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 at tire creates 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.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and training. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, it 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. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, only use it for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
To remove the at tire and install the spare:
1. Do a safety check before proceeding. SeeChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-74for more information.
2. Loosen the wheel nuts, but do not remove them
yet, using the wheel wrench. Turn the handle
about 180 degrees, then ip the handle back to the
starting position. This avoids taking the wrench
off the lug nut for each turn.3. Find the jacking location using the V–shaped
notches located in the plastic molding.
4. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack.
{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.
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