How to Remove the Spare Tire of a Kia K5?
3 Answers
Open the trunk lid, lift up the trunk mat, first take out the onboard tools, then use your hand to forcefully rotate the tire-fixing screw counterclockwise to remove it, and then lift out the spare tire. Below are the steps for replacing the spare tire: 1. First, use the lug wrench to loosen all the nuts on the wheel hub, then place the jack on the side of the tire that needs to be replaced. Turn the jack handle to lift the vehicle until the tire is off the ground. 2. Then remove all the nuts from the wheel hub and take off the tire. After removal, place half of the damaged tire under the vehicle, leaving part of it outside (this is to ensure safety during the tire change. If the jack slips or other accidents cause the vehicle to suddenly drop, this measure can ensure safety and minimize vehicle damage). 3. Install the spare tire and tighten the nuts in a diagonal pattern. Tighten all the nuts diagonally with force, then remove the tire from under the vehicle and lower the jack to take it out. Then tighten the nuts forcefully until they can't be turned anymore to ensure driving safety. 4. Place the replaced tire back into the spare tire position in the trunk and tighten the fixing screw clockwise, or simply place it directly in the trunk.
As a long-time K5 owner, I can tell you the spare tire is stored under the trunk floor panel. First lift the trunk floor cover to reveal a central plastic cover with a hole. Use the provided hook tool or small key to pry open this cover, which hides the spare tire retaining bolt. Loosen this large bolt by turning it clockwise – it requires some force but don't overdo it; use the provided cross wrench socket. Remember to position the jack at the designated chassis jacking point before changing tires, otherwise the suspended spare will be hard to remove. The temporary spare is very thin – don't exceed 50 mph (80 km/h), and I recommend replacing it with a regular tire as soon as possible.
Last time I helped my wife change the spare tire on her K5, I found the design quite clever. Crawl into the trunk and pry open the floorboard - there's a fixed bolt under the circular cover in the middle. Find the black L-shaped wrench in the toolkit and turn the bolt counterclockwise until it stops. Note that the bolt is connected to a soft strap - when you pull it up, the spare tire will pop up. Don't rush at this point - first remove the foam blocks on both sides of the trunk. The sidewall of the spare tire is thinner than a water bottle, so get to a repair shop for tire patching within a week of temporary use.
