2000 CADILLAC CATERA spare tire

5-21 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is in the trunk. On the
driver's side of the trunk is the spare tire. Pull the
fasteners on the spare tire cover to access the tire.
Unbuckle the tire and lift it up to remove it from
the trunk.

5-23
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), the wheel
wrench (B) and the screwdriver (C).
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Use the flat end of the screwdriver to pry off the
five black plastic wheel bolt caps. Be careful not to
scratch the wheel edge.

5-26
CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal injury and
vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack lift head
into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.6. 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.
7. Remove all wheel bolts and take off the flat tire.

5-29
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel bolts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
bolts 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.
After you've put the spare tire on your vehicle, you'll
need to store the flat tire in the trunk. Use the following
procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
Put the flat tire in the trunk where the spare is stored
(driver's side wheel well). Secure the flat tire with the
straps that are used to hold the spare in place.

6-36 Taillamp and Stop Lamp
1. Open the trunk to access the lamp housing.
2. Depending on which outer bulb needs replacing,
open either the spare tire cover on the driver's side or
the storage compartment on the passenger's side to
access the bulbs.
3. Turn the socket counterclockwise to remove.
4. To remove the bulb, turn it counterclockwise. When
you replace the bulb, you need to push it in and twist
it clockwise into place.5. Reinstall the socket by turning it clockwise in the
lamp housing.
Taillamp and Backup Lamp
1. Open the trunk to access the lamp housing.
2. Remove the plastic cover, located on the underside
of the trunk lid, by squeezing the two tabs together.
This will expose the back of the lamp housing.
3. Remove the back of the lamp housing, located on
the underside of the trunk lid, by squeezing the two
tabs as shown.

6-40
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check
the tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly 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
Tires should be rotated at 5,000 miles (8 000 km)
and then every 10,000 miles (16 000 km) thereafter.
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check
for damaged tires or wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for
New Tiresº and ªWheel Replacementº 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 ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Maintenance Schedule
booklet for scheduled rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire
-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel bolts
are properly tightened. See ªWheel Bolt Torqueº in
the Index.

6-43 Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires
by treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter
-type snow
tires, space
-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited
-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a
half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
-- AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA,
A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight
-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.