1996 PONTIAC PONTIAC spare wheel

If your vehicle ha
the wheel wrench S‘
If there is a wheel cover, Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
loosen the plastic nut caps Spare Tire
with the wheel wrench.
They won’t come
off. Then,
using the flat end
of the
wheel wrench, pry along the
edge of the cover until it
comes
off. Be careful; the
edges may
be sharp. Don’t
try to remove the cover with
your bare hands.
wheel nut
caps, remove them using
I
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
2. Turn the jack bandle clockwise to raise the jack lift
Don’t remove them yet.
head a few inches.
5-26
ProCarManuals.com

4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the
ground
for the spare tire to fit under the vehicle.
5. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
A CAUTION:
3'LO -
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose
after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause
an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rnst
or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
ProCarManuals.com

9. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence
as shown.
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
'
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure
to use the correct wheel nuts. If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as,you can and have
the nuts tightened with
a torque wrench to
100 lb-ft (140'N.m).
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and
to the proper
torque specification.
Don't
try to put the wheel cover on your compact spare
tire.
It won't fit. Store the wheel cover in the trunk until
you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
I NOTICE:
Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare,
you could damage the cover or the spare.
ProCarManuals.com

Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury.
In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
After you’ve put the compact spare tire on your vehicle,
you’ll need to store the flat tire in your trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
Put the flat tire in the trunk so the side that faces out
when it is on the vehicle is facing down. The full-size
tire will not fit down into the well. Place it
so the front is
in the well and the rear is out
of the well.
I
Put the bolt through one of the wheel nut holes, install
the retainer over the bolt, then install the wing nut. Put
the spacer and nut next to the tire in the well. Store the
cover as far forward as possible.
5-31
ProCarManuals.com

Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check, the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa). ’
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire
is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish your trip and have your full-size
tire repaired or
replaced where you want.
Of course, it’s best to replace
your spare with
a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your
spare will last longer and be in good shape in case you
need
it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
’ guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the
tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle.and can damage
the chains
too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
5-33
ProCarManuals.com

When to Check.
Check your tires once a month or more. ~
Don? forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 @a).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires awproperly inflated
simply
by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation I
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(1.0 000 to 13 000 Ian) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
pos-sible and check wheel alignment.
Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for
New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. The
purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
. ,. ...
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
.L ., !. . ’ I I. .( ’ ’
6-50
ProCarManuals.com

Buying New Tires
To find out what lund and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information.labe1.
The tires installed on your vehicle w
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification ("PC Spec)
number on each .tire's sidewall. When you get
new tires,
get ones with that same
TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal sen;ice on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the
TPC number will be followed by an "MS" '
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with tho'se not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If ,you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires
on all wheels. ,( ' . ; I :* ' '.i i.!;:; i
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
.. i- 4 . .. .-
6-52
ProCarManuals.com

Specifications and Capacities .......... ... 6-73
Specifications. Engine
........................... 6-74
Speech Impaired. Customer Assistance
............... 8-4
Speedometer
................................... 2-45
SRS
......................................... 1-23
Starter Switch Check
.......................... 7-38
Starting Your Engine
............................. 2- 11
Steam
........................................ 5- 12
Steering
....................................... 4-9
Column
Lock Check .......................... 7-39
In Emergencies
............................... 4-10
Power
....................................... 4-9
Tips
......................................... 4-9
Variable Assist
........ ; ....................... 4-9
Wheel, Tilt
................................... 2-26
Wheel Touch Controls
......................... 3 -2 1
Storage Compartments
........................... 2-38
Storage, Vehicle
................................. 6-30
Stuck
In Sand. Mud, Ice or Snow .................. 5-34
SunVisors .................................... 2-41
Supplemental Restraint System
.................... 1-23
Sustained Interior Illumination
.................... 2-34
Symbols. Vehicle
.................................. v
Tachometer .................................. 2-45
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
....................... 6-46
Tapeplayercare
............................... 3-23
Temperature
Knob, Climate Control System ........... 3-1
Theft-Deterrent Feature,
CD Player ................ 3- 19
Theft
.......................................... 2-8
Stains. Cleaning
.......... ........... 6-57
Sunroof ....................................... 2-42
THEFTLOCK
............. ......... 3-19
Thermostat .................................... 6-24
Third Gear. Automatic Transaxle
................... 2-16
Tilt Steering Wheel
............................. 2-26
Time. Setting the
................................ 3-5
Tire Chains .................................... 6-56
Tire Loading
................... ......... 4-28
Tire-Loading Information Label
................... 4-28
Tires
......................................... 6-48
Alignment and Balance ........................ 6-54
Buying New
................................. 6-52
Chains
........... ................... 6-56
Changing
a Flat .............................. 5-23
Cleaning
.................................... 6-62
Compact Spare
............................... 5-33
Inflation
..................................... 6-49
Inflation Check
............................... 7-36
Inspection and Rotation
........................ 6-50
Loading
.... ................................. 4-28
Pressure ..................................... 6-49
Temperature ................................. 6-54
Traction
.................................... 6-53
Treadwear
................................... 6-53
Uniform Quality Grading
....................... 6-53
Wear Indicators
.............................. 6-51
Wheel Replacement
............................ 6-54
When It’s Time for New . . ....... .... 6-51
TopStrap
..................................... 1-45
Torque Lock
................................. ., .. 2-22
Torque, Wheel Nut
.............................. 5-30
TowingaTrailer
................................ 4-30
Towing Your Vehicle
............................. 5-7
c-
ProCarManuals.com