2005 CADILLAC SRX spare tire

Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle Off Paved Roads
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have all-wheel
drive. If your vehicle does not have all-wheel drive, you
should not drive off-road unless you are on a level,
solid surface.
Many of the same design features that help make your
vehicle responsive on paved roads during poor weather
conditions — features like all-wheel drive — help make it
much better suited for off-road use. Its higher ground
clearance also helps your vehicle step over some off-road
obstacles. But your vehicle does not have features like
special underbody shielding and a transfer case low gear
range, things that are usually thought necessary for
extended or severe off-road service.
Also, seeBraking on page 4-6.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.“Off-roading” means you have left the North American
road system behind. Traffic lanes are not marked.
Curves are not banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that is
why it is very important that you read this guide. You will
nd many driving tips and suggestions. These will
help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if equipped) are properly attached.
Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inated? Are
the uid levels up where they should be? What are
the local laws that apply to off-roading where you will be
driving? If you do not know, you should check with
law enforcement people in the area. Will you be
on someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
4-17

Tire Chains..................................................5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-69
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-71
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-73
Secondary Latch System...............................5-79
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools.................................................5-81
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-84
Appearance Care............................................5-84
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-85
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-86
Leather.......................................................5-87
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-87
Wood Panels...............................................5-87
Speaker Covers............................................5-88
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-88
Weatherstrips...............................................5-88
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-88
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-88
Finish Care..................................................5-89Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-89
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels................5-90
Tires...........................................................5-90
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-91
Finish Damage.............................................5-91
Underbody Maintenance................................5-91
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-91
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-92
Vehicle Identication......................................5-93
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-93
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-93
Electrical System............................................5-94
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-94
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-94
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-94
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-94
Underhood Fuse Block..................................5-95
Rear Underseat Fuse Block
(Driver Side).............................................5-99
Rear Underseat Fuse Block
(Passenger Side).....................................5-101
Capacities and Specications........................5-103
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Winter Tires
If you expect to drive on snow or ice covered roads
often, you may want to get winter tires for your vehicle.
All season tires provide good overall performance on
most surfaces but they may not offer the traction
you would like or the same level of performance as
winter tires on snow or ice covered roads.
See your dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, seeBuying
New Tires on page 5-64
If you choose to use winter tires:
Use tires of the same brand and tread type on all
four wheel positions.
Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
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 winter tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
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.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
5-52

(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 on page 5-84
andIf a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-69.(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 5-58.
(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
5-54

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 4-45. 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, it should be at
60 psi (420 kPa). For additional information regarding
the compact spare tire, seeCompact Spare Tire
on page 5-84.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they’re under-inated. 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.
5-59

Tire Pressure Monitor System
Your vehicle may have this feature. The Tire Pressure
Monitor (TPM) system uses radio and sensor technology
to check tire pressure levels. If your vehicle has this
feature, sensors are mounted on each tire and wheel
assembly, except for the compact spare tire and wheel.
Tire pressure readings are sent to a receiver located
in the vehicle once every 60 seconds while the vehicle is
being driven, and once every 60 minutes if the vehicle
is stationary for more than 15 minutes.
Using the Driver Information Center (DIC), tire pressure
levels can be viewed by the driver. For additional
information and details about the DIC operation and
displays seeSystem Controls on page 3-48and
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-57. When a
low tire pressure condition is detected, the TPM system
will display the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning
message on the Driver Information Center (DIC) and, at
the same time, illuminate the low tire pressure warning
symbol, on the instrument panel cluster.
When the tire pressure
monitoring system warning
light is lit, one or more
of your tires is signicantly
under-inated.You should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inate them to the proper pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information placard.
Driving on a signicantly under-inated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-ination also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Each tire, including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended ination pressure as specied in the
vehicle placard and owner’s manual.
The Tire and Loading Information Label (your vehicle’s
tire information placard) shows the size of your
vehicle’s original tires and their recommended cold
ination pressures. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-45, for the location of the tire and loading
information label. Also seeInation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-58.
Your vehicle’s TPM system can alert you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-63andTires on page 5-51.
Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle is
equipped with Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid
sealant can damage the tire pressure monitor
sensors.
5-61

The spare tire does not have a TPM sensor. If you
replace one of the road tires with the spare, the
SERVICE TIRE MESSAGE will be displayed on the DIC
screen. This message should go off once you re-install
the road tire containing the TPM sensor. The Service
Tire Monitor message is also displayed when the TPM
system is malfunctioning. One or more missing or
inoperable TPM sensors will cause the service tire
monitor message to be displayed. See your GM dealer
for service.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
The tires on your vehicle are different sizes front to rear.
Due to this, your tires should not be rotated. Each tire
and wheel should be used only in the position it is in.
Check your tires and wheels regularly for unusual wear
and damage. Also see,Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4,When It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-64
andWheel Replacement on page 5-67.
5-63

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
(other than those originally installed on your
vehicle) or types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes (other than those originally installed on
your vehicle) may also cause damage to your
vehicle. Be sure to use the correct size and
type tires on all wheels. It is all right to drive
with your compact spare temporarily, it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 5-84.
{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.
5-65