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.
1
UL
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.
Set the parking brake firmly.
2.
Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in PARK (P) or shift
a
manual
transmission to
FIRST
(1)
or
REVERSE
(R).
3.
Turn off the engine.
4.
Put the wheel 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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