2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette tow

Secondary Latch System
Your vehicle may have an underbody mounted tire hoist
assembly equipped with a secondary latch system. It
is designed to stop a tire from suddenly falling off your
vehicle if the cable holding the spare tire is damaged.
For the secondary latch to work, the tire must be stowed
with the valve stem pointing down.
Front-wheel-drive vehicles use the underbody tire hoist
assembly to store either the compact spare or a ¯at
road tire. See ªStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and Toolsº
later in this section for instructions on storing the
spare or ¯at tire correctly.
If your vehicle is equipped with AWD, the underbody
tire hoist assembly stores only the compact spare
tire. See ªStoring the Spare Tire and Toolsº later in
this section for instructions. To store a ¯at full-size
tire correctly, see ªStoring the Flat Tire on an
All-Wheel-Drive Vehicleº later in this section.{CAUTION:
Before beginning this procedure read all the
instructions. Failure to read and follow the
instructions could damage the hoist assembly
and you and others could get hurt. Read and
follow the instructions listed below.
To release the spare tire from the secondary latch,
do the following:
{CAUTION:
Someone standing too close during the
procedure could be injured by the jack.
If the spare tire does not slide off the jack
completely, make sure no one is behind you
or on either side of you as you pull the jack
out from the spare.
5-81

3. Attach the folding
wrench to the jack,
and turn the wrench
clockwise to raise
the jack head a few
inches.
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the folding wrench
clockwise in the jack. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is enough room for the
compact spare tire to ®t under the wheel well.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the ¯at tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
{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.
5-85

7. Install the compact spare tire and 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.
8. Lower the vehicle by attaching the folding wheel
wrench to the jack and turning the wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.9. Tighten the wheel nuts
®rmly in a crisscross
sequence, as shown.
{CAUTION:
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 speci®cation. See ªCapacities
and Speci®cationsº in the Index for wheel nut
torque speci®cation.
5-86

Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
1. Lay the tire near the rear of the vehicle with the
valve stem down.
2. If the vehicle has aluminum wheels, remove the
small center cap by tapping the back of the cap
with the extension of the shaft.
3. Slide the cable retainer through the center of the
wheel and start to raise the tire.
Make sure the retainer is fully seated across the
underside of the wheel.
4. When the tire is almost in the stored position,
turn the tire so the valve is towards the rear of
the vehicle.
This will help when you check and maintain tire
pressure in the spare.
5. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the
vehicle. Continue turning the folding wrench
until you feel more than two clicks. This indicates
that the compact spare tire is secure and the
cable is tight. The spare tire hoist cannot be
overtightened.A. Push and Pull B. Turn Tire
6. Make sure the tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to turn the tire. If the tire moves, use
the folding wrench to tighten the cable.
Put back all tools as they were stored in the jack storage
compartment and put the compartment cover back on.
5-88

To put the cover back on, line up the tabs on the right
of the cover with the slots in the cover opening. Push the
cover in place and push down the tab so that it rests
in the groove. This secures the cover in place.
A. Strap
B. Bag and ToolsC. JackStore the center cap or the plastic bolt-on wheel covers
until a full size tire is put back on the vehicle. When you
replace the compact spare with a full-size tire, reinstall
the bolt-on wheel covers or the center cap. Hand-tighten
them over the wheel nuts, using the folding wrench.
Storing the Flat Tire on a Front-Wheel
Drive Vehicle
Follow the previously listed procedure for storing a
spare tire.
Storing the Flat Tire on an All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
1. Remove the tire storage bag and cable package
from the jack storage area.
2. If the vehicle has aluminum wheels, remove the
small center cap by tapping the back of the cap
with the extension of the shaft.
3. Put the ¯at tire in the tire storage bag and place it
in the rear storage area with the valve stem pointing
toward the front of the vehicle.
5-89

A. Cable
B. Liftgate HingesC. Door
Striker
4. Pull the cable through the door striker and the
center of the wheel.5. Hook the cable onto
the outside portion of
the liftgate hinges.
6. Pull on the cable to make sure it is secure.
7. Make sure the metal
tube is centered at
the striker. Push
the tube towards the
front of the vehicle.
8. Close the liftgate and make sure that it is latched.
5-90

·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. Do not saturate
the material and do not rub it roughly.
5. As soon as you have 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.
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
soiled area with cool water.
2. If a stain remains, follow the cleaning instructions
described earlier.
3. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat
the area with a water and baking 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.
5-93

Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
{CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do,
it may severely weaken them. In a crash,
they might not be able to provide adequate
protection. Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth at least every
six months. During very cold, damp weather
more frequent application may be required. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
Cleaning the Outside of Your
Vehicle
The paint ®nish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle's ®nish is to keep
it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don't wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Don't use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle
well, removing all soap residue completely. You
can get GM-approved cleaning products from your
dealer. See
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
on page 5-99. Don't use cleaning agents that are
petroleum based, or that contain acid or abrasives.
All cleaning agents should be ¯ushed promptly
and not allowed to dry on the surface, or they
could stain. Dry the ®nish with a soft, clean chamois
or an all-cotton towel to avoid surface scratches
and water spotting.
5-95