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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
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 the shift lever in PARK
(P).
3.
Turn 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.
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