2003 GMC SIERRA DENALI flat tire

The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,” in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation
intervals;
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
CertificationEire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
under
Capacities and Specificatiol on ge 5-104.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the spare tire in your tire rotation. 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 “Changing a Flal
Tire”
in the Index.
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While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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.
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.
Temperature - A, B, C
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.
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Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
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.
If you need to replace any
of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle. Usin,
__ __ wrong replacement wheels,
whc
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 clearance to the
body and chassis.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-69 for more
information.
5-67

Used Replacement Wheels
-
Putting a used wheel 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.
I I
Tire Chains
Don’t use lire chains. There’s not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount sf clearance can cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
CAUTION: (Continued) tire chains could cause
, -u to lose cc..-rol
of
your vehicle and you or others may be injured in
a crash. Use another type of traction device only
if its manufacturer recommends it for use on
your vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device
if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices
that will
fit, install them on the rear tires.
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.
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A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a Changing a Flat Tire
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your
steering
the way you want the vehicle to go. it may be hazard warning flashers.
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.
C..-nging 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.
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Follow these instructions to lower the spare tire:
1. If your vehicle is equipped with a hoist lock, open
the spare tire lock cover on the bumper and use
the ignition key to remove the lock.
2. Assemble the wheel wrench and the two jack
handle extensions as shown. Insert the hoist
end (open end) of the extension through the hole in
the rear bumper. Be sure the hoist end of the
extension connects into the hoist shaft.
3. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the spare tire to the ground. Continue to turn the
wheel wrench until the spare tire can be pulled out
from under the vehicle. The wheel wrench has a
hook that allows you to pull the hoist cable towards
you, to assist in reaching the spare tire.
If the spare tire does not lower to the ground, the
secondary latch is engaged causing the tire
not to lower. See Secondary Latch System next.
4. When the tire has been lowered, tilt the retainer at
the end of the cable
so it can be pulled up through
the wheel opening.
5. Put the spare tire near the flat tire. The
tools you’ll be using include the bottle jack
(A), the
wheel blocks
(B), the jack handle (C), the jack handle
extensions
(D), and the wheel wrench (E).
If the flat tire is on a rear tire of the vehicle, you’ll need
to use both jack handle extensions.
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To remove the center cap place the chisel end of the
wheel wrench in the
slot on the wheel and gently
pry out.
Secondary Latch System
If your vehicle has this feature, your vehicle has an
underbody mounted tire hoist assembly equipped with a
secondary latch system. It’s designed to stop the
spare tire from falling
off your vehicle. For the secondary
latch to work, the spare must be installed with the
valve stem pointing down. See “Storing a Flat
or Spare
Tire and Tools” for instructions on storing the spare
or flat tire correctly.
Before beginning this procedure read
all the
instructions. Failure to read and follow the
instructions could damage the hoist assembly
and you and others could get hurt. Read and
follow the instructions listed below.
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9. Turn the wrench clockwise to raise the jack until it
lifts the end fitting.
10. Continue raising the jack until the spare tire stops
moving upward and is held firmly in place. The
secondary latch has released and the spare tire is
balancing on the jack.
11. Lower the jack by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Keep lowering the jack until the
spare tire slides
off the jack or is hanging by
the cable.
12. Disconnect the jack handle from the jack and
carefully remove the jack. Use one hand
to
push against the spare while firmly pulling the jack
out from under the spare with the other hand.
If the spare is hanging from the cable, insert the
hoist handle, extension and wheel wrench into the
hoist shaft hole in the bumper and turn the
wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower the spare
the rest of the way.
13. Tilt the retainer at the end of the cable and pull it
through the wheel opening. Pull the tire out from
under the vehicle.
14. If the cable is hanging under the vehicle, turn the
wheel wrench in the hoist shaft hole in the bumper
clockwise to raise the cable back up.
Have the hoist assembly inspected as soon as you can.
You will not be able to store a spare or flat tire using
the hoist assembly until it has been replaced.
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