Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº 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 ªblowout,º 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, and 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.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in PARK (P) or shift a manual
transmission to FIRST (1) or
REVERSE (R).
3. If you have a four
-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-19
JE±15±0002±X
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
JE±15±0013±X
The jacking equipment you'll need is stored in the
luggage compartment on the driver's side of the vehicle.
Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-20
JE±15±0029±X
To open the jacking tool
storage compartment, turn
the knob counterclockwise.
JE±15±0014±X
Turn the jack screw to
remove the jack from the
clamps. If the screw is too
tight, use the jack handle to
loosen it.
JE±15±1105±T
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), jack
handle (B) and wheel wrench (C).
