2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Owners Manual

3. Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the jack and wrench.4. The tools you'll be using include the jack (A)
extension and protector/guide (B) and the wheel
wrench (C).
5-81

Removing 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 ¯at end of
the wheel wrench, pry
along the edge of the cover
until it comes off.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.
2. Turn the jack handle clockwise to raise the vehicle.
Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground for the
spare tire to ®t underneath the wheel well.
5-82

{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.For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the
jack lift head (C) about 6 inches (15 cm) from
the rear edge of the front wheel opening (B).
Line up the jack with the arrow (A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
5-83

For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the
jack lift head (B) about 9 inches (23 cm) from
the front edge of the rear wheel opening (C).
Line up the jack with the arrow (A) as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
3. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the spare tire to ®t underneath the wheel
well. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the ¯at tire.4. 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.
5-84

{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. Place the spare on the wheel mounting surface.
6. Reinstall the wheel nuts
with the rounded end of
the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.7. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
5-85

8. Tighten the wheel nuts
®rmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
9. Reinstall the wheel trim. If the vehicle has plastic
caps tighten them by hand. With a wheel wrench,
tighten the plastic caps an additional quarter
turn clockwise.
{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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
Notice:Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead
to brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper torque
speci®cation. See ªCapacities and Speci®cationsº in
the index for the wheel nut torque speci®cation.
10. Don't try to put the wheel cover on your compact
spare tire. It won't ®t. Store the wheel cover in the
trunk until you have the ¯at tire repaired or replaced.
Notice:Wheel covers won't ®t on your compact
spare. If you try to put a wheel cover on your
compact spare, you could damage the cover or
the spare.
5-86

Storing the Flat Tire 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.
After you've put the compact spare tire on your vehicle,
you'll need to store the ¯at tire in the trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the ¯at tire in the trunk.
When storing a full-size tire, you must use the extension
to help avoid wheel surface damage. Use the extension
and protector/guide located in the foam holder. To store a
full-size tire, place the tire in the trunk valve stem facing
down, with the protector/guide placed through a wheel
bolt hole. Remove the protector and attach the retainer
securely. When putting the compact spare back in the
trunk, place the protector/guide back in the foam holder.
Store the cover as far forward as possible.
5-87

Storing the Spare Tire 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.
Compact Spare Tire
The compact spare tire is for temporary use only.
Replace the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you can. See
Compact Spare Tire on
page 5-89. See the storage instructions label on the
trunk lid to properly position your compact spare tire in
the trunk.A. Retainer
B. Cover
C. Compact Spare Tire
D. Nut
E. Jack
F. Wheel Wrench
G. Extension and
Protective Guide
H. Bolt Screw
I. Foam Holder
5-88