
10-50 Vehicle Care
Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See
“Wheel Nut Torque”under
Capacities and Specifications
on
page 12‑2
.
{WARNING
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. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10‑56.
Make sure the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, is stored
securely. Push, pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, tighten the cable. See
Tire Changing
on page 10‑66.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Various factors, such as
maintenance, temperatures, driving
speeds, vehicle loading, and road
conditions influence when you need
new tires.
One way to tell when it is time for
new tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which appear when the
tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) or
less of tread remaining.
The vehicle needs new tires if any
of the following statements are true:
.You can see the indicators at
three or more places around
the tire.
.You can see cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is cracked,
cut, or snagged deep enough to
show cord or fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot be
repaired well because of the size
or location of the damage.

10-52 Vehicle Care
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires
will help keep your vehicle
performing most like it did when
the tires were new. Replacing
less than a full set of tires can
affect the braking and handling
performance of your vehicle.
SeeTire Inspection
on page 10‑49
andTire Rotationon page 10‑49
for information on proper tire
rotation.
{WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you
to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have
a crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types may
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
also cause damage to your
vehicle. Be sure to use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels. It is all
right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, as
it was developed for use on
your vehicle. See Compact
Spare Tire
on page 10‑77.
{WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim flanges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle. If you must replace your
vehicle's tires with those that do
not have a TPC Spec number,
make sure they are the same
size, load range, speed rating,
and construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle's original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed on
your vehicle. Non-TPC Spec
rated tires may give a
low-pressure warning that is
higher or lower than the proper
warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. See
Tire
Pressure Monitor System
on
page 10‑44
.
Your vehicle's original
equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information
Label. See Vehicle Load Limits

Vehicle Care 10-53
on page 9‑10, for more
information about the Tire and
Loading Information Label and
its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a
different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this
could affect the way your vehicle
performs, including its braking, ride
and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as anti-lock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can be affected.
{WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide an
acceptable level of performance
and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels
are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and
suffer serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for your vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires
on
page 10‑51and Accessories and
Modificationson page 10‑3for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver, or temporary

10-56 Vehicle Care
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
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
{WARNING
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(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
chains could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and you or
others may be injured in a crash.
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 find
traction devices that will fit, install
them on the front tires.
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 flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. 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 the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may

10-68 Vehicle Care
6. Turn the wrench clockwise toraise the cable back up after
removing the spare tire.
Do not store a full-size or a flat
road tire under the vehicle. See
“Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools” later in this section.
To continue changing the flat tire,
see “Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire” later in this
section.
If the spare tire will not lower, the
secondary latch could be engaged. 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, see Secondary
Latch System on page 10‑74.
If it is visible, first 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, see
Secondary Latch System
on
page 10‑74.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check before proceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat
on page 10‑56for 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 flat
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 flat tire repaired or
replaced.

10-74 Vehicle Care
8. Make sure the metal tube iscentered at the striker. Push the
tube toward the front of the
vehicle.
9. Close the liftgate and make sure it is latched properly.
Storing the Tools
A. Tool Bag
B. Wing Bolt
C. Jack
Put back all tools as they were
stored in the jack storage
compartment and put the
compartment cover back on.
1. Ensure that the bottom of thejack is facing toward you.
2. Turn the jack (C) on its side and place down on the holding
bracket. 3. Reinstall the wing bolt (B) by
turning clockwise.
4. To replace the cover, line up the tab at the front of the cover with
the notch in the cover opening.
Push the cover in place and
make sure that the rear clips are
in the slots and push the cover
closed.
Store the center cap or the plastic
bolt-on wheel covers until a full size
tire is put back on the vehicle. When
you replace the compact spare with
a full-size tire, reinstall the bolt-on
wheel covers or the center cap.
Hand-tighten them over the wheel
nuts, using the lug wrench.
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

Vehicle Care 10-77
Compact Spare Tire
{WARNING
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time.
The compact spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, was fully inflated
when the vehicle was new, however,
it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation 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 inflated. The
compact spare is made to perform
well at speeds up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish 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 the
vehicle through an automatic car
wash with guide rails. The
compact spare can get caught on
the rails which can damage the
tire, wheel and other parts of the
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 fit. Keep the
spare tire and its wheel together.
The All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system
will be automatically disabled when
you use the compact spare. To
restore the AWD and prevent
excessive wear on the clutch in your
AWD, replace the compact spare
tire with a full-size tire as soon as
possible.
Notice:
Tire chains will not fit the
compact spare. Using them can
damage the vehicle and can
damage the chains too. Do not
use tire chains on the compact
spare.

Vehicle Care 10-83
If the vehicle is all-wheel-drive, it
can be dinghy towed from the front.
These vehicles can also be towed
by placing them on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the
ground. These vehicles cannot be
towed using a dolly.
For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about five minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components. Re-install
the fuse to start the vehicle.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle to be towed,shift the transmission to
P (Park), and turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
2. Secure the vehicle to the towing vehicle.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY. 5. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
6. To prevent the battery from draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the 50 amp
BATT1 fuse from the underhood
fuse block and store in a safe
location. See Engine
Compartment Fuse Block
on
page 10‑31.
7. 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 105 km/h (65 mph) is
exceeded while towing the
vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 105 km/h (65 mph)
while towing the vehicle.
Once the destination is reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Reinstall the 50 amp BATT1 fuse to the underhood fuse block.
3. Shift the transmission to P (Park), turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF and remove the key
from the ignition.
4. Disconnect the vehicle from the towing vehicle.
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.