2005 CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 spare tire

Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-56
Wheel Replacement......................................5-56
Tire Chains..................................................5-57
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-58
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-59
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-60
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-61
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-65
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-66
Appearance Care............................................5-66
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-67
Vinyl...........................................................5-68
Leather.......................................................5-68
Instrument Panel..........................................5-69
Interior Plastic Components............................5-69
Glass Surfaces.............................................5-69
Weatherstrips...............................................5-69
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-69
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-70
Finish Care..................................................5-70Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-71
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-71
Tires...........................................................5-72
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-72
Finish Damage.............................................5-72
Underbody Maintenance................................5-73
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-73
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-74
Vehicle Identication......................................5-75
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-75
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-75
Electrical System............................................5-75
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-75
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-76
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-76
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-76
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-76
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-77
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-79
Capacities and Specications..........................5-82
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........5-83
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Tire Sidewall Labelling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical passenger
car tire and a compact spare tire sidewall.
(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define 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) 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.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters and
numbers following DOT code are the Tire Identification
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) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and number of
plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(E) 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 5-55.
(F) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load. For information on
recommended tire pressure seeInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-51andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-28. Passenger Car Tire Example
5-46

(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 flat. SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 5-66andIf a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-58.(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 Tire
Identification 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. SeeCompact Spare Tire
on page 5-66andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-28.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi (420 kPa).
For more information on tire pressure and inflation see
Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-51.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and numbers
define a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction
type and service description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size means the tire is for
temporary use only. Compact Spare Tire Example
5-47

Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right. It is not.
If your tires do not have enough air (under-ination),
you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination), you
can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazardsA vehicle specific tire and loading information label is
attached to your vehicle. This label shows your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they are cold. The
recommended cold tire inflation 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 4-28. 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. For additional information
regarding the compact spare tire, seeCompact
Spare Tire on page 5-66.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly
inflated simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they are under-inflated.
Check the tire’s inflation 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).
5-51

Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage firmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the inflation pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overfill 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.
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 5-53andWheel Replacement
on page 5-56for more information.The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. SeePart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in the tire
rotation.
5-52

Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the tire and loading information label attached to your
vehicle. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-28
for a label example and where it is attached to your
vehicle.
Make sure the replacements are the same size, load
range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 on page 5-66.
{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.
5-54

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
selection width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites 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.) The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1
1⁄2) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction — AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-55

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The compact spare tire and tools you will need are
located in the trunk.
A. Jack
B. Wheel WrenchC. Jack Handle
D. Screwdriver
1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk (Sedan) on page 2-11
for more information.
2. Remove the trim cover by pulling up on the tab.
3. Remove the foam tray that contains the tools.4. Turn the retainer on the compact spare tire
counterclockwise and remove the retainer.
5. Remove the compact spare tire. SeeCompact
Spare Tire on page 5-66for more information.
5-60