1997 Buick Century Owner's Manual - Page 251

If a Tire Goes Flat It's unusual for atire to "blow out" while you're driving, especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly. a But if you should ever have a "blowout," here are few tips about what to expect and what to do: If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a dragthat 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. Changing a Flat Tire If a tire goes flat, avoid further and wheel damage tire by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard warning flashers. A CAC ,,.IN: Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle roll can slipoff the jack and over you or other people. You and they could be badly injured. To Find a level place to change your tire. help prevent the vehicle from moving: 1. Set the parking brake firmly. 2 Put the shift lever in . PARK (P). 3. Turn off the engine. To be even more certain thevehicle won't move, you can put blocks at the front and of the rear tire farthest away from the one being changed. That would be the tire on the other side of the vehicle, at the opposite end. A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, actsmuch 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, thenext part shows how to use your jacking equipment to change a flat tiresafely. 5-25