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5-20
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK (P) or shift a manual transmission to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. If you have a four
-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL.
4. Turn off the engine.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
5. Put the wheel blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the
tire on the other side of the vehicle, at
the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Page 273 of 432

yellowblue
5-21 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jacking equipment you'll need is stored along the
driver's side inner rear quarter panel. In some cases, you
may have to remove the spare tire in order to reach the
jack. Your vehicle is also equipped with work gloves
and a plastic ground mat to assist in the changing of a
flat tire.
To remove your jack cover,
pull up on the latch(es) on
the cover. Remove the
wheel blocks, jack and
wheel wrench.
The following instructions explain how to remove
the spare tire, depending on where it is mounted on
your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Never remove or restow a tire from/to a stowage
position under the vehicle while the vehicle is
supported by a jack. Always tighten the tire fully
against the underside of the vehicle when restowing.
To remove the
underbody
-mounted spare,
insert the chisel end of the
wheel wrench, on an angle,
into the hole in the rear
bumper. Be sure the chisel
end of the wheel wrench
connects into the hoist shaft.
Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower the
spare tire. Keep turning the wheel wrench until the spare
tire can be pulled out from under the vehicle.
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5-22
When the tire has been completely lowered, tilt the
retainer at the end of the cable and pull it through the
wheel opening. Pull the tire out from under the vehicle.
NOTICE:
To help avoid vehicle damage, do not drive the
vehicle before the cable is properly stored.
If you have an inside-mounted spare tire, the tire must
be removed in order to have access to the jack storage.
To remove an inside
-mounted spare tire, reach into your
tire's cover and unscrew the wing nut at the center of the
wheel. Remove it and the retainer. Unhook the tire from
the mounting bracket and remove the cover.
To remove a rear
-mounted spare tire, first make sure
that the carrier arm is fully
-latched to the endgate. Then
remove the spare tire cover.
The locking wheel nut can
be removed by snapping the
rubber weather cover off the
face of the lock case.
Insert the key and pull the
lock case straight off. It is
not necessary to turn
the key.
Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
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5-24
If you have individual wheel nut caps that cover each
nut, they must be removed in order to get to the wheel
nuts. Use the socket end of the wheel wrench to remove
the wheel nut caps.
Your wheel nut caps may attach your hub cap to the
wheel. Remove these wheel nut caps before you take off
the hub cap.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.
2. Turn the jack handle clockwise to raise the jack
lift head.
3. Fit the jack into the appropriate hole nearest the
flat tire.
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5-26
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the spare tire
to fit.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
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 rust 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.
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5-28
10. Use the wrench to
tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
CAUTION:
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.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
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.
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5-29
Follow this diagram to store the
underbody
-mounted spare.
A. Retainer
B. Valve Stem
(Pointed Down)
C. Spare or Flat Tire
D. Spring
E. Wheel Wrench
F. Lower
G. Raise
H. Hoist Arm1. Put the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle,
with the valve stem pointed down and to the rear.
2. Pull the retainer through the wheel.
3. Put the chisel end of the wheel wrench, on an angle,
through the hole in the rear bumper and into the hoist
shaft. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise until the tire
is raised against the underside of the vehicle.
You will hear two ªclicksº when the tire is secure,
but pull on the tire to make sure.
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5-30
Follow this diagram for the inside-mounted spare.
A. Spare or Flat Tire
B. Retainer
C. Nut
D. Wheel Carrier
E. HookFollow this diagram for the rear
-mounted spare.
A. Wheel Carrier
B. Spare or Flat Tire
C. Wheel Nut and Locking Nut Cylinder