2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Owners Manual

5-18
5. Then replace the
pressure cap. Be sure
the pressure cap
is hand
-tight.
Check the level in the surge tank when the cooling
system has cooled down. If the coolant isn't at the
proper level, repeat Steps 1 to 3 and reinstall the
pressure cap or see your dealer.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº 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.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º 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 out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much 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, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.

5-19
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 transaxle shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transaxle to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put 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.

5-20 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need
is in the trunk. Turn the
center retainer nut on the
compact spare cover
counterclockwise to
remove it.
Lift and remove the cover. See ªCompact Spare Tireº
later in this section for more information about the
compact spare.

5-21
Turn the wing bolt
counterclockwise and
remove it. Then lift off the
adapter and remove the
spare tire.
Remove the jack and wheel wrench from the trunk. Your
vehicle's jack and wheel wrench are stored in a foam
tray. Remove the band around the jack.
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B).

5-22 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. If your vehicle is equipped with wheel covers, use the
wheel wrench to begin loosening the plastic wheel nut
caps. Once you have loosened the plastic wheel nut
caps with the wheel wrench you can finish loosening
them with your fingers. Using the flat end of the
wheel wrench, pry along the edge of the wheel cover
until it comes off.
If your vehicle has alloy wheels, first remove the
decorative nut caps using the wheel wrench.2. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.3. Near each wheel well is a notch in the frame which
the jack head fits in. The front notch is 9 inches
(23 cm) back from the front wheel well. The rear
notch is 8 inches (20 cm) forward from the rear wheel
well. As is shown in the diagram above, if your
vehicle has flared side moldings, both front and rear
notches are 18 inches (46 cm) from the wheel wells.
Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly into the notch in the vehicle's frame nearest the
flat tire. Put the compact spare tire near you.

5-23
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.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 of the wheel nuts.

5-24
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.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
7. Place the spare on the wheel-mounting surface.
8. Reinstall the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.

5-25
9. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
10. Tighten the wheel
nuts firmly in a
criss
-cross sequence,
as shown.