1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE Owners Manual

yellowblue
5-25
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 the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. 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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-26
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need
is in the trunk. Pull the
carpeted mat up from the
floor of the trunk.
Turn the center nut on the compact spare cover
counterclockwise to remove it. Then lift and remove
the cover.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-27
Remove the spare tire. See ªCompact Spare Tireº later
in the Index for more information about the
compact spare.Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the jack and wrench.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-28
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), extension
and protector/guide (B) and wheel wrench (C).
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, remove the plastic nuts and
loosen all of the wheel nuts. Don't remove them yet.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-29
CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal injury and
vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack lift head
into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.
2. Turn the jack handle clockwise to raise the jack lift
head a few inches.
For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the
jack lift head about 8 inches (20 cm) from the rear
edge of the front wheel opening or just behind the
two bolts as shown.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-30
For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack
lift head about 6 inches (15 cm) from the front edge
of the rear wheel opening or just behind the off
-set
as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
3. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the spare tire to fit under the vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-31
4. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
5-32
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6. Place the spare on the wheel mounting surface.
7. Replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each
nut by hand until the
wheel is held against
the hub.
ProCarManuals.com