2003 Oldsmobile Alero Owner's Manuals

. Asing your vehic- ..____ __._ jal--- impropc -r
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.
6. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the
ground
so there is enough room for the compact
spare tire to fit underneath the wheel well.
7. Remove all of the wheel nuts.
8. Remove the flat tire.
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9. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
R---t OL Art 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
ine piaces wnere ine wneei aiiaches io ihe
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.
Never use c or grease on studs or nl If
you do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall
off, causing a serious accident.
10. Install the compact spare tire.
11. 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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12. Lower the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
13. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly
in a crisscross
sequence,
as shown. Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an
accident. Be sure to use the correct wheel
nuts. If you have to replace them, be sure to
get new GM original equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to the proper torque specification. See ”Capacities
and Specifications’’ in the Index for wheel nut
torque specification.
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. See “Capacities and
Specifications”
in the index for the wheel nut torque
specification.
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.
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Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in 1
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.
Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire compartment.
Place the tire in the compartment, ther! secure the
adapter and wing nut. Place the cover and the nut on
top of the flat tire. Store the jack and the wrench in the
foam tray.
A L
F
G
A. Nut
B. Cover
C. Wing Bolt
D. Adapter
E. Wrench
F. Jack
G. Tool Tray
H. Flat Tire
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Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
StG..ng 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 tire 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 5-71. Store the compact spare tire and tools as
shown in the diagram. A.
Nut
B. Cover
C. Wing Bolt
D. Adapter
E. Wrench
F. Jack
G. Tool Tray
H. Compact Spare Tire
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly.
It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should
stop as soon as possible and make sure
your spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare
is made
to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph
(1 05 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full-size
tire repaired or replaced where you want. Of course, it’s
best to replace your spare with a full-size tire as
soon as you can. Your spare will
last longer and be in
good shape in case you need it again.
Nofice: 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.
5-7 1

Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flames
if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part
of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed
space. When you use anything from a container to clean
your vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s
warnings and instructions. And always open your doors
or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner They can
all be hazardous
- some more than
others
- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual
says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and
loose dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather, plastic and painted
surfaces with a clean, damp cloth.
Nail Polish Remover
5-72

FabricKarpet
Your dealer has cleaners for the cleaning of fabric
and carpet. They will clean normal spots and stains
very well.
You can get GM
- approved cleaning products from
your dealer. See
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance
Materials
on page 5-78.
Here are some cleaning tips:
a
a
-.
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can
- before
they set.
Carefully scrape
off any excess stain.
Use
a dean cioth or sponge, and change io a cieari
area often. A soft brush may be used if stains are
stubborn.
If a ring forms on fabric after spot cleaning, clean
the entire area immediately or it will set.
Using Cleaner on Fabric
1. Vacuum and brush the area to remove any
loose dirt.
2. Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
3. Follow the directions on the container label.
4. Apply cleaner with a clean sponge. Don’t saturate
the material and don’t rub it roughly.
5. As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a
6. Wipe cleaned area with a clean, water-dampened
7. Wipe with a clean cloth and let dry.
sponge
to remove any excess
cleaner.
towel or cloth.
Special Fabric Cleaning Problems
Stains caused by such things as catsup, coffee (black),
egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, vomit, urine
and blood can be removed as follows:
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
2. If a stain remains, follow the cleaner instructions
soiled
area with cool water.
described earlier.
3. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat
the area with a watedbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
4. Let dry.
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce and unknown stains can be removed as follows:
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. Clean with cool water and allow to dry completely.
3. If a stain remains, follow the cleaner instructions
described earlier.
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