Buying New Tires.........................................5-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-64
Wheel Replacement......................................5-64
Tire Chains..................................................5-66
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-67
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-68
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-69
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-73
Secondary Latch System...............................5-80
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-83
Spare Tire...................................................5-86
Appearance Care............................................5-88
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-88
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-90
Leather.......................................................5-90
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-91
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-91
Weatherstrips...............................................5-91
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-92Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-92
Finish Care..................................................5-92
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-93
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-93
Tires...........................................................5-94
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-94
Finish Damage.............................................5-95
Underbody Maintenance................................5-95
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-95
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-96
Vehicle Identi cation......................................5-97
Vehicle Identi cation Number (VIN).................5-97
Service Parts Identi cation Label.....................5-97
Electrical System............................................5-98
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-98
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-98
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-98
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-99
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-99
Capacities and Speci cations........................5-103
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-61andWheel Replacement
on page 5-64for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push,
pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-68.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important, seeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.When rotating your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation patterns shown here.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire or a spare
tire that does not match your vehicle’s road tires and
wheels, in size and type, do not include the spare in the
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear in ation pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. For the location of the tire
and loading information label seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-42. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened, see “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Speci cations on page 5-103for the
proper wheel nut torque speci cation.
5-60
{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
on page 5-68.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining. Some
commercial truck tires
may not have treadwear
indicators.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
5-61
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-68for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been
used or how far it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
5-65
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is 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 is 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 would;
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.
5-67