
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” 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 at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
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.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt 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
the 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.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. After mounting the
spare, put the wheel
nuts back on with
the rounded end of
the nuts toward
the wheel. Tighten
each wheel nut
by hand. Then use
the wheel wrench to
tighten the nuts
until the wheel is held
against the hub.
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Storing a Flat or Spare Tire,
Jack and Tools
{CAUTION:
Storing 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.
Notice:Storing an aluminum wheel with a at tire
under your vehicle for an extended period of time or
with the valve stem pointing up may damage the
wheel. Always stow the wheel with the valve
stem pointing down and have the wheel/tire repaired
as soon as possible.Store the tire under the rear of the vehicle in the spare tire
carrier. Use the art and text following to help you.
1. Put the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle
with the valve stem pointed down.
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4. Repeat this procedure at least two times. If the
spare tire lowers to the ground, continue with
Step 5 of “Removing the Spare Tire and Tools”
earlier in this section.
5. Turn the wrench counterclockwise until
approximately six inches (15 cm) of cable is
exposed.
6. Stand the wheel blocks
on their shortest ends,
with the backs
facing each other.
7. Place the bottom edge of the jack on the wheel
blocks, separating them so that the jack is
balanced securely.8. Attach the jack handle, extension, and wheel
wrench to the jack and place it (with the wheel
blocks) under the vehicle towards the front of the
rear bumper. Position the center lift point of the jack
under the wheel.
9. Turn the wrench clockwise to raise the jack until it
lifts the tire.
10. Continue raising the jack until the tire stops moving
upward and is held rmly in place. The secondary
latch has released and the tire is balancing on
the jack.
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14. Tilt the tire retainer at the end of the cable and pull
it through the wheel opening. Pull the tire out from
under the vehicle.
15. If the cable is hanging under the vehicle, turn the
wheel wrench 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 at tire using
the hoist assembly until it has been replaced.
To continue changing the at tire, see “Removing the
Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire” earlier in
this section.
Spare Tire
Compact Spare Tire
Your vehicle may be equipped with a compact spare
tire. Although the compact spare tire was fully in ated
when your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the in ation 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 in ated. The compact spare
is made to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can nish your trip and have your full-size
tire repaired or replaced where you want. For heavy
payloads or towing, and for low traction or
four-wheel-drive conditions, repair or replace the
full-size tire, and reinstall for best performance.
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.
Notice: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.
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Do not use any of these unless this manual says you
can. In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
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.
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet
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. SeeVehicle Care/Appearance Materials
on page 5-102.Here are some cleaning tips:
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 clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean
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
sponge to remove any excess cleaner.
6. Wipe cleaned area with a clean, water-dampened
towel or cloth.
7. Wipe with a clean cloth and let dry.
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