Cadillac 2005 CTS, Owner'S Manual

Page: 355 / 436

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to “blowout” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. See
Tires on page 5-54. 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, and your vehicle has a spare tire,
see
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-76. 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.
The jack provided with your vehicle 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. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a flat tire.
5-75