If a Tire Goes Flat
Your vehicle has no spare tire, no tire changing
equipment and no place to store a tire.
It is unusual for a tire to blow out while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. See
Tires on page 5-51. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much
more likely to leak out slowly. But if you should
ever have a blow out 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 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.
2. Park your vehicle. If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake firmly and put the
shift lever in PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-23for additional information. 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 2-25for additional information.
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the flat tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel or has
damaged sidewalls or large tears that allow rapid
air loss, call a tire repair facility. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6.
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