Page 243 of 368
5-26 Removing the Wheel Covers (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with wheel covers, be sure to
use a wheel wrench to begin the process of loosening the
plastic wheel nut caps.
Once you have loosened
the plastic nut caps with
the wheel wrench, if
needed, you can finish
loosening them with
your fingers.
Then, using the flat end of the wheel wrench, pry along
the edge of the wheel cover until it comes off. Be
careful; the edge may be sharp. Don't try to remove the
cover with your bare hands.
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.
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5-27
3. For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the
jack lift head (C) about 6 inches (15 cm) from the
rear edge of the front wheel opening (B) or just
behind the two bolts (A) as shown.For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack
lift head (B) about 5 inches (13 cm) from the front
edge of the rear wheel opening (C) or just behind the
off
-set (A) as shown.
4. Put the compact spare tire near you.
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5-28
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. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the compact spare tire to fit under
the vehicle.
6. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
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5-29
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.
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.
Put the wheel nuts back
on with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.
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5-31
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.
11. Don't try to put the wheel cover on your
compact spare tire. It won't fit. Store the wheel
cover in the trunk until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.
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.
Storing the Flat 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 compact tire on your vehicle,
you'll need to store the flat tire in your trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
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5-32
When storing a full-size tire, use the extension with the
protector/guide, located in the foam holder, to help
avoid wheel surface damage. To store a full
-size tire,
place the tire valve stem facing down, and then remove
the protector/guide and attach the retainer securely.
Store the cover as far forward as possible.
Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
When storing a compact spare tire in the trunk, put the
protector/guide back in the foam holder.
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.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full
-size tire as soon as you
can. See ªCompact Spare Tireº in the Index. See the
storage instructions label to return your compact spare
to your trunk properly.
Be sure to calibrate your low tire pressure system after
you replace your compact spare tire with a full
-sized
one. See ªLow Tire Inflation Monitorº in the Index.
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5-34
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.
If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don't want to spin
your wheels too fast. The method known as ªrockingº
can help you get out when you're stuck, but you must
use caution.
CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you're
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don't
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
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6-48
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. Reset the Tire Inflation Monitor
system. See ªTire Inflation Monitor Systemº in the
Index. 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.