2005 CADILLAC CTS spare tire

Tire Pressure Monitor System (CTS-V)..............5-65
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-67
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-69
Buying New Tires.........................................5-69
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-72
Wheel Replacement......................................5-72
Tire Chains..................................................5-74
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-74
Changing a Flat Tire (CTS)............................5-76
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools (CTS).......5-77
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire (CTS).......................................5-79
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools (CTS).......5-84
Compact Spare Tire (CTS).............................5-85
Appearance Care............................................5-86
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-86
Vinyl...........................................................5-88
Leather.......................................................5-88
Instrument Panel..........................................5-88
Interior Plastic Components............................5-88
Wood Panels...............................................5-89
Speaker Covers............................................5-89
Glass Surfaces.............................................5-89
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-89Weatherstrips...............................................5-89
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-90
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-90
Finish Care..................................................5-90
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-91
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels................5-91
Tires...........................................................5-92
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-92
Finish Damage.............................................5-92
Underbody Maintenance................................5-93
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-93
Vehicle Identication......................................5-94
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-94
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-95
Electrical System............................................5-95
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-95
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-95
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-96
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-96
Underhood Fuse Block..................................5-96
Rear Underseat Fuse Block..........................5-101
Capacities and Specications........................5-107
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk on page 2-11for more
information.
2. Remove the compact spare tire cover by turning
the wing nut counterclockwise.
3. Remove the four convenience net wing nuts.
4. Pull the carpet back away from the body of the
vehicle on the side with the burned out bulb.
5. Remove the two mounting screws from the lamp
assembly.
6. Pull out the lamp assembly to expose the bulb
sockets.
7. Turn the bulb socket one-quarter turn
counterclockwise and pull the bulb socket out of
the lamp reector.
8. Pull the old bulb from the bulb socket keeping the
bulb straight as you pull it out.
9. Install a new bulb.
10. Reverse the steps to reinstall the lamp assembly.Back-Up and License Plate Lamps
A. Back-Up Lamps
B. License Plate Lamps
To replace a back-up or license plate bulb, do the
following:
1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk on page 2-11for more
information.
2. Remove the cloth cover on the trunk lid by pulling
out the three push-pins located on the underside of
the trunk lid.
3. Remove the eight mounting nuts from the underside
of the trunk lid by turning the nuts counterclockwise.
4. Pull the lamp assembly away from the vehicle
to expose the bulb sockets.
5-51

Tire Sidewall Labelling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its sidewall.
The examples below show a typical passenger vehicle
tire and a compact spare tire sidewall.
(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of letters
and numbers used to dene a particular tire’s width,
height, aspect ratio, construction type and service
description. See the “Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed to
GM’s specic tire performance criteria have a TPC
specication code molded onto the sidewall. GM’s
TPC specications meet or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation):The
Department of Transportation (DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters and
numbers following DOT (Department of Transportation)
code is the Tire Identication Number (TIN). The
TIN shows the manufacturer and plant code, tire size,
and date the tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded
onto both sides of the tire, although only one side
may have the date of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and number of
plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires based on
three performance factors: treadwear, traction and
temperature resistance. For more information see
Uniform Tire Quality Grading on page 5-70.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
5-56

(A) Temporary Use Only:The compact spare tire or
temporary use tire has a tread life of approximately
3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should not be driven
at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h). The compact spare
tire is for emergency use when a regular road tire
has lost air and gone at. If your vehicle has a compact
spare tire, seeCompact Spare Tire (CTS) on page 5-85
andIf a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-74.
(B) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and number of
plies in the sidewall and under the tread.(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following the DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identication Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was manufactured. The
TIN is molded onto both sides of the tire, although only
one side may have the date of manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inated to 60 psi (420 kPa).
For more information on tire pressure and ination see
Ination - Tire Pressure on page 5-62.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and numbers
dene a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction
type and service description. The letter T as the
rst character in the tire size means the tire is for
temporary use only.
(G) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed to
GM’s specic tire performance criteria have a TPC
specication code molded onto the sidewall. GM’s
TPC specications meet or exceed all federal safety
guidelines. Compact Spare Tire Example
5-57

Run-Flat Tires (CTS-V)
If your vehicle has run-at tires, there is no spare tire
and no tire changing equipment. Your vehicle also has
a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) which will alert you if
there is a loss of tire pressure in any of the tires. See
Tire Pressure Monitor System (CTS-V) on page 5-65.
{CAUTION:
When the low tire warning light is displayed on
the instrument panel cluster, your vehicle’s
handling capabilities will be reduced during
severe maneuvers. If you drive too fast, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You or
others could be injured. Don’t drive over
55 mph (90 km/h) when the low tire warning
light is displayed. Drive cautiously and check
your tire pressures as soon as you can.If a tire goes at, you won’t need to stop on the side
of the road to change the tire. You can just keep
on driving. The tire can operate effectively with no air
pressure for up to 65 miles (105 km) at speeds up
to 55 mph (90 km/h). The shorter the distance you
drive and the slower the speed, the greater the chance
that the tire will not have to be replaced. When a tire
is lled with air, it provides a cushion between the road
and the wheel. Because you won’t have this cushion
when driving on a deated run-at tire, try to avoid
potholes that could damage your wheel and require
replacement of it.
Some road hazards can damage a tire beyond repair.
This damage could occur even before you’ve driven on
the tire in a deated condition. When a tire has been
damaged, or if you’ve driven any distance on a run-at
tire, check with an authorized run-at tire service center
to determine whether the tire can be repaired or should
be replaced. To maintain your vehicle’s run-at feature,
all replacement tires must be self-supporting tires.
5-61

If your tires have too much air (over-ination), you
can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar, below the driver’s door latch. This
label lists your vehicle’s original equipment tires and
shows the correct ination pressures for your tires when
they are cold. The recommended cold tire ination
pressure, shown on the label, is the minimum amount of
air pressure needed to support your vehicle’s maximum
load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-33. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not forget to
check the compact spare tire, if your vehicle has one.
The compact spare should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
For additional information regarding the compact spare
tire, seeCompact Spare Tire (CTS) on page 5-85.
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 ination 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. Re-check 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.
5-63

If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, do not include
it in the tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-33, for an example of the tire and loading
information label and its location on your vehicle.
If your vehicle has run-at tires, the Tire Pressure
Monitor (TPM) system will need to have the sensors
reset after a tire rotation is performed. A special tool is
needed to reset the sensor identication codes. See
your dealer for service.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” underCapacities and
Specications on page 5-107.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make 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
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 needed, to get
all the rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat
Tire (CTS) on page 5-76.
5-68

Winter tires with the same speed rating as your original
equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W,
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose snow tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
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. It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, it was developed
for use on your vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire (CTS) on page 5-85.
{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.
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.)
5-70