2006 GMC CANYON spare tire

Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-6andAnti-Lock
Brake System (ABS) on page 4-7. If your vehicle does
not have four-wheel drive, you should not drive
off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
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 great 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.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. 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.
4-15

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-53
Tires..............................................................5-55
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-56
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-64
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-66
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-68
Wheel Replacement......................................5-68
Tire Chains..................................................5-70
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-71
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-72
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-73
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-77
Secondary Latch System...............................5-84
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-88
Spare Tire...................................................5-92
Appearance Care............................................5-93
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-93
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-95
Leather.......................................................5-95Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-96
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-96
Weatherstrips...............................................5-96
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-97
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-97
Finish Care..................................................5-97
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-98
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-98
Tires...........................................................5-99
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-99
Finish Damage.............................................5-99
Underbody Maintenance................................5-99
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-100
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-100
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-101
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)................5-101
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-101
Electrical System..........................................5-101
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-101
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-102
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-102
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-102
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-103
Capacities and Specications........................5-108
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Tire Sidewall Labeling
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 code are 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 5-66.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:Maximum
load that can be carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load. Passenger Vehicle 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. See “Compact Spare Tire”
underSpare Tire on page 5-92for additional information.
(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
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 5-61.
(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

When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also check the
tire pressure of the spare tire. If you have a compact
spare tire, it should be at 60 psi (420 kPa). See
Spare Tire on page 5-92for additional information.
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 are 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. Recheck 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 5-64andWheel Replacement
on page 5-68for 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 5-72.
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.
5-62

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 ination 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 4-44. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened, see “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications on page 5-108for the
proper wheel nut torque specication.
{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 5-72.
5-63

{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle while driving. If you mix tires of
different sizes, brands, or types (radial and
bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have a crash. Using
tires of different sizes, brands, or types may
also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the correct size, brand, and type of tires
on all wheels.
Your vehicle may have a compact spare tire
and wheel assembly. If the vehicle has a
compact spare tire and wheel, they have the
same overall diameter as your vehicle’s
full-size tires and wheels. Because they were
designed and developed for use on your
vehicle, it is all right to drive your vehicle with
the compact spare installed properly. Compact
spare tires are designed for temporary use
only. SeeSpare Tire on page 5-92.
{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.
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those that
do not have a TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information Label. This label is
attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar). See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-44, for more information
about the Tire and Loading Information Label and its
location on your vehicle.
5-65

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as, antilock brakes; traction
control; and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only use GM
specic wheel and tire systems developed for
your vehicle, and have them properly installed
by a GM certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-64andAccessories
and Modications on page 5-3for additional information.
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.) 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 and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
5-66