2009 PONTIAC G8 spare tire

Uniform Tire Quality
Grading...........................9-62
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance....................9-64
Wheel Replacement..........9-64
Tire Chains.......................9-65
Tire Changing
If a Tire Goes Flat............9-66
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
(V8 Engine)
.....................9-67
Changing a Flat Tire.........9-75
Removing the Spare
Tire and Tools.................9-76
Removing the Flat Tire
and Installing the
Spare Tire
.......................9-77
Storing a Flat or Spare
Tire and Tools.................9-82
Compact Spare Tire..........9-83
Jump Starting
Jump Starting...................9-84
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle.........9-88
Shift Lock Manual
Release...........................9-88
Recreational Vehicle
Towing............................9-89
Towing a Trailer................9-89
Appearance Care
Interior Cleaning................9-95
Exterior Cleaning..............9-98
Sheet Metal Damage.......9-102
Finish Damage................9-102
Underbody Maintenance. . .9-102
Chemical Paint
Spotting.........................9-102
Service
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer/retailer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
9-2 Vehicle Service and Care

Taillamps
A. Turn Signal Lamp
B. Stoplamp/Taillamp
C. Back-up Lamp
To replace one of these bulbs:
For any lamp not listed here, see
your dealer/retailer to replace.
1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk
on page 2-10.
2. Raise the spare tire cover.
SeeRemoving the Spare
Tire and Tools on page 9-76
for more information.3. Turn the four convenience net
hooks securing the plastic
trunk trim counterclockwise.
4. Pull the trunk trim straight up
to remove.5. Turn the trunk lining securing pins
counterclockwise and pull down
at the same time to remove.
6. Lower the spare tire cover.
7. Turn the bulb socket
counterclockwise to remove it
from the rear lamp housing.
8. Lightly press the bulb and turn it
counterclockwise to remove it
from the bulb holder.
9-34 Vehicle Service and Care

9. Push the new bulb into the
socket and turn it clockwise
to lock it into place.
10. Push the bulb socket straight in
and turn it clockwise to lock it
into place.
11. Make sure the seals are applied
to the taillamp assembly and
screws.
12. Raise the spare tire cover.
13. Turn the trunk lining securing
pins clockwise to lock into place.14. Return the plastic trunk trim
to its original location.
15. Reinstall the plastic
retaining pins.
License Plate Lamp
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Open the trunk. SeeTrunk on
page 2-10.
2. Turn the bulb socket
counterclockwise and pull it
straight out.3. Pull the bulb straight out of the
bulb socket.
4. Push the new bulb straight into
the bulb socket until it clicks.
5. Push the bulb socket straight in
and turn it clockwise to lock it
into place.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior LampBulb
Number
High-Beam Headlamp H9
Low-Beam Headlamp H11
Stoplamp/Taillamp P21/5W
Rear Turn
Signal LampPY21W
Back-up Lamp P21W
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer/retailer.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-35

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about
your tire warranty and where
to obtain service, see your
vehicle Warranty booklet for
details.
{CAUTION
Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your
vehicle’s tires can cause
overheating as a result
of too much exing.
You could have an air-out
and a serious accident.
SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 8-30.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Underinated tires
pose the same danger
as overloaded tires.
The resulting accident
could cause serious
injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when your
vehicle’s tires are cold.
SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-49.
Overinated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact — such as when
you hit a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Worn, old tires can cause
accidents. If the tire’s
tread is badly worn, or
if your vehicle’s tires
have been damaged,
replace them.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire
is molded into its sidewall.
The examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and
a compact spare tire sidewall.
9-42 Vehicle Service and Care

(A) Temporary Use Only:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) and should not be
driven at speeds over 65 mph
(105 km/h). The compact
spare tire is for emergency use
when a regular road tire has
lost air and gone at. If your
vehicle has a compact spare tire.SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 9-83andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 9-66.
(B) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies
in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(C) Tire Identication Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code is
the Tire Identication Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire
was manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of
the tire, although only one side
may have the date of
manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold Ination
Load Limit
:Maximum load
that can be carried and
the maximum pressure needed
to support that load.(E) Tire Ination
:The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inated
to 60 psi (420 kPa). For
more information on tire
pressure and ination see
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-49.
(F) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers dene a
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as
the rst character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(G) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specication)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM’s specic tire performance
criteria have a TPC specication
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Compact Spare Tire Example
9-44 Vehicle Service and Care

Tire SizeRecommended Cold Tire Ination
Occupant and Cargo Weight: 573 lbs (260 kg) or Less Occupant and Cargo Weight:
Up to 917 lbs (416 kg)
(Vehicle Capacity Weight)
Front Tires Rear Tires Front Tires Rear Tires
P245/45R18 96V 33 psi (230 kPa) 33 psi (230 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa) 245/45R18 96V 36 psi (250 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa)
245/40R19 94W 36 psi (250 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa
)36 psi (250 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa)
T155/80R17 111M (Compact Spare) 60 psi (420 kPa) 60 psi (420 kPa) 60 psi (420 kPa) 60 psi (420 kPa)
When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more.
Do not forget the compact spare
tire, if your vehicle has one. It
should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
For more information about
the vehicle’s compact spare tire,
see Compact Spare Tire on
page 9-83 . How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gage to check tire pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires
are properly inated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inated even
when they’re underinated.
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.
9-50 Vehicle Service and Care

Tire SizeRecommended Cold Tire Ination
Occupant and Cargo Weight: 573 lbs (260 kg) or Less Occupant and Cargo Weight:
Up to 917 lbs (416 kg)
(Vehicle Capacity Weight)
Front Tires Rear Tires Front Tires Rear Tires
P245/45R18 96V 35 psi (240 kPa) 35 psi (240 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa) 44 psi (300 kPa) 245/45R18 96V 36 psi (250 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa) 44 psi (300 kPa)
245/40R19 94W 36 psi (250 kPa) 36 psi (250 kPa) 39 psi (270 kPa) 44 psi (300 kPa)
When you end this high-speed
driving, return the tires to the cold tire
ination pressure shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See
Loading the Vehicle on page 8-30
and Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-49 .
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires
and transmit tire pressure readings to
a receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare
(if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inated to the
ination pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire ination
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire ination pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
ination pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is signicantly
under-inated.
9-52 Vehicle Service and Care

The TPMS operates on a radio
frequency and complies with
RSS-210 of Industry and Science
Canada. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause
interference.
2. This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modications to this
system by other than an authorized
service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and
wheel assembly, excluding the
spare tire and wheel assembly. The
TPMS sensors monitor the air
pressure in the vehicle’s tires and
transmit the tire pressure readings to
a receiver located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS turns on the
7
low tire pressure warning light.
At the same time a message to
check the pressure in a specic tire
appears on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) display. The low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC
warning message come on at each
ignition cycle until the tires are
inated to the correct ination
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed bythe driver. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays seeDIC Operation and
Displays on page 4-22andDIC
Warnings and Messages on
page 4-26.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather
when the vehicle is rst started, and
then turn off as you start to drive.
This could be an early indicator that
the air pressure in the tire(s) are
getting low and need to be inated
to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the
correct ination pressure for the
vehicle’s tires when they are cold.
SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 8-30, for an example of the Tire
and Loading Information label and its
location on the vehicle. Also see
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-49.
9-54 Vehicle Service and Care