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5-18
Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel
economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures,
the fan speed increases when the clutch engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This is
normal and should not be mistaken as the transmission
slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly. The fan will slow
down when additional cooling is not required and the
clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
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.
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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 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
4. Turn off the engine.
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 280 of 430

5-20 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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5-21
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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5-22
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B). Your vehicle may also have an optional hub
cap removal tool.Position the chisel end of your wheel wrench, or the hub
cap removal tool (if equipped), in the notch of the hub
cap and pry off the hub cap.
Some of the molded plastic hub caps have imitation
wheel nuts molded into them. The wheel wrench won't
fit these imitation nuts, so don't try to remove them with
the socket end of the wheel wrench.
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5-23
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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5-25
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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5-26
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. Put the nuts on by
hand. Make sure
the rounded end is
toward the wheel.
Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub. If a nut can't be turned by hand,
use the wheel wrench and see your dealer as soon
as possible.