2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM spare wheel

5-20 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need
is in the trunk.
Pull the carpeting from the floor of 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.
Turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and
remove it. Then lift off
the spacer 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.

5-21
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B).
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Remove the wheel nut caps (you may need to use the
wheel wrench to loosen and remove them, if your
fingers do not fit into this small area).
2. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.

5-23
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
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.
6. Remove the flat tire.
7. 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.

5-24
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.
8. Install the compact spare tire. Replace the wheel and
nuts with the rounded end of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is
held against the hub.
9. Lower the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.

5-25
10. 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.
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.

5-28
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 speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h) 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.

6-36 Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). 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 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.
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 nuts are
properly tightened. See ªWheel Nut Torqueº in
the Index.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make 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 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.
(See ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index.)

6-38
CAUTION:
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.
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial
-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
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.