If a Tire Goes Flat It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is 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 at tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
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 would
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. { CAUTION: Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and training. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a at tire. If it is used for anything else,
you or others could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, only use it for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire 1. Do a safety check before proceeding. See Changing
a Flat Tire on page 6-78 for more information.
2. To remove the center cap, place the chiseled end
of the wheel wrench in the slot on the wheel and
gently pry the cap out.
3. Use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to loosen
the wheel nuts. Do not remove the wheel nuts yet. A. Front Position
B. Rear Position Jacking Locations (Overall View)
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Rear Tire Flat: If the at tire is on a rear tire of the
vehicle, you will need to use the jack handle (B) and
both jack handle extensions (C). Attach the wheel
wrench (D) to the jack handle extensions (C). Attach
the jack handle (B) to the jack (A). Use the jacking
pad (E) provided on the rear axle. Turn the wheel
wrench (D) clockwise to raise the vehicle. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough
room for the spare tire to clear the ground. 5. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.
6. Take off the at tire.
Rear Position
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