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Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to give you the
longest tire life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle
pulling to one side or the other, the alignment might
need to be checked. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, the tires
and wheels might need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer/retailer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly
rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
should be replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum wheels, which can
sometimes be repaired). See your dealer/retailer if
any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer/retailer will know the kind of wheel
you need.Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, offset and
be mounted the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only with
new Saturn 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.
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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 447for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You cannot know how it has
been used or how far it has been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause a crash. If
you have to replace a wheel, use a new
Saturn original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance
can cause damage to the brakes,
suspension or other vehicle parts. The area
damaged by the tire chains could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle and you
or others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends it
for use on your vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions. Follow
that manufacturer’s instructions. To help
avoid damage to your vehicle, drive slowly,
readjust or remove the device if it is
contacting your vehicle, and do not spin
your vehicle’s wheels. If you do nd
traction devices that will t, install them on
the front tires.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your vehicle’s
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 creates 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 the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel
damage by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on
your vehicle’s hazard warning ashers. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 172for more
information.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over or
fall on you or other people. You and they
could be badly injured or even killed. Find a
level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
To be even more certain the vehicle will not
move, you should put blocks at the front
and rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the tire,
on the other side, at the opposite end of the
vehicle.
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 tells you how to use the
jack and change a tire.
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Removing the Spare Tire
The compact spare tire is located under the
vehicle, in front of the rear bumper. SeeCompact
Spare Tire on page 463for more information
about the compact spare.
A. Rear
Convenience
Center
B. Lug wrench
C. Storage
Compartment
Cap HoleD. Hoist Shaft
E. Compact
Spare Tire
F. Retainer
G. Hoist Shaft
Assembly1. Open the storage compartment door of the
convenience center that is nearest the liftgate.
2. Move the carpet cutout that is located through
the hole of the storage compartment.
3. Attach the lug wrench into the hoist shaft.
4. Turn the lug wrench counterclockwise to lower
the spare tire to the ground. Continue turning
the wrench until the spare tire can be pulled out
from under the vehicle.
5. Tilt the retainer and slip it through the wheel
opening to remove the spare tire from the
cable.
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Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check before proceeding. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 447for more
information.
2. If the vehicle has a wheel cover, loosen the
plastic nut caps with the wheel wrench. They
will not come off. Then, using the at end
of the wheel wrench, pry along the edge of the
cover until it comes off. Be careful; the
edges may be sharp. Do not try to remove the
cover with your bare hands.
Store the wheel cover securely in the rear of
the vehicle until you have the at tire
repaired or replaced.
If your vehicle has aluminum wheels, remove
the wheel nut caps using the wheel wrench.3. Loosen the wheel nuts — but do not remove
them — using the lug wrench. For wheels
with a wheel lock key, use the wheel lock key
between the lock nut and lug wrench. The
key is supplied in the front passenger
door pocket.
Notice:If your vehicle has wheel locks and an
impact wrench is used to remove the wheel
nuts, the lock nut or wheel lock key could be
damaged. Do not use an impact wrench to
remove the wheel nuts if your vehicle has
wheel locks.
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4. To identify the appropriate jacking location, nd
the triangle (A) about 12 inches (30.5 cm) from
the front tire or (B) about 10.5 inches (27 cm)
from the rear tire.
The triangle is located near each wheel on the
vehicle’s exterior.
Notice:If a jack is used to raise the vehicle
without positioning it correctly, your vehicle
could be damaged. When raising your vehicle
on a jack, avoid contact with the rear axle
control arms.
5. Do not raise the vehicle yet. Put the compact
spare tire near you.
{CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked
up is dangerous. If the vehicle slips off
the jack you could be badly injured or
killed. Never get under a vehicle when it
is supported only by a jack.
{CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can damage the
vehicle and even make the vehicle fall.
To help avoid personal injury and vehicle
damage, be sure to t the jack lift head
into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.
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6. Attach the lug wrench to the jack, and turn the
wrench clockwise to raise the jack head
3 inches (7.6 cm).
7. Place the jack under the vehicle as identi ed
in Step 3. Raise the vehicle by turning the lug
wrench clockwise in the jack. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the ground so that there
is enough room for the spare tire to t
under the wheel well.
8. Remove all the wheel nuts and the at tire.
9. Remove the plastic spare tire heat shield by
pulling the rubber latch. Store the plastic
spare tire heat shield. SeeStoring a Flat or
Spare Tire and Tools on page 459for
more information.
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