2008 SATURN ASTRA Owners Manual

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 9-60for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION
Putting a used wheel on the
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
GM 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 the vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on
the vehicle and tire size
combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust
or remove the device if it is
contacting the vehicle, and do
not spin the vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices
that will t, install them on the
front tires.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-59
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Changing
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 theway 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.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on the
hazard warning ashers.
{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 an automatic
transmission shift lever in
P (Park), or shift a manual
transmission to 1 (First) or
R (Reverse).
(Continued)
9-60 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

CAUTION (Continued)
3. Turn off the engine and
do not restart while the
vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to
remain in the vehicle.
To be certain the vehicle will
not move, 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 you have a at tire, place the
wheel block at the tire diagonally
across from the at tire.
Removing the Spare Tire
and Tools
The equipment you will need is
located in the rear storage area.
1. Open the liftgate. SeeLiftgate on
page 2-6.
2. Lift the oor cover to access the
spare tire and tools.3. Remove the foam pad. Turn the
retainer counterclockwise to
remove it.
4. Remove the spare tire by pulling
it up and out of the trunk.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-61
ProCarManuals.com

5. The jack and tools are stored
below the spare tire.
6. The tools you will be using
include the jack (A), wheel
wrench (B) and jack handle (C).
Removing the Flat Tire
and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. If your vehicle has wheel covers,
remove the cover.
Do not try to put a wheel cover
on your compact spare tire. It will
not t. Store the wheel cover
in the trunk until you have the at
tire repaired or replaced.
Notice:Wheel covers will not t
on your vehicle’s compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on
the compact spare, the cover or
the spare could be damaged.
2. If your vehicle has wheel bolt
caps, remove the caps. Store
the caps with the wheel cover.3. Use the wheel wrench to loosen
all the wheel bolts. Do not
remove them yet.
9-62 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

Notice:Make sure that the
jack lift head is in the correct
position or you may damage your
vehicle. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty.4. Position the jack lift head at the
jack location nearest the at
tire. The location is indicated by
a mark on the bottom edge
of the vehicle.
5. 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.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-63
ProCarManuals.com

6. Raise the vehicle by turning the
jack handle clockwise. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room
for the compact spare tire to
t under the vehicle.
7. Remove all of the wheel bolts.
{CAUTION
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on
the parts to which it is
fastened, can make wheel bolts
become loose after 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 9-60.8. Remove any rust or dirt from the
wheel bolts, mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
Installing wheels with a good
metal-to-metal contact at
the mounting surface is
necessary to prevent the wheel
bolts from becoming loose.
To prevent corrosion or rust
build-up, apply a light coat of
wheel bearing grease to the
wheel hub center and to the
cone-shaped surface of each
wheel bolt at every wheel change.
9-64 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

9. Place the compact spare tire on
the wheel-mounting surface.
10. Reinstall the wheel bolts with
the rounded end of the bolts
toward the wheel. Tighten each
bolt by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.
11. Lower the vehicle by turning the
jack handle counterclockwise.
Lower the jack completely.12. Tighten the wheel bolts rmly
in a crisscross sequence,
as shown.
{CAUTION
Incorrect or improperly
tightened wheel bolts can
cause the wheel to come loose
and even come off. This could
lead to a crash. If you have to
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
replace them, be sure to get
new original equipment wheel
bolts. Stop somewhere as
soon as you can and have the
bolts tightened with a torque
wrench to the proper torque
specication. SeeCapacities
and Specifications on
page 10-2for wheel bolt
torque specication.
Notice:Improperly tightened
wheel bolts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel bolts
in the proper sequence and to
the proper torque specication.
SeeCapacities and Specifications
on page 10-2for the wheel bolt
torque specication.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-65
ProCarManuals.com

Storing a Flat or Spare
Tire and Tools
{CAUTION
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle
could cause injury. In a
sudden stop or collision,
loose equipment could strike
someone. Store all these in
the proper place.To store a at or spare tire and
tools, do the following:
A. Jack
B. Wheel Wrench
C. Jack Handle
1. Replace the jack and tools
as shown.2. Place the at tire face down into
the spare tire hub.
3. Turn spare tire hold-down bolt by
turning clockwise. Return the
foam pad to its original position.
9-66 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com