2003 CADILLAC CTS Owners Manual

5-18
5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is hand
-tight and fully seated.
Start the engine and allow it to warm up. If the CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message does not appear on the
Driver Information Center, coolant is at the proper fill
level. If a CHECK COOLANT LEVEL message does
appear, repeat Steps 1 to 3 and reinstall the pressure cap
or see your dealer.
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.

5-19
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. 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.

5-20 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is in the trunk.
Instructions for changing your tires are on the inside of
the compact spare tire cover located in your trunk.
To gain access to the instructions, spare tire and jacking
equipment, do the following:
1. Turn the center nut on
the compact spare tire
cover counterclockwise
to remove it. Then
remove the cover.
2. Remove the compact spare tire. See ªCompact Spare
Tireº later in this section for more information about
the compact spare tire.

5-21
3. Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the jack and wheel wrench.The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and the
wheel wrench (B).

5-22 Removing Wheel Covers and Wheel Nut
Caps (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has wheel covers, use the flat end of the
wheel wrench to remove the covers. Turn the wheel
wrench clockwise to gently pry off the wheel cover.
Be careful not to scratch the aluminum wheel edge and
don't try to remove the wheel cover with your hands.
If your vehicle has wheel nut caps, turn the wheel
wrench counterclockwise to remove the caps.
If your vehicle has 17 inch (43.2 cm) wheels, there is a
center cap that does not need to be removed in order to
remove the wheel from the vehicle.

5-23 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
A. Wheel Wrench
B. Wheel Nut
1. Place the wheel wrench securely over the wheel nut.
Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to loosen
all the wheel nuts. Don't remove them yet.
A. Front Jacking Location
B. Rear Jacking Location
2. Find the jacking location using the diagram
above and corresponding hoisting notches located
in the plastic molding. The notches in the plastic
molding are marked with a triangle shape to help
you find them.
The front location is 14 inches (35.6 cm) from the
rear edge of the front wheel well, and the rear
location is 7 inches (17.8 cm) from the front edge of
the rear wheel well.

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.
3. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack.
4. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the jack lift head until the jack fits under the vehicle.
A. Flat Tire
B. Compact Spare Tire
5. Raise the jack by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise until the metal flanges fit firmly into the
notches in the plastic molding.
6. Put the compact spare tire near you.
7. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the compact spare tire to fit under
the vehicle.
8. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.

5-25
9. 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.
10. Place the compact
spare tire on the
wheel
-mounting
surface.