Chevrolet Spark Owners Manual: If a Tire Goes Flat
This vehicle has a tire sealant and compressor kit. See Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit on page 10-56.
There is no spare tire, no tire changing equipment, and no place to store a tire.
It is unusual for a tire to blow out, especially if the tires are maintained properly. See Tires on page 10-36.
air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out slowly. But if there is ever 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 off the road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may require the same correction as used in a skid. Stop pressing the accelerator pedal and steer to straighten the vehicle. It may be very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake to a stop, well off the road, if possible.
Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been driven on while severely underinflated or flat may cause a blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire that has been driven on while severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized tire service center repair or replace the flat tire as soon as possible.
Warning
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.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level place, well off the road, if possible.
- Turn on the hazard warning flashers. See Hazard Warning Flashers on page 6-3.
- Park the vehicle. Set the parking brake firmly and put the shift lever in P (Park). See Shifting Into Park on page 9-18.
- 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 6 mm (0.25 in), the tire is too severely damaged for the tire sealant and compressor kit to be effective.
If the tire has a puncture less than a 6 mm (0.25 in) in the tread area of the tire, see Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit on page 10-56.
Tire Chains
Warning
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage to the
brakes, suspension, or other vehicle pa ...
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
Warning
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled ...
Other materials:
If a Crash Occurs
If there has been an injury, call emergency services for help. Do not leave the
scene of a crash until all matters have been taken care of.
Move the vehicle only if its position puts you in danger, or you are instructed
to move it by a police officer.
Give only the necessary information to pol ...
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a typical passenger vehicle tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: The United States version of a metric tire sizing
system. The letter P as the first character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle
tire engineered to standards set by the U. ...
Safety Belts
This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also
describes some things not to do with safety belts.
Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly.
In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, injuries can
be ...
