2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO flat tire

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and
a half
(1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Temperature - A, B, C
Traction - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics. The temperature
grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
5-68

Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for
and best overall performance.
your
vehicle.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly
rusted or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be
replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces. the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous.
It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision
in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-71 for more
information.
-~
5-69

Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a uscu wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or how far
it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new
GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
Notice: Use tire chains only where legal and only
when you must. Use only
SAE Class ”S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install them on the rear axle tires and tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends securely fastened.
Drive slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions.
If you can hear the chains contacting
your vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too
fast or spinning
the wheels with chains on will
damage your vehicle.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” 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 “blowout”, 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.
5-70

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.
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.
4. Put the wheel 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.
5-7 1

4. Attach the ratchet to the extension, with the DOWN
side facing you. The extension has a socket end
and a flat chisel end.
5. Put the flat end of the extension on an angle through
the hole in the rear door frame, above the bumper.
Be sure the flat end connects into the hoist shaft.
6. Turn the ratchet counterclockwise to lower the
compact spare tire to the ground. Keep turning
the ratchet until the spare tire can be pulled out from
under the vehicle. 7.
When the tire has
been lowered, tilt the
retainer plate at
the end
of the cable
and pull it through
the wheel opening.
8. Pull the tire out from under the vehicle.
Notice: To help avoid vehicle damage, do not drive
the vehicle before the cable
is restored.
5-74

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. Before you start, block the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
Then put your cor-xt spare tire near the flat tire.
I
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked .I 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.
Ra.,.ng your vehicle
..ICIm Lhe 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.
2. With the DOWN side facing you, turn the
ratchet and socket to loosen all the wheel nuts
counterclockwise. Don’t remove them yet.
3. The jack has a bolt on the end. Attach the socket
end of the extension to the jack bolt.
5-76

B' C
Rear Position
A. Rear Jack Location
B. Jack
C. Ratchet and Extension
..
7. Raise the vehicle by turning the ratchet clockwise.
Make sure the
UP mark faces you. Raise the
vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is enough
room for the compact spare tire to fit underneath
the wheel well.
8. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5-78

Stori J a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
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.
1. Put the flat tire on the ground at the rear of the
vehicle with the valve stem pointed down.
2. Tilt the retainer plate downward and through the
wheel opening. Make sure
it is fully seated across
the underside of the wheel. Attach the ratchet,
with the UP side facing you, to the extension.
3. Put the flat end of the extension on an angle
through the hole in the rear door frame, above
the bumper.
The compact spare is for temporary use only.
Replace the compact spare tire with a full-size tire
as soon as you can. See Compact Spare Tire
on page 5-82. See the storage instructions label to
restore your compact spare properly.
vehicle by turning the ratchevwheel wrench until
you hear two clicks or feel it skip twice. The spare
tire hoist cannot be overtightened.
4. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the
5. Make sure the tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If the tire
moves, use the ratchet/wheel wrench
to tighten
the cable.
Return the jacking equipment to its proper location.
5-81