2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE spare tire

Your vehicle has one
double-sided key for the
ignition and all door
locks as well as the spare
tire hoist lock, if equipped.
If you ever lose your keys, your dealer will be able to
assist you with obtaining replacements.Notice:If you ever lock your keys in your vehicle,
you may have to damage the vehicle to get in.
Be sure you have spare keys.
If you ever do get locked out of your vehicle, call the
GM Roadside Assistance Center. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6. If your vehicle is
equipped with the OnStar
®system with an active
subscription and you lock your keys inside the vehicle,
OnStar
®may be able to send a command to unlock
your vehicle. SeeOnStar®System on page 2-56
for more information.
2-4

To reinstall the lower air dam do the following:
1. Line up each push-pin
with its intended
retainer and push the
washer portion of
the push-pin towards
the retainer until it locks
into place.
2. Push the at end of the
push-pin towards the
retainer until it
locks into place,
making sure each is
secure.Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if so equipped) are properly
attached. Be sure you read all the information about
your four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle in
this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully
inated? Are the uid levels up where they should
be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading
where you will be driving? If you do not know, you
should check with law enforcement people in the area.
Will you be on someone’s private land? If so, be
sure to get the necessary permission.
4-25

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-60
Tires..............................................................5-61
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-69
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-70
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-72
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-74
Buying New Tires.........................................5-74
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-76
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-77
Wheel Replacement......................................5-77
Tire Chains..................................................5-79
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-80
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-80
Spare Tire.................................................5-100
Appearance Care..........................................5-100
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle...............5-101
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-103Weatherstrips.............................................5-103
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle.............5-104
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-106
Finish Damage...........................................5-107
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-107
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-107
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-108
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-109
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)................5-109
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-109
Electrical System..........................................5-110
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-110
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-110
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-110
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-110
Capacities and Specications........................5-118
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Ination - Tire Pressure
The tire and loading information label, shows the correct
ination pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-58, for the location
of your vehicle’s tire and loading information label.
Notice:Don’t let anyone tell you that underination
or overination is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underination), you can get
the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overination),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they’re underinated. Check
the tire’s ination 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 rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll 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.
5-69

Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system uses radio
and sensor technology to check tire pressure levels.
If your vehicle has this feature, sensors are mounted on
each tire and wheel assembly, except the spare tire.
The TPM sensors transmit tire pressure readings
to a receiver located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPM system will display the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
warning message on the Driver Information Center
(DIC); and at the same time illuminate the low tire
pressure warning symbol. For additional information and
details about the DIC operation and displays seeDIC
Operation and Displays on page 3-56andDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-68.
When the tire pressure
monitoring system
warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is
signicantly under-inated.
You should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inate them to the proper pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information placard.Driving on a signicantly under-inated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-ination also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Each tire, including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended ination pressure as specied in the
vehicle placard and owner’s manual.
The Certication/Tire label or the Tire and Loading
Information label (tire information placard) shows the
size of your vehicle’s original tires and the correct
ination pressure for your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-69.
For the location of the tire and loading information label,
seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-58.
Your vehicle’s TPM system can alert you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-72andTires on page 5-61.
Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle is
equipped with Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid
sealant can damage the tire pressure monitor
sensors.
5-70

10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Certication/Tire label or
the Tire and Loading Information label.
11. Put the valve caps back on the valve stems
The spare tire does not have a TPM sensor. If you
replace one of the road tires with the spare, the CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE message will be displayed on the DIC
screen. This message should go off once you re-install
the road tire containing the TPM sensor. The SVC TIRE
MONITOR message is displayed when the TPM system
is malfunctioning. One or more missing or inoperable
TPM sensors will cause the service tire monitor message
to be displayed. See your dealer for service.
Federal Communications Commission and
Industry and Science Canada
The TPM system operates on a radio frequency subject
to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules
and with Industry and Science Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules
and with RSS-210 of Industry and Science Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
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 5-74andWheel Replacement
on page 5-77for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves, use the
ratchet/wheel wrench to tighten the cable. SeeChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-80.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-72

Whenever you 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.
If you replace your vehicle’s tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, the tire pressure monitoring
system may give an inaccurate low pressure warning.
Non-TPC Spec tires may give a low pressure warning
that is higher or lower than the proper warning level you
would get with TPC Spec numbered 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a different
size spare than the road tires (those originally
installed on your vehicle). When new, your
vehicle included a spare tire and wheel
assembly with a similar overall diameter as
your vehicle’s road tires and wheels, so it is all
right to drive on it. Because this spare was
developed for use on your vehicle, it will not
affect vehicle handling.
{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.
5-75

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.
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 specied 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 signicantly 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 specied 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.
5-76