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
A
CAUTION:
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.
Put the shift lever in
PARK
(P).
2,
Set
the
parking brake firmly.
3.
lhrn 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.
5-24
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