2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Owners Manual

5-25
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.

5-26
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 the shift lever in PARK (P).
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.

5-27 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is in the trunk.
Turn the center nut on
the compact spare tire
cover counterclockwise
to remove it.
Remove the compact spare tire. See ªCompact Spare
Tireº in the Index for more information about the
compact spare tire.

5-28
Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the jack and wrench.The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) extension
and protector/guide (B) and the wheel wrench (C).

5-29 Removing Wheel Covers and
Wheel Nut Caps
If there is a wheel cover,
loosen the plastic nut caps
with the wheel wrench.
They won't come off. Then,
using the flat end of the
wheel wrench, pry along the
edge of the cover until it
comes off.
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 vehicle.
Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground for the
spare tire to fit underneath the wheel well.

5-30
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.
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 between
the two bolts (A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.

5-31
For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack
lift head (B) about 5.5 inches (14 cm) from the front
edge of the rear wheel opening (C) or just behind the
off
-set (A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
3. 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. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.

5-32
4. 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.
5. Place the spare on the wheel mounting surface.
6. Reinstall the wheel nuts
with the rounded end of
the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.