2004 SATURN ION Owners Manual

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.
5-75
ProCarManuals.com

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning ashers.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured or even killed. Find a level place to
change your tire. To help prevent the vehicle
from moving:
1. Set the parking brake rmly.
2. Put an automatic transaxle shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transaxle to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the
vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t
move, you should put blocks at the front and
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
rear of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That would be the tire on the
other side, at the opposite end of the vehicle.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-76
ProCarManuals.com

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need is located in the trunk.
1. Lift the trunk liner and place the plastic hook in the
lip of the trunk lid.
2.2 L4 Engine
2.0L Supercharged Engine
5-77
ProCarManuals.com

2.2 L4 Engine2.0L Supercharged Engine
5-78
ProCarManuals.com

2. Remove the nut that holds down the spare tire.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 5-86
3. Remove the spare tire by placing your hands at the
four and eight o’clock positions. Gently pull it up
and out of the trunk. For vehicles equipped with the
2.0L supercharged engine, complete Step 4 rst,
then Step 3.
4. Remove the wing nut that holds the jack and
remove the jack and wheel wrench.
The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B).You will need to turn the plastic wheel nut
counterclockwise to loosen the wheel wrench
from the jack.
5-79
ProCarManuals.com

Press the button and then pull on the end of the wheel
wrench to extend the handle.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. If your vehicle is equipped with plastic wheel
covers, use the wheel wrench to loosening the
plastic wheel nut caps. Once you have loosened the
plastic wheel nut caps with the wheel wrench you
can nish loosening them with your ngers.
The plastic nut caps do not come off. Using the at
end of the wheel wrench, pry along the edge of
the wheel cover until it comes off.
If your vehicle has aluminum wheels, rst remove
the center cap with your nger or the wheel wrench.
2. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel
nuts. Don’t remove them yet.
5-80
ProCarManuals.com

3. Position the jack lift head at the jack location nearest
the at tire. The front location is about 7 inches
(17.8 cm) rearward from the front wheel opening.
The rear location is about 2 inches (5.1 cm) forward
of the rear wheel opening.
Make sure the jack head is touching the metal
jacking ange under the body. Do not place the jack
under the plastic body panel.
Notice:Make sure that the jack lift head is in the
correct position or you may damage your vehicle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
{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.
4. Put the compact spare tire near you.
5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the compact
spare tire to t under the vehicle.
5-81
ProCarManuals.com

6. Remove all of the wheel nuts.
7. 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.
8. Place the compact spare tire on the wheel-mounting
surface.
9. 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.
10. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
5-82
ProCarManuals.com