2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE service

Removing the Spare Tire
and Tools
The tools needed to remove the
spare tire are located in the storage
compartment on the driver side,
at the rear of the vehicle.
1. Open the jack storage
compartment by pulling on the
latch tab, located toward the rear
of the vehicle, and pulling the
cover off.
A. Tool Bag
B. Wing Bolt
C. Jack2. Remove the wing bolt (B) by
turning it counterclockwise
3. Push the jack (C) up out of the
holding bracket.
4. Turn the jack on its side, with the
bottom facing toward you.
5. Pull the jack straight out, bottom
rst.
The tools you will be using include
the jack (A) and lug wrench (B).
Removing the Spare Tire
The compact spare tire is located
under the vehicle, in front of the rear
bumper. SeeCompact Spare Tire
on page 5-77for more information
about the compact spare.
A. Rear Convenience Center
B. Lug Wrench
C. Storage Compartment Cap Hole
D. Hoist Shaft
E. Compact Spare Tire
F. Retainer
G. Hoist Shaft Assembly
5-66 Service and Appearance Care

1. Open the storage compartment
door of the convenience center
that is nearest the liftgate and
remove the cap on the bottom of
the storage compartment.
2. Open 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.6. Turn the wrench clockwise to
raise the cable back up after
removing the spare tire.
Do not store a full-size or a at
road tire under the vehicle.
SeeStoring a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools on page 5-74.
To continue changing the at tire,
seeRemoving the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire on
page 5-68.
If the spare tire will not lower, the
secondary latch could be engaged.
Service and Appearance Care 5-67

Do the following to check the cable:
1. Check under the vehicle to
see if the cable is visible.
2. If it is not visible, seeSecondary
Latch System on page 5-72.
If it is visible, rst try to tighten the
cable by turning the lug wrench
clockwise until you hear two clicks
or feel it skip twice. You cannot
over-tighten the cable.
3. Loosen the cable by turning the
wrench counterclockwise three
or four turns.
4. If the spare tire has not lowered,
tighten the cable all the way and
then loosen it at least two times.
If the spare tire did lower to the
ground, continue with Step 5
under “Removing the Spare Tire
(Vehicles with the Rear
Convenience Center)” listed
previously.
5. If you still cannot lower the spare
tire to the ground, seeSecondary
Latch System on page 5-72.Removing the Flat Tire
and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check before
proceeding. SeeChanging a Flat
Tire on page 5-65for 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 the 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 this 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 this vehicle has
wheel locks.
5-68 Service and Appearance Care

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, the vehicle could be
damaged. When raising the
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.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 identied 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.
Service and Appearance Care 5-69

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 5-74for more information.
{CAUTION
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, 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 5-65.
{CAUTION
Never use oil or grease on
bolts or nuts because the nuts
might come loose. The vehicle’s
wheel could fall off, causing a
crash.
10. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces, and
spare wheel.
11. Place the spare tire on the
wheel mounting surface.
5-70 Service and Appearance Care

12. Put the nuts on by hand by
turning the clockwise until
the wheel is held against the
mounting surface. Make sure
the rounded end is toward
the wheel.
13. Lower the vehicle by attaching
the lug wrench to the jack
and turning the wrench
counterclockwise. Lower
the jack completely.
{CAUTION
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specication
after replacing. Follow the torque
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
specication supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications on page 5-92for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specications.
Notice:Improperly tightened
wheel nuts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel nuts in
the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specication. See
Capacities and Specifications on
page 5-92for the wheel nut torque
specication.14. Tighten the wheel nuts rmly in
a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
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.
Service and Appearance Care 5-71

Secondary Latch System
This vehicle has an underbody
mounted tire hoist assembly that
has a secondary latch system. It is
designed to stop the compact spare
tire from suddenly falling off the
vehicle if the cable holding the spare
tire is damaged. For the secondary
latch to work, the tire must be stowed
with the valve stem pointing down.
SeeStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools on page 5-74for instructions
on storing the spare tire correctly.
{CAUTION
Before beginning this procedure
read all the instructions. Failure to
read and follow the instructions
could damage the hoist assembly
and you and others could get
hurt. Read and follow the
instructions listed next.To release the spare tire from the
secondary latch:
{CAUTION
Someone standing too close
during the procedure could be
injured by the jack. If the spare
tire does not slide off the jack
completely, make sure no one is
behind you or on either side of
you as you pull the jack out from
under the spare.
1. If the cable is not visible,
start this procedure at
Step 3.2. Turn the lug wrench
counterclockwise until
approximately 6 inches (15 cm)
of cable is exposed.
3. Attach the lug wrench to the jack
and raise the jack at least
10 turns.
4. Place the jack under the vehicle,
ahead of the rear bumper.
Position the center lift point of
the jack under the center of
the spare tire. All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle shown
5-72 Service and Appearance Care

5. Turn the lug wrench clockwise to
raise the jack until it lifts the
secondary latch spring.
6. Keep raising the jack until the
spare tire stops moving upward
and is held rmly in place. This
lets you know that the secondary
latch has released and the spare
tire is balancing on the jack.
7. Lower the jack by turning the lug
wrench counterclockwise. Keep
lowering the jack until the
spare tire slides off the jack.8. Disconnect the lug wrench from
the jack and carefully remove
the jack. Use one hand to push
against the spare tire while rmly
pulling the jack out from under the
spare tire with the other hand.9. Tilt the retainer and slip it
through the wheel opening when
the spare tire has been
completely lowered.
10. Turn the lug wrench clockwise
to raise the cable back up if the
cable is hanging.
Have the hoist shaft assembly
inspected as soon as you can. You
will not be able to store a spare
tire using the hoist assembly until it
has been repaired or replaced.
Service and Appearance Care 5-73