It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving, especially if you maintain your tires properly. See Tires . 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 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 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.
If a tire goes flat, and your vehicle has a compact spare tire, see Changing a Flat Tire . This information shows you how to use your vehicle's tire changing equipment and how to change a flat tire safely.
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 flat 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 flat tire.
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
If your vehicle has a factory installed tire sealant and compressor kit, there is no spare tire, no tire changing equipment and no place to store a tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level place and stopping.
- Turn on the hazard warning flashers. See Hazard Warning Flashers .
- 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 . If your vehicle has a manual transmission, move the shift lever to REVERSE (R) and set the parking brake firmly. See Parking the Vehicle for additional information.
- Turn off the engine.
- Inspect the flat tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel, has damaged sidewalls, or has a puncture larger than a ¼ inch (6 mm), the tire is too severely damaged for the tire sealant and compressor kit to be effective. See Roadside Service .
If the tire has a puncture less than a ¼ inch (6 mm) in the tread area of the tire, see Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit .
