2004 CHEVROLET OPTRA spare wheel

Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-62
Wheel Replacement......................................5-62
Tire Chains..................................................5-63
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-63
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-64
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-72
Appearance Care............................................5-73
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-73
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-76
Weatherstrips...............................................5-76
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle.................5-76
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-78
Finish Damage.............................................5-78
Underbody Maintenance................................5-79Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-79
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-79
Vehicle Identication......................................5-81
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-81
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-81
Electrical System............................................5-82
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-82
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-82
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-82
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-82
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-83
Capacities and Specications..........................5-90
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........5-91
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated. Check
the tire’s inflation pressure when the tires are cold.
Cold means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage firmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the inflation pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-59andWheel Replacement
on page 5-62for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. SeePart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
5-58

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 and loading
information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-90.
{CAUTION:
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 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
tire’s rubber.
•The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
•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.
5-59

Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
Make sure the replacements are the same size, load
range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
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.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim anges 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.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
5-60

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The compact spare tire and tools you will need
are located in the cargo area.
A. Jack
B. Wheel WrenchC. Jack Handle
D. Screwdriver1. Remove the trim cover from the floor of the cargo
area by pulling up on the tab.
2. Remove the foam tray that contains the tools.
3. Turn the retainer on the compact spare tire
counterclockwise and remove the retainer.
4. Remove the compact spare tire. SeeCompact
Spare Tire on page 5-72for more information.
5-66

5. Remove the jack, the jack handle and the wheel
wrench. The jack is located in the cargo area, in front
of the compact spare tire. Turn the jack retainer,
located on the right side of the jack, counterclockwise
to release it. The jack handle and the wheel wrench
are located inside the foam tray.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. If your vehicle has wheel covers, use the jack
handle to begin loosening the wheel covers.
Using the flat end of the jack handle or the
screwdriver, pry along the edge of the wheel cover
until it comes off.
2. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel
nuts. Do not remove them yet.
5-67

3. Near each wheel is a notch in the frame which the
jack head fits in.
Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly into the notch in the vehicle’s frame nearest
the flat tire. Put the compact spare tire near you.
{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 t the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle. Sedan shown, Hatchback similar
5-68

4. Insert the jack handle into the jack and the wheel
wrench onto the end of the jack handle.
5. 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.
6. Remove all of the wheel nuts by turning them
counterclockwise.
7. Remove the flat tire.
5-69