2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER wheel

5-18
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.
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.
4. 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.

5-19
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jack, wheel wrench and jack handle are stowed in
the rear left corner of the luggage compartment.
1. To open the jacking tool storage compartment,
turn the knob counterclockwise. Open the cover
two inches and pull the entire cover towards the
front of the vehicle.

5-20
2. Turn the jack screw to
remove the jack from
the clamps. If the screw
is too tight, use the jack
handle to loosen it.
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A),
jack handle (B) and wheel wrench (C).

5-21
3. The spare tire is
mounted on your
tailgate. Your vehicle
may be equipped with
a cover. To remove the
cover from the spare
tire, insert your key into
the wheel lock and pull
the wheel lock off.
4. Using the wheel wrench, remove the wheel cover
nut. Gently pry the spare tire cover off the wheel.

5-22
5. Remove the remaining wheel nuts with the
wheel wrench.
6. Remove the spare tire from the mounting bracket
and place it near your flat tire.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts,
but don't remove them yet.

5-23
Front Wheel Location
Rear Wheel Location2. Under the vehicle near each wheel, there are knobs
in the vehicle's frame. Position the jack and raise the
jack lift head until it fits firmly onto the knobs
nearest to the flat tire.
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.

5-24
3. 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 underneath the
wheel well.
If your vehicle is equipped with running boards,
position the jack handle on an angle toward the front
tire so you can turn the handle (front tire only).

5-25
4. Use the jack handle at an angle until you can turn it
at the regular position.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.