
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
243

If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, always use
one of the correct rotation patterns shown
here when rotating your tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure that vent
holes in the inner and outer wheels on each
side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 259. Make certain that
all wheel nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities and Speci cations
on page 393.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When
you change a wheel, remove any rust or
dirt from 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 needed, to get all the rust or dirt
off. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 360.
Dual Rear Wheels
352

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your vehicle’s
tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is
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 would 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.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment
and training. The jack provided with your
vehicle is designed only for changing a
at tire. If it is used for anything else, you
or others could be badly injured or killed
if the vehicle slips off the jack. Use the
jack provided with your vehicle only for
changing a at tire.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use the
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 vehicle’s hazard warning flashers. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 146for more
information.
360

{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over
or fall on you or other people. You and
they could be badly injured or even killed.
Find a level place to change your tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will
not move, you should 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, at the
opposite end of the vehicle.When your vehicle has a flat tire, use the following
example as a guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks.
The following information will tell you next how to
use the jack and change a tire.
361

5. Remove all the
wheel nuts.
6. Take flat tire off of the mounting surface.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts
to which it is fastened, can make the
wheel nuts become loose after time. The
wheel could come off and cause an
accident. When you change a wheel,
remove any rust or dirt from the places
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 needed, to
get all the rust or dirt off.
7. Remove any rust or
dirt from the wheel
bolts, mounting
surfaces and
spare wheel.
369

Safety Belts (cont.)
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy............. 32
Safety Belts Are for Everyone.................... 17
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster.................... 31
Safety Warnings and Symbols......................... 4
Scheduled Maintenance............................... 399
Seats
Manual........................................................ 9
Power Seat................................................ 10
Rear Seat Operation.................................. 13
Reclining Seatbacks................................... 10
Secondary Latch System............................. 371
Securing a Child Restraint
Center Seat Position.................................. 66
Rear Outside Seat Position or the
Second Row Center Seat Position.......... 63
Right Front Seat Position.................... 68, 72
Security Light.............................................. 183
Service........................................................ 286
Accessories and Modifications.................. 286
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle......................................... 287
California Proposition 65 Warning............. 286
Doing Your Own Work............................. 287
Engine Soon Light................................... 178
Publications Ordering Information............. 437Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle......... 96
Setting the Time
Radios with Radio Data
Systems (RDS)..................................... 189
Radios without Radio Data
Systems (RDS)..................................... 188
Sheet Metal Damage................................... 383
Shifting Into Park (P)................................... 129
Shifting Out of Park (P)............................... 130
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster........................ 31
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change.................. 148
Sliding Side Door........................................ 111
Spare Tire................................................... 376
Installing.................................................. 365
Removing................................................ 362
Storing..................................................... 375
Specifications, Capacities............................ 393
Speedometer............................................... 168
StabiliTrak
®System..................................... 235
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light........................... 177
StabiliTrak®Not Ready Light........................ 177
Starting Your Engine................................... 122
Steering...................................................... 239
Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel.......................... 147
Storage Areas............................................. 139
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow............... 258
450

Sun Visors.................................................. 119
Swing-Out Side Door, 60/40........................ 112
Swing-Out Windows.................................... 118
T
Taillamps..................................................... 337
Theft-Deterrent, Radio................................. 223
Theft-Deterrent Systems.............................. 119
Passlock
®................................................ 119
Tilt Wheel.................................................... 147
Tires........................................................... 340
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning..................... 382
Buying New Tires..................................... 353
Chains..................................................... 359
Changing a Flat Tire................................ 360
Cleaning.................................................. 383
Different Size........................................... 355
Dual Tire Operation.................................. 350
If a Tire Goes Flat................................... 360
Inflation - Tire Pressure............................ 348
Inspection and Rotation............................ 351
Installing the Spare Tire........................... 365
Removing the Flat Tire............................. 365
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools......... 362
Secondary Latch System......................... 371
Spare Tire................................................ 376Tires (cont.)
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools......... 375
Tire Sidewall Labeling .............................. 341
Tire Terminology and Definitions............... 345
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................... 356
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance........... 357
Wheel Replacement................................. 357
When It Is Time for New Tires................. 353
Tow/Haul Mode Light................................... 185
Towing
Recreational Vehicle................................. 264
Towing a Trailer....................................... 266
Your Vehicle............................................. 264
Traction
StabiliTrak
®System................................. 235
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic....................................... 303
Transmission Operation, Automatic.............. 125
Trip Odometer............................................. 168
Turn and Lane-Change Signals................... 148
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.................... 147
U
Understanding Radio Reception................... 224
Uniform Tire Quality Grading....................... 356
451