Page 426 of 498

Black plate (88,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
10-88 Vehicle Care
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
Take off the wheel cover or center
cap, if the vehicle has one, to reach
the wheel bolts.
1. Do a safety check beforeproceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat on page 10‑77 for more
information.
2. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to loosen and
remove the wheel nut caps.
Do not try to remove plastic caps
from the cover or center cap.
3. Pull the cover or center cap away from the wheel. Store the
wheel cover in the cargo area
until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.
4. Turn the wheel wrenchcounterclockwise to loosen all
the wheel nuts, but do not
remove them yet.
5. Place the jack near the flat tire.
Notice: Make sure that the jack
lift head is in the correct position
or you may damage your vehicle.
The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty.6. Position the jack lift head at the jack location nearest the flat tire.
The jacking location is indicated
by a V-shaped notch in the
plastic molding. The jack must
not be used in any other
position.
Page 427 of 498

Black plate (89,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-89
7. Insert the hooked end of theextension handle through the
jack and the flat end through the
wheel wrench.
{WARNING
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.
{WARNING
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 fit the jack
lift head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
8. Turn the extension with the wheel wrench clockwise to raise
the jack lift head until the jack
just fits under the vehicle.
Page 428 of 498

Black plate (90,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
10-90 Vehicle Care
9. Raise the vehicle by turning thewheel wrench clockwise until the
slots in the jack head fit into the
metal flange located behind the
triangle on the plastic moulding.
Notice: Using a jack to raise the
vehicle without positioning it
correctly could damage your
vehicle. When raising your
vehicle on a jack, be sure to
position it correctly under the
frame and avoid contact with
the plastic molding.
10. Put the compact spare tire near you.Remove all of the wheel nuts.
11. Remove the flat tire.
{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 (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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. SeeIf a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10‑77.
12. Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
Page 429 of 498

Black plate (91,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-91
13. Place the compact spare tireon the wheel-mounting surface.
{WARNING
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.
14. Reinstall the wheel nuts. Tighten each nut by hand until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
15. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
{WARNING
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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2 for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications.
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 specification.
See Capacities and Specifications
on page 12‑2 for the wheel nut
torque specification.
16. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly
in a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
17. Lower the jack all the way and remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
18. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
Page 430 of 498

Black plate (92,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
10-92 Vehicle Care
When reinstalling the wheel cover
or center cap on the full-size tire,
tighten all five plastic caps hand
snug with the aid of the wheel
wrench and tighten them with
the wheel wrench an additional
one‐quarter of a turn.
Notice:Wheel covers will not fit
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.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place. To store the flat or spare tire and
tools:
1. Open the liftgate. See
Liftgate
(Manual) on page 2‑14 or
Liftgate (Power) on page 2‑15
for more information.
2. Put back all tools as they were stored in the rear storage
compartment and put the
compartment cover back on.
For more information, see
“Storing the Compact Spare Tire
and Tools” next in this section.
3. Install the cargo cover. For more information, see
Cargo Management System on
page 4‑5.
4. Place the tire, lying flat, in the rear storage compartment.
5. Attach the strap to the cargotie-down in the rear of the
vehicle.
Page 431 of 498

Black plate (93,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-93
6. Route the strap through thewheel, as shown.
7. Attach the strap to the other cargo tie-down in the rear of the
vehicle.
8. Tighten the strap.
The compact spare is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you can.
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.
If this vehicle has a compact
spare tire, it was fully inflated when
the vehicle was new; however, it
can lose air after a time. Check the
inflation pressure regularly. It should
be 420 kPa (60 psi).
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
105 km/h (65 mph) for distances up
to 5 000 km (3,000 miles), 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.
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.
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.
Page 436 of 498

Black plate (98,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
10-98 Vehicle Care
Towing
Towing the Vehicle
Notice:To avoid damage,
the disabled vehicle should
be towed with all four wheels
off the ground. Care must be
taken with vehicles that have
low ground clearance and/or
special equipment. Always
flatbed on a car carrier.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
See Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13‑10.
To tow the vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes,
such as behind a motor home, see
“Recreational Vehicle Towing” in this
section.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle –such as behind a motor
home. The two most common types
of recreational vehicle towing are
known as dinghy towing and dolly
towing. Dinghy towing is towing the
vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground. Dolly towing is towing the
vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
.What is the towing capacity
of the towing vehicle?
Be sure to read the tow
vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.
.What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
.Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.
.Is the vehicle ready to be
towed? Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make
sure the vehicle is prepared
to be towed.
Dinghy Towing
Front-wheel‐drive and
all-wheel-drive vehicles may
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. For other towing options,
see “Dolly Towing” following in this
section.
Page 437 of 498

Black plate (99,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-99
Vehicles with an 2.8 L V 6 engine
can be dinghy towed only for
service and are restricted to a
maximum distance of 100 km
(60 miles) and not to exceed
80 km/h (50 mph).
Vehicles with the 3.0 L V 6 engine
can be dinghy towed without
distance restrictions.
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.
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.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will be towed and secure it to the
towing vehicle.
2. Open the drivers door. 3. With the vehicle OFF, press
the brake pedal and press the
START/STOP switch to start the
engine (the green LED on the
switch will illuminate).
4. Put the vehicle in N (Neutral).
5. Press the START/STOP switch again. The engine will stop, the
DIC will display Shift to Park and
the amber LED on the switch
illuminates. See Transmission
Messages on page 5‑39.