2007 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX spare wheel

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 399
Tires............................................................ 400
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 401
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 405
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 408
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 409
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 414
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 415
Buying New Tires...................................... 416
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 417
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 418
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 419
Wheel Replacement.................................. 419
Tire Chains............................................... 421
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 422
Tire Inator Kit (GXP)................................ 424
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 435
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 436
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 438
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 445
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 447Appearance Care........................................ 448
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 448
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 449
Leather...................................................... 451
Ultra Lux Suede........................................ 451
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces................................................ 452
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 452
Weatherstrips............................................ 452
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 453
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 453
Finish Care............................................... 453
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 454
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 454
Tires......................................................... 455
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 455
Finish Damage.......................................... 456
Underbody Maintenance............................ 456
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 456
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 457
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
334

Low-Prole Performance Tire (GXP)
If your vehicle has P255/45R18 size tires on the
front wheels and P225/50R18 size tires on the rear
wheels, they are classied as low-prole
performance tires. These tires are designed for
very responsive driving on wet or dry pavement.
You may also notice more road noise with
low-prole performance tires and that they tend to
wear faster.
Notice:If your vehicle has low-prole tires,
they are more susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than standard prole
tires. Tire and/or wheel assembly damage
can occur when coming into contact with road
hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a curb. Your GM
warranty does not cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct ination pressure
and, when possible avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road hazards.
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.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
401

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 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.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses
radio and sensor technology to check tire pressure
levels. If your vehicle has this feature, sensors
are mounted onto each tire and wheel assembly,
except for the spare tire. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected,
the TPMS will illuminate the low tire pressure
warning symbol on the instrument panel cluster,
and at the same time a warning message to check
the pressure in a specic tire displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The low
tire pressure warning light and the DIC warning
message CHECK TIRE PRESSURE come
on at each ignition cycle until the tires are inated
to the correct ination pressure.
409

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tire rotation is not recommended if your vehicle is
a GXP model equipped with P255/45R18 size
tires on the front wheels and P225/50R18 size tires
on the rear wheels. Different tire sizes front to
rear should not be rotated.
Tire rotation is recommended if the original
equipment tires installed on your vehicle are
of the same size and type on all four tire/wheel
positions. Original equipment tires of the
same size and type should be rotated every
5,000 to 8,000 miles (8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your
vehicle’s tires as soon as possible and check the
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires
or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on
page 415andWheel Replacement on page 419
for more information.
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 473for scheduled rotation
intervals.The correct rotation pattern shown here is only for
non-GXP tires.
Do not include the compact spare tire, if equipped,
in your vehicle’s tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label, and reset the Tire
Pressure Monitor System. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor System on page 409for additional
information.
Rotation Pattern for Non-GXP Tires Only
414

Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle, when it was new, were
designed to meet General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria Specication (TPC spec)
system rating. If you need replacement tires, GM
strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to
give the same performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical specications that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec number is molded
onto the tire’s sidewall by the tire manufacturer.
If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by an MS
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 401for additional information.{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), 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 (other than those originally
installed on your vehicle) may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use
the correct size, brand, and type tires on
all wheels. If your vehicle has a compact
spare tire, it is all right to drive your
vehicle with the compact spare
temporarily. It was developed for use on
your vehicle. SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 447.
416

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your tires
properly. SeeTires on page 400. 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’d 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.If a tire goes at, and your vehicle has a spare
tire, seeChanging a Flat Tire on page 435.
This information shows you how to use your
vehicle’s tire changing equipment and how
to change a at tire safely.
{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.
422

If a Tire Goes Flat (GXP)
GXP models have no spare tire, no tire changing
equipment, and no place for storing a spare or
at tire. If a tire goes at, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place and stopping. Then do this:
1. Turn on the hazard warning ashers. See
Hazard Warning Flashers on page 134.
2. Park your vehicle. Set the parking brake rmly
and put the shift lever in PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 116for
additional information.
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the at tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel or
has damaged sidewalls or large tears that
allow rapid air loss, call a tire repair facility. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 498.
If the at tire is due to a slow leak caused by a nail
or other similar road hazard, the tire inator kit may
be used to temporarily repair the damaged tire.The kit uses a liquid tire sealant to seal small
punctures in the tread area of the tire. The at tire is
then inated to at least 30 psi (207 kPa) and driven
to evenly distribute the tire sealant. The tire
pressure is checked after driving for a maximum of
ve miles (8.0 km) to see if the slow leak has been
stopped. If the tire pressure is 19 psi (131 kPa) or
more, inate the tire up to the standard operating
pressure as shown on the tire and loading
information label. This label is attached to the
vehicle’s center-pillar below the driver’s door latch.
SeeInation - Tire Pressure on page 408.
Notice:If the tire pressure has dropped below
19 psi (131 kPa), the vehicle should not be
driven. Damage to the tire may be severe and
the sealant will not be effective. Contact
Roadside Assistance, seeRoadside Assistance
Program on page 498.
You should have the damaged tire repaired as
soon as possible. The tire sealant is a temporary
repair only. If the tire has been lled with tire
sealant, take the tire to a GM dealer for inspection
and repair. SeeTire Inator Kit (GXP) on
page 424for additional information.
423

When your vehicle has a at tire, use the following
example as a guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks.
The following information will tell you next how to
use the jack and change a tire.Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment needed to change a tire is
located in the trunk.
1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk on page 96for
more information.
2. Remove the convenience net, if equipped, by
removing the net hook attachments.
3. Lift up the carpet.
4. Turn the center nut
on the compact
spare tire cover
counterclockwise to
remove it.
5. Remove the cover.
6. Remove the compact spare tire. SeeCompact
Spare Tire on page 447for more information.
436