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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 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.
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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.Jack placement for a front tire
The diagram shows you where you should place
your jack to change a front tire. Use the bolts (A) as
a guide when positioning the jack lift head (C) near
the rear edge of the front wheel opening (B).
For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the
jack lift about 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) from the rear
edge of the front wheel opening in the cutout of the
rocker panel molding.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
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Jack placement for a rear tire
The diagram shows you where to place your jack to
change a rear tire. Use the notch (B) as a guide when
positioning the jack lift head (A) near the front edge
of the rear wheel opening (C).
For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack
lift head about 4 inches (10 cm) from the front edge
of the rear wheel opening in the cutout of the rocker
panel molding.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
2. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the compact spare tire to fit underneath
the wheel well of the vehicle. Remove all wheel nuts
and take off the flat tire.
