If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to ieak out siowiy.
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, 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
fi hers.
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.
4. Put the wheel 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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Rear Tire Flat: If the flat
tire is on a rear tire of the
vehicle,
you’ll need to
use the jack handle (C)
and both jack handle
extensions
(D). Attach the
wheel wrench to the
jack handle extensions.
Attach the jack handle
to
the jack. Use the
jacking pad provided on
the rear axle.
Rear Position
Turn the wheel wrench clockwise
to raise the vehicle.
Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is
enough room for the spare tire to clear the ground.
4. Remove all the wheel
nuts and take
off the
flat tire.
5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel
bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
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