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, 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.
I
Chant_ g a tire can cause an injury. The v icle
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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B
For jacking at the vehicle’s front location, put the jack
lift head
(C) about 6 inches (15 cm) from the rear
edge of the front wheel opening
(B) or between the
two bolts
(A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near
you.
a- $.>: .............. .... <,..:.:.:.:+:.:.:.’ -7==.== ..............
For jacking at the vehicle’s rear location, put the jack
lift head
(B) about 5.5 inches (14 cm) from the front edge
of the rear wheel opening
(C) or just behind the
off-set
(A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near
you.
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