Abstract: A latch assembly adapted for use with a tire carrier including a wheel plate, and a lock bracket including an aperture and a cable disposed in the aperture and connected to the wheel plate. The latch assembly includes a lock housing, a cable guide adjacent the lock housing and a lock arm adjacent the cable guide member. The lock arm has one end, another end and a cam surface. The one end is pivotally connected to the cable guide member wherein, when another end is moved toward the lock bracket, the cam surface engages the lock bracket to pivot the lock arm to a locked position so that when the cable breaks, the lock arm engages the lock bracket.