2008 SATURN ASTRA Owners Manual

4. Put the load oor back in place.
The compact spare tire is for
temporary use only. Replace the
compact spare with a full-size tire
as soon as possible.
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire
was fully inated when the vehicle
was new, it can lose air after
a time. Check the ination
pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare
on the vehicle, stop as soon
as possible and make sure the
spare tire is correctly inated.
The compact spare is made to
perform well at speeds up to
50 mph (80 km/h) for distances
up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you
can nish your trip and have the
full-size tire repaired or replaced at
your convenience. Of course, it
is best to replace the spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
The spare tire will last longer and
be in good shape in case it is
needed again.Notice:When the compact
spare is installed, do not take
your vehicle through an
automatic car wash with guide
rails. The compact spare can get
caught on the rails. That can
damage the tire and wheel, and
maybe other parts of your vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles.
And do not mix the compact spare
tire or wheel with other wheels
or tires. They will not t. Keep the
spare tire and its wheel together.
Notice:Tire chains will not
t your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle
and can damage the chains
too. Do not use tire chains on
your compact spare.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-67
ProCarManuals.com

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, try to
use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your vehicle.
Be sure to use the following steps
to do it safely.
{CAUTION
Batteries can hurt you. They
can be dangerous because:
They contain acid that can
burn you.
They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you.Notice:Ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage to
your vehicle that would not
be covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by
pushing or pulling it will not work,
and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must
have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s
system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both
vehicles can be damaged. Only
use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump
start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough
so the jumper cables can
reach, but be sure the vehicles
are not touching each other.
If they are, it could cause
a ground connection you do not
want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the
electrical systems.To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake rmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P)
or a manual transmission in
NEUTRAL before setting
the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave your radio or
other accessories on during the
jump starting procedure, they
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your
warranty. Always turn off your
radio and other accessories when
jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlet. Turn off the radio
and all lamps that are not needed.
This will avoid sparks and help
save both batteries. And it could
save the radio!
9-68 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

4. Open the hoods and locate the
batteries. Find the positive (+)
and negative (−) terminal
locations on each vehicle. Your
vehicle’s positive (+) terminal
is identied by “+” sign on battery
case or terminal.Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 9-6.
{CAUTION
An electric fan can start up
even when the engine is not
running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{CAUTION
Using a match near a battery
can cause battery gas to
explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a ashlight if you
need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You do not need to add
water to the battery installed in
your new vehicle. But if a
battery has ller caps, be sure
the right amount of uid is
there. If it is low, add water to
take care of that rst. If you
don’t, explosive gas could be
present.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Battery uid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, ush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{CAUTION
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly.
Keep your hands away from
moving parts once the engine
is running.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-69
ProCarManuals.com

5. Check that the jumper cables do
not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles
could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some things you to
know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one. Negative (−) will go
to the engine lift hook.
Do not connect positive (+) to
negative (−) or you will get
a short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts
too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal on the
dead battery because this can
cause sparks.6. Connect the red positive (+)
cable to the positive (+) terminal
of the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch
metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote positive (+)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black
negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the
good battery. Use a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
Do not let the other end touch
anything until the next step.
The other end of the negative (−)
cabledoes notgo to the dead
battery.9. Connect the other end of the
negative (−) cable at least
18 inches (45 cm) away from
the dead battery, but not
near engine parts that move.
Connect it to the engine lift hook.
You may need to scrape the
surface with your jumper cable
to obtain a proper ground.
The electrical connection is just
as good there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
9-70 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

10. Now start the vehicle with the
good battery and run the
engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had
the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
Notice:If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the cables
do not touch each other or
other metal.A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine
Part or Remote Negative (–)
Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote
Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (–) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote
Positive (+) TerminalTo disconnect the jumper cables
from both vehicles, do the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (−)
cable from the vehicle that had
the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−)
cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+)
cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+)
cable from the other vehicle.
5. Return the caps over the
positive (+) and negative (–)
terminals to their original
positions. Jumper Cable Removal
Vehicle Service and Care 9-71
ProCarManuals.com

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
The vehicle was neither designed
nor intended to be towed with any of
its wheels on the ground.
Consult your dealer/retailer or a
professional towing service if
the disabled vehicle needs to be
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance
Program on page 11-5.
Notice:Dolly towing or dinghy
towing your vehicle may
cause damage because of
reduced ground clearance.
Always put your vehicle on a
atbed truck.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Notice:Dolly towing or dinghy
towing your vehicle may
cause damage because of
reduced ground clearance.
Always put your vehicle on a
atbed trailer.
The vehicle was neither designed
nor intended to be towed with any
of its wheels on the ground.
Towing a Trailer
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer.
Appearance Care
Interior Cleaning
Your vehicle’s interior will continue
to look its best if it is cleaned
often. Although not always visible,
dust and dirt can accumulate
on your upholstery. Dirt can damage
carpet, fabric, leather, and plastic
surfaces. Regular vacuuming
is recommended to remove particles
from the upholstery. It is important
to keep your upholstery from
becoming and remaining heavily
soiled. Soils should be removed as
quickly as possible. Your vehicle’s
interior may experience extremes of
heat that could cause stains to
set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require
more frequent cleaning. Use care
because newspapers and garments
that transfer color to your home
furnishings may also transfer color
to your vehicle’s interior.
9-72 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com

When cleaning your vehicle’s
interior, only use cleaners
specically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned. Permanent
damage may result from using
cleaners on surfaces for which they
were not intended. Use glass
cleaner only on glass. Remove any
accidental over-spray from other
surfaces immediately. To prevent
over-spray, apply cleaner directly to
the cleaning cloth.
Notice:If you use abrasive
cleaners when cleaning glass
surfaces on your vehicle, you
could scratch the glass and/or
cause damage to the rear window
defogger. When cleaning the glass
on your vehicle, use only a soft
cloth and glass cleaner.
Many cleaners contain solvents
that may become concentrated in
your vehicle’s breathing space.Before using cleaners, read and
adhere to all safety instructions on
the label. While cleaning your
vehicle’s interior, maintain adequate
ventilation by opening your
vehicle’s doors and windows.
Dust may be removed from small
buttons and knobs using a small
brush with soft bristles.
Your dealer/retailer has a product
for cleaning your vehicle’s glass.
You can also obtain a product from
your dealer/retailer to remove
odors from your vehicle’s upholstery.
Do not clean your vehicle using
the following cleaners or techniques:
Never use a knife or any other
sharp object to remove a soil
from any interior surface.
Never use a stiff brush. It can
cause damage to your vehicle’s
interior surfaces.
Never apply heavy pressure or
rub aggressively with a cleaning
cloth. Use of heavy pressure
can damage the interior and does
not improve the effectiveness
of soil removal.
Use only mild, neutral-pH soaps.
Avoid laundry detergents or
dishwashing soaps with
degreasers. Using too much
soap will leave a residue
that leaves streaks and attracts
dirt. For liquid cleaners, about
20 drops per gallon (3.78 L)
of water is a good guide.
Do not heavily saturate the
upholstery while cleaning.
Damage to your vehicle’s interior
may result from the use of
many organic solvents such as
naptha, alcohol, etc.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-73
ProCarManuals.com

Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft
brush attachment frequently to
remove dust and loose dirt.
A canister vacuum with a beater bar
in the nozzle may only be used
on oor carpet and carpeted oor
mats. For soils, always try to remove
them rst with plain water or club
soda. Before cleaning, gently
remove as much of the soil as
possible using one of the following
techniques:
For liquids: gently blot the
remaining soil with a paper towel.
Allow the soil to absorb into
the paper towel until no more
can be removed.
For solid dry soils: remove as
much as possible and then
vacuum.To clean, use the following
instructions:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white
cloth with water or club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove excess
moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the
soil and gently rub toward the
center. Continue cleaning, using
a clean area of the cloth each
time it becomes soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled
area until the cleaning cloth
remains clean.
5. If the soil is not completely
removed, use a mild soap
solution and repeat the cleaning
process that was used with
plain water.
If any of the soil remains, a
commercial fabric cleaner or
spot lifter may be necessary.
When a commercial upholstery
cleaner or spot lifter is to be used,test a small hidden area for
colorfastness rst. If the locally
cleaned area gives any impression
that a ring formation may result,
clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been
completed, a paper towel can be
used to blot excess moisture
from the fabric or carpet.
Leather
A soft cloth dampened with water
can be used to remove dust.
If a more thorough cleaning is
necessary, a soft cloth dampened
with a mild soap solution can be
used. Allow the leather to dry
naturally. Do not use heat to dry.
Never use steam to clean leather.
Never use spot lifters or spot
removers on leather. Many
commercial leather cleaners and
coatings that are sold to preserve
and protect leather may permanently
9-74 Vehicle Service and Care
ProCarManuals.com