If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your tires properly.
SeeTires on page 5-49. 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 at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
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.If a tire goes at, and your vehicle has a compact
spare tire, seeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-84.
This information shows you how to use your vehicle’s
tire changing equipment and how to change a at
tire safely.
{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.
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Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
If your vehicle has a factory installed tire sealant and
compressor kit, there is no spare tire, no tire changing
equipment and no place to store a tire.
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place and stopping.
1. Turn on the hazard warning ashers. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
2. Park your vehicle. Set the parking brake rmly and
put the shift lever in PARK (P). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 2-35.
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the at tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel, has
damaged sidewalls, or has a puncture larger than a
1 4inch (6 mm), the tire is too severely damaged for
the tire sealant and compressor kit to be effective.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-7.
If the tire has a puncture less than a
1 4inch (6 mm)
in the tread area of the tire, seeTire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 5-73.
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire sealant and
compressor kit that is capable of temporarily sealing
a puncture up to a
1 4inch (6 mm) in the tread area
of the tire. The kit in ates with liquid sealant and air.
The tire sealant and compressor kit can also be used
to in ate an underin ated tire. After the tire is in ated
to the recommended pressure, seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-56, the vehicle must be driven
for ve miles (8 km) to distribute the sealant in the
tire and seal the puncture. See “Using the Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit to Temporarily Seal
and In ate a Punctured Tire” later in this section.
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