2009 PONTIAC TORRENT spare tire

{CAUTION:
If you were to carry things on the adjustable panel
when it is in the upper (cargo cover) or center
positions, during a sudden vehicle movement or a
crash, those things could be thrown around in the
vehicle. You or others could be injured. When it is
in the upper or center position, always secure any
cargo on the oor beneath the panel/cover.
To use the panel in the center position, do the following:
1. Insert the front corners of the panel into the
middle guides.
2. Slide the panel forward.
3. Press down and pull rearward on the back of the
panel to lock it in place.The panel can be used in this position when you have
to place a at or spare tire in the rear cargo area.
To use the panel in the upper position, do the following:
1. Insert the front corners of the panel into the top
guides.
2. Slide the panel forward.
3. Press down and pull rearward on the back of the
panel to lock it in place.
This can be used as a cargo cover for the rear area.
The panel may be installed either carpet or plastic side
up. The panel may also be used as a table in this
position. SeeTable on page 2-46for more information.
Rear Seat Armrest
Vehicles with a rear seat armrest, have two cupholders.
Pull the armrest down from the rear seatback to
access the cupholders.
2-45

For vehicles being dinghy towed, re-install the fuse and
run the vehicle at the beginning of each day and at
each RV fuel stop for about ve minutes. This will
ensure proper lubrication of transmission components.
To tow a vehicle with a 6–speed transmission from
the front with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle being towed behind the tow
vehicle and shift the transmission to P (Park).
2. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
5. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.
6. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
7. To prevent the battery from draining while the
vehicle is being towed, remove the 50 amp
BATT1 fuse from the engine compartment fuse
block and store in a safe location. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-93.
8. Release the parking brake.Notice:If the vehicle is towed without performing
each of the steps listed under “Dinghy Towing,”
the automatic transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of the dinghy towing
procedure prior to and after towing the vehicle.
Notice:If 65 mph (105 km/h) is exceeded while
towing the vehicle, it could be damaged. Never
exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while towing the vehicle.
Once the destination has been reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Reinstall the 50 amp BATT1 fuse to the engine
compartment fuse block.
3. Shift the transmission to P (Park), turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF and remove the key from the ignition.
4. Release the parking brake.
Notice:Do not tow a vehicle with the front drive
wheels on the ground if one of the front tires
is a compact spare tire. Towing with two different
tire sizes on the front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the transmission.
4-28

Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-66
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-68
Wheel Replacement......................................5-68
Tire Chains..................................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-72
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-73
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-79
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-81
Appearance Care............................................5-82
Interior Cleaning...........................................5-82
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-83
Leather.......................................................5-84
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-85
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-85Weatherstrips...............................................5-85
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-86
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-86
Finish Care..................................................5-87
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-87
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim..................................................5-88
Tires...........................................................5-88
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-89
Finish Damage.............................................5-89
Underbody Maintenance................................5-89
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-89
Vehicle Identication.....................................
.5-90
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-90
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-90
Electrical System............................................5-91
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-91
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-91
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-91
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-92
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-93
Capacities and Specications..........................5-97
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare
tire sidewall.(A) Tire Size
:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to dene a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction
type, and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.
(B) 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.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation)
:The Department of Transportation (DOT) code
indicates that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identication Number (TIN)
:The letters
and numbers following 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.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
5-49

(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance factors:
treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance.
For more information seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 5-66.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.(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 5-81andIf a Tire Goes Flat
on page 5-70.
(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 seeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-55. Compact Spare Tire Example
5-50

Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right.
It is not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-ination), you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazardsA vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to your vehicle. This label shows
your vehicle’s original equipment tires and the
correct ination pressures for your tires when they
are cold. The recommended cold tire ination
pressure, shown on the label, is the minimum
amount of air pressure needed to support your
vehicle’s maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much
weight your vehicle can carry, and an example of
the Tire and Loading Information label, seeLoading
the Vehicle on page 4-20. How you load your
vehicle affects vehicle handling and ride comfort.
Never load your vehicle with more weight than it
was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not
forget to check the compact spare tire, it should
be at 60 psi (420 kPa). For additional information
regarding the compact spare tire, seeCompact
Spare Tire on page 5-81.
5-55

If your vehicle has P235/50R18 size tires, they will
require ination pressure adjustment when driving your
vehicle at speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or higher.
Set the cold ination pressure to the maximum ination
pressure shown on the tire sidewall, or 35 psi (241 kPa),
whichever is lower. See the example following. When
you end this high-speed driving, return the tires to the
cold tire ination pressure shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeLoading the Vehicle on page 4-20
andInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-55.
Example:
You will nd the maximum load and ination pressure
molded on the tire’s sidewall, in small letters, near
the rim ange. It will read something like this: Maximum
load 690 kg (1521 lbs) 300 kPa (44 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the ination pressure for
high-speed driving at 35 psi (241 kPa).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.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a signicantly under-inated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-ination also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
5-57

Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS). The 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 transmits the tire pressure readings
to a receiver located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure
condition is detected, the
TPMS illuminates the low
tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument
panel cluster.
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 by the driver. For additional informationand details about the DIC operation and displays see
DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-42andDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-49.
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, attached to
your vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressure for
your vehicle’s tires when they are cold. SeeLoading the
Vehicle on page 4-20, for an example of the Tire and
Loading Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-55.
Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you about a low tire
pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-62andTires on page 5-48.
Notice:Liquid tire sealants could damage the
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) sensors.
Sensor damage caused by using a tire sealant is
not covered by your warranty. Do not use liquid
tire sealants.
5-59