque Specifications:

• Steel wheel: 154 ft-lbf (209 N-m, 21.3 kgf-m)
• Aluminum wheel: 97 ft-lbf (131 N-m, 13.4 kgf-m)

After replacing a tire, check the tightening torque as soon as possible.

7.3 Wheel Lock Nut Installation (if equipped) (Page 587)

For ease of installation, the wheel lock nut should always be the last one tightened.

1. By hand, install a wheel lock nut on each wheel
2. Place the wheel lock key on top of the wheel lock nut, turning until patterns engage
3. Place the wheel nut wrench on the wheel lock key
4. While applying pressure on the wheel lock key, tighten the wheel lock nut to the recommended torque

STEP 8: Stow the Flat Tire​

8.1 Position and Secure (Pages 592-593)

1. Lay down the tire with the valve stem facing up and install the holding bracket
2. Turn the jack handle extension clockwise to take up slack in the chain
3. Check to ensure the holding bracket is centered in the wheel hub
4. While raising, secure the tire, taking care that the tire goes straight up without catching on any surrounding part

Tightening Torque for Tire Carrier: 34.7 ft-lbf (46.6 N-m, 4.8 kgf-m)

8.2 Verify Secure Attachment (Page 593)
Confirm it is not loose after tightening:

1. Push and pull the tire
2. Try rotating

Visually check to ensure tire is not hung on surrounding parts.
If looseness or misassembly exists, repeat the lowering and raising procedure.

STEP 9: Stow Tools and Jack (Page 593)​

Stow the tools and jack securely in their original locations. Installation is the exact reverse of removal.

STEP 10: Post-Tire Change Requirements​

10.1 TPMS Reset Required (Page 593)
After completing the tire change, the tire pressure warning system must be reset. (See page 537 for reset procedure)

10.2 Retighten Wheel Nuts (Pages 591, 592)
Critical Safety Step:
Retighten the wheel nuts within 100 miles (160 km) of driving.

Use a torque wrench to verify:

• Steel wheel: 154 ft-lbf
• Aluminum wheel: 97 ft-lbf

Temporary Spare Tire Limitations​

Temporary Spare Identification (Page 593)​

Your vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare tire that may be a different size, tread type, and/or manufacturer from the ground tires installed on your vehicle.

The temporary spare tire is identified by the "TEMPORARY USE ONLY" marking on the disc wheel and/or tire sidewall.

Use the temporary spare tire temporarily, and only in an emergency.

Tire Pressure for Temporary Spare (Pages 594, 620)​

Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure of the temporary spare tire before use.

Spare Tire Pressures by Type:

• Type A (17-inch with compact spare T175/90D18): 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Type B (17-inch with full-size spare 245/70R17): Same as standard tire pressure — 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Type C (17-inch with spare 245/75R17): 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm² or bar) — different from main tire pressure (30 psi)

TPMS Limitation with Spare Tire (Page 594)​

As the temporary spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter, low inflation pressure of the spare tire will not be indicated by the tire pressure warning system. Also, if you replace the temporary spare tire after the tire pressure warning light comes on, the light remains on.

Systems Affected When Spare Tire Attached (Page 594)​

IMPORTANT: The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected when the spare tire is attached, and the following systems may not operate correctly:

• ABS & Brake assist
• VSC
• TRAC
• AUTO LSD (if equipped)
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)
• AHB (Automatic High Beam)
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
• LDA (Lane Departure Alert)
• Dynamic radar cruise control
• Cruise control
• EPS
• Trailer Sway Control
• Tire pressure warning system
• BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if equipped)
• RSA (Road Sign Assist) (if equipped)
• Panoramic view monitor (if equipped)
• Multi-terrain Monitor (if equipped)
• Toyota parking assist monitor (if equipped)
• Intuitive parking assist (if equipped)
• PKSB (Parking Support Brake) (if equipped)
• RCTA (Rear Crossing Traffic Alert) (if equipped)

Special Procedure: Flat Rear Tire on Snow/Ice (Page 594)​

If you have a flat rear tire on a road covered with snow or ice, install the temporary spare tire on one of the front wheels. Then fit tire chains to the rear tires:

1. Replace a front tire with the temporary spare tire
2. Replace the flat rear tire with the tire removed from the front of the vehicle
3. Fit tire chains to the rear tires

Specifications (Page 620)​

Tire Sizes and Pressures by Type​

17-inch tires (Type A):

• Tire size: 245/70R17 110T
• Spare: T175/90D18 111M (temporary spare)
• Tire inflation pressure: 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Spare pressure: 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Wheel size: 17 × 7J
• Spare wheel size: 18 × 4.5T
• Wheel nut torque: 97 ft-lbf (131 N-m, 13.4 kgf-m)

17-inch tires (Type B):

• Tire size: 245/70R17 110T
• Spare: 245/70R17 110T (full-size spare)
• Tire inflation pressure: 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Wheel size: 17 × 7J
• Spare wheel size: 17 × 7J
• Wheel nut torque: Steel wheels: 154 ft-lbf (209 N-m, 21.3 kgf-m) / Aluminum wheels: 97 ft-lbf (131 N-m, 13.4 kgf-m)

17-inch tires (Type C):

• Tire size: 265/70R17 115T
• Spare: 245/75R17 112S
• Tire inflation pressure: 30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Spare pressure: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm² or bar)
• Wheel size: 17 × 7 1/2 J
• Spare wheel size: 17 × 7J
• Wheel nut torque: Steel wheels: 154 ft-lbf (209 N-m, 21.3 kgf-m) / Aluminum wheels: 97 ft-lbf (131 N-m, 13.4 kgf-m)

Pro Tips from the 4th Gen Community​

Spare Tire Valve Stem Orientation
The spare tire valve stem should point OUT from under the vehicle. If you can't see the valve stem when the spare is stowed, the tire is mounted backwards and won't be properly secured.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Find a Truly Safe Location
Pull completely off the road onto a hard, flat surface. Avoid soft ground (dirt, gravel, grass) where the jack will sink and avoid inclines where the vehicle may roll or slip off the jack.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Jack Point Visual Markers
Look for the small notch or mark near the wheel that indicates the proper jack point. On the 4th Gen Tacoma, these are visible reinforcements in the frame rail (front) and the shaped jack contact area on the rear axle housing. For the 4th gen, the front jack point is the cross member not far behind where the oil filter is.
Source: Tacoma4G.com

Test Drive After Tire Change
Take a short test drive after the tire change to listen for noises, vibrations, or anything that feels off. This allows early detection of improperly seated wheels or other installation issues.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Check Spare Tire Pressure Before You Need It
Many 4th Gen Tacomas are delivered with tires overinflated due to shipping. Check your spare tire pressure now (60 psi for compact spare, 30-35 psi for full-size) so you're not surprised roadside.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Common Mistakes to Avoid​

Jacking from Unsafe Points
Using the wrong jack point can bend body panels, cause the jack to slip, or damage the frame rail. The proper jack points are indicated by small notches or marks near the wheel.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Skipping the Hub Cleaning Step
Foreign matter on the wheel contact surface creates an uneven mounting plane. As the vehicle drives and vibrates, the wheel nuts can gradually loosen, and in extreme cases, the tire can separate from the vehicle while driving.
Source: 4GTaco.com, Yotatech.com

Forgetting TPMS Reset
After a tire change, the tire pressure warning system must be reset. Many owners drive for weeks with the TPMS light on because they forgot this step.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Not Retightening Within 100 Miles
The nuts can settle after initial installation, and failure to retighten can lead to loose wheels. This critical safety step only takes 5 minutes with a torque wrench.
Source: 4GTaco.com

Using Steel Wheel Torque on Aluminum Wheels
Steel wheels use higher torque specs (154 ft-lbf) than aluminum wheels (97 ft-lbf). Using steel wheel torque on aluminum wheels can crack the wheel or damage wheel stud threads.
Source: Yotatech.com

Manual Pages Reference​

Primary manual pages covered in this thread:
Pages 585-594 (tire change procedure, tool access, spare tire handling)
Page 620 (tire specifications and pressures)

For complete details, always refer to your vehicle's owner's manual.

Source Attribution​

Official Toyota Manual Sources:
2024+ Toyota Tacoma (4th Gen) Owner's Manual - Pages 585-594, 620

Community Sources:

• 4GTaco.com (4th Gen Tacoma Forum)
• 4thgentacoma.com (4th Gen Tacoma Forum)
• Tacoma4G.com (4th Gen Tacoma Forum)
• Yotatech.com (Toyota Technical Site)

Disclaimer:
This thread combines official Toyota owner's manual information with community insights from 4th Gen Tacoma forums. Safety warnings are reproduced verbatim from the official manual. Always verify specifications and procedures against your specific vehicle's owner's manual. The information provided is for educational purposes. For warranty-related work or complex repairs, consult an authorized Toyota dealer.