If
a Tire Goes Flat
Changing
a
Flat Tire
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.
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.
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.
I’urn
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.
5-27
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