A rear blow out, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require the same correction you
would use in a skid. In any rear blow out, 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, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place and stopping.
Then do this:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
2. Park your vehicle. If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake firmly and put
the shift lever in PARK (P). See Shifting Into
PARK (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 2-25.
If your vehicle has a manual transmission, move
the shift lever to REVERSE (R) and set the parking
brake firmly. See Parking Your Vehicle (Manual
Transmission) on page 2-27 for additional
information.
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the flat tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel, has
damaged sidewalls, or has a puncture larger than a
1
⁄
4
inch (6 mm), the tire is too severely damaged for
the tire sealant and compressor kit to be effective.
See Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-7.
If the tire has a puncture less than a
1
⁄
4
inch (6 mm)
in the tread area of the tire, see Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 5-74.
5-73