2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX wheel

Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Snncifjcations
on page 5- 102.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on ,,le 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 Flat
Tire”
in the Index.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your
tires have only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm)
or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire
if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
tire’s rubber.
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
5-70

The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having
a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same
size, load range, speed rating and construction type
(bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
MiXing tires COUld C8USt2 YOU aQ COnarO!
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may
also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily,
it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See “Compact Spare
Tire”
in the index.
.. ~OL ,se bias-ply tires on your vehicle, ..le
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
I
5-71

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.
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 overa!! 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.
5-73

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.
Using 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 5-76 for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
I
Puttin, -1 used 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.
5-74

Tire Chains
If your vehicle is an SE model with P225/60R16
size tires, don’t use tire chains, there’s not
enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you to lose control 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
CAUTION: (Continued) 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 front tires.
Notice; If your vehicle is a GT model, a GTP model,
or if you have an
SE model without P225/60R16
size tires, 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 front 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.
5-75

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.
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.
I
Chant_ g a tire can cause an injury. The v icle
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.
5-76

I
4. The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A)
extension and protector/guide (B) and the wheel
wrench
(C).
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.
5-79

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1.
2.
Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them yet.
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. 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.
Raising your
v icle with th _ack imp1 -1erly
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.
5-80