If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out’’ while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here
are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road
if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
The equipment you’ll need is in the trunk.
1. Turn the center retainer nut on the compact spare tire
housing counterclockwise to remove it, then lift the
tire cover. You will find the jacking instructions label
on the underside of the tire cover,
2. Remove the wing bolt securing the compact spare
tire and spacer by turning it counterclockwise. Then
lift
off the spacer and remove the spare tire.
3. The jack and the wheel wrench are stored in a foam
tray by the compact spare tire.
a few inches.
4. Turn the jack handle clockwise to raise the jack head
5. Using the wheel wrench, remove the plastic cap nuts
(if your vehicle has them) and loosen all the wheel
nuts. Don’t remove them yet.
On some models, a cover plate must be removed to
find the wheel nuts. Carefully use the wedge end
of
the wheel wrench to pry it off.
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