2001 CADILLAC CATERA flat tire

5-18
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. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
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.

5-21
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.

5-23
5. Position the jack under the vehicle.The base of the jack must line up vertically with the
hoisting notch (jack contact point) on the vehicle's
frame, nearest the flat tire. Make sure that the base
is flat against the ground in order to have enough
clearance to turn the jack handle. Then, raise the jack
lift head until it is firmly set into the hoisting notch.

5-24
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 underneath the wheel well.
7. Remove all wheel bolts and take off the flat tire.

5-27
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.
1. Put the flat tire in
the trunk where
the spare is stored
(driver's side
wheel well).
2. Secure the flat tire with the straps that are used to
hold the spare in place.

5-28
The jacking tools are stored on the passenger's side
of the trunk behind the panel with the red pull handle.
Make sure these tools are properly secured when not in use.
Spare Tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a 15º spare tire.
Although the spare tire was fully inflated when your
vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check the
inflation pressure regularly.
After installing the spare tire on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. See ªInflation
- Tire
Pressureº and ªLoading Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Your spare tire is for temporary use and should be
replaced with a full
-size tire as soon as you can.
CAUTION:
If you have a spare tire that has ª195/65R15º
on its side, your braking and handling can be
reduced if you drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h)
when this spare tire is mounted on your vehicle.
At higher speeds, you could lose control of your
vehicle, and you and others could be injured.
So, be sure not to drive more than 50 mph
(80 km/h) when you are using this spare tire.

6-38
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your Cadillac Warranty booklet for details.
CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.

Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air
-out and a serious
accident. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.

Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.

Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
See ªInflation -- Tire Pressureº in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.

6-39 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is located on
the rear edge of the driver's door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they're cold.
ªColdº means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you'll be driving at speeds higher than 100 mph
(160 km/h) where it is legal, raise the cold inflation
pressure of each tire to 38 psi (260 kPa) for tire
size P225/55R16 and to 39 psi (270 kPa) for tire
size 235/45R17. When you end this very high
-speed
driving, reduce the cold inflation pressures to those
listed on the Tire
-Loading Information label.
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.