Rotating tires on a 9th-gen Accord is about as simple as car maintenance gets. Every trim, 2.4 and 3.5 alike, uses M12x1.5 studs with 19 mm lug nuts at 80 ft-lb, and the jack points are the notched pinch-weld seams behind the front wheels and ahead of the rears. Break the nuts loose on the ground, get the car up on stands, and you are looking at under an hour.
The thing people get wrong on this generation is TPMS. Honda used indirect TPMS here, meaning there are no pressure sensors in the wheels, the system infers pressure from wheel speed. Moving tires around changes rolling radii slightly, so you must set pressures and then run the calibration from the TPMS button or the vehicle settings menu. Skip it and the warning light behaves unpredictably. The other common mistake is putting anti-seize on the studs, which effectively over-torques the nuts at the same wrench setting.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Tire pressure gauge Digital or dial, 0-60 psi Check and set pressures before and after rotation (door jamb placard, usually 32-33 psi). | Required | shop |
| Lug nut socket 19 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive, thin-wall Loosens and tightens all 20 lug nuts; thin wall protects alloy wheel finish. | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 18-24 in Break lug nuts loose while the car is on the ground. | Required | shop |
| Wheel lock key Honda/aftermarket keyed socket, used with 19 mm socket Needed on cars fitted with locking lug nuts; usually in the glovebox or trunk tool kit. | Required | shop |
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum, low profile helps on Sport/Touring Lifts the car at the pinch-weld jack points. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair (4 preferred) Supports the car safely while wheels are off. | Required | shop |
| Pinch weld jack pad Slotted rubber puck for floor jack Keeps the jack from bending the Accord's thin pinch-weld seam. | Recommended | shop |
| Wheel chocks Rubber or plastic pair Blocks the wheels remaining on the ground. | Safety | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb range Sets lug nuts to the 80 ft-lb spec in a star pattern. | Required | shop |
| Tread depth gauge 0-1 in / 0-25 mm Confirm tires are within 2/32 in of each other before mixing positions. | Recommended | shop |
| Wire brush Small brass or steel Cleans rust off the hub face so the wheel seats flat. | Recommended | shop |
| Anti-seize or brake grease Thin film on hub center bore only, never on studs or seats Prevents wheels from rusting onto the hub; keep it off the threads and cone seats. | Consumables | shop |
| Air compressor or inflator 12 V portable is fine Top up pressures after rotation before recalibrating TPMS. | Recommended | shop |
| Mechanic's gloves Wheels and brake dust are filthy and edges are sharp. | Safety | shop |
No difference between the 2.4 L K24W and 3.5 L J35Y: both use 19 mm lug nuts at 80 ft-lb. Wheel diameter varies by trim (16 in LX steel, 17 in on most, 18 in EX-L/Touring, 19 in on the 2016-2017 Sport and Touring), which only affects wheel weight and the recommended cold pressure on the door jamb placard.
| Wheel lug nuts (all 2013-2017 Accord) | 80 ft-lb (108 Nm) |
| Lug nut thread size | M12 x 1.5, 19 mm hex |
The 19 mm lug nut size and 80 ft-lb torque are correct for all 2013-2017 Accord trims and both engines; double-check your door jamb placard for tire pressures and your owner's manual for the exact rotation diagram and TPMS calibration menu path, which differs slightly between the base i-MID and the Display Audio systems.
19 mm. Use a 6-point thin-wall socket on a 1/2 in drive to avoid marking alloy wheels. Studs are M12 x 1.5.
80 ft-lb (108 Nm) for all trims and both engines, tightened in a star pattern with the car on the ground. Retorque after about 50-100 miles.
Yes. The 2013-2017 Accord uses indirect TPMS, so after setting cold pressures you must initialize it via the TPMS button or Vehicle Settings > TPMS Calibration. Calibration finishes after roughly 30 minutes of driving above 30 mph.
For standard non-directional tires on this front-wheel-drive car, move the rears to the front on the opposite side and the fronts straight back on the same side. Directional tires stay on the same side, front to rear only.