2012 GMC ACADIA tow

Black plate (51,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-51
SeeTire Pressure on
page 10‑44 andVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑10.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑46.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
In an emergency, a cloth or a
paper towel can be used;
however, use a scraper or wire
brush later to remove all rust
or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
Check that the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, is stored
properly. Push, pull, and then try
to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, tighten the cable. See
Tire Changing on page 10‑68.
When It Is Time for
New Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑50 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑50 for more
information.

Black plate (58,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-58 Vehicle Care
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
on page 10‑37. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there is ever 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 off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
{WARNING
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has
been driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{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.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑4.

Black plate (68,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-68 Vehicle Care
Storing the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit
The tire sealant and compressor
kit is located in the storage
compartment on the driver side,
at the rear of the vehicle.
1. Press down on the latch tab andpull the cover off to access the
storage compartment. 2. Press the two tabs on the quick
release buckle to release the tire
sealant and compressor kit
strap.
3. Remove the sealant and compressor kit from its tray.
To store the tire sealant and
compressor kit, reverse the steps.
Tire Changing
Removing 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. Jack
2. Remove the wing bolt (B) by turning it counterclockwise.
3. Push the jack (C) up out of the holding bracket and remove the
tool bag (A).
4. Turn the jack on its side, with the bottom facing toward you.
5. Pull the jack straight out, bottom first.

Black plate (72,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-72 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Raising the 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.
7. Raise the vehicle by turning the wrench clockwise in the jack.
Raise the vehicle far enough off
the ground so that there is
enough room for the spare tire
to fit under the wheel well.
8. Remove all the wheel nuts and the flat tire.
9. Remove the plastic spare tire
heat shield by pulling the rubber
latch. Store the plastic spare tire
heat shield. See “Storing the
Spare Tire” later in this section
for more information.
{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, a cloth or a
paper towel can be used;
however, use a scraper or wire
brush later to remove all rust
or dirt.
{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.

Black plate (73,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-73
10. Remove any rust or dirt fromthe wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
11. Place the spare tire on the wheel mounting surface.
12. Put the nuts on by hand by turning them 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 wrench to the
jack and turning the wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the
jack completely.{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
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. See Capacities 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.
14. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence,
as shown.
Notice: Wheel covers will not fit
on the vehicle's compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on
the compact spare, the cover or
the spare could be damaged.

Black plate (74,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-74 Vehicle Care
Storing the Spare Tire
{WARNING
The underbody-mounted spare
tire needs to be stored with the
valve stem pointing down. If the
spare tire is stored with the valve
stem pointing upwards, the
secondary latch will not work
properly and the spare tire could
loosen and suddenly fall from the
vehicle. If this happened when
the vehicle was being driven, the
tire might contact a person or
another vehicle, causing injury
and damage to itself. Be sure the
underbody-mounted spare tire
is stored with the valve stem
pointing down.
{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 spare tire:
1. Lay the compact spare tire near the rear of the vehicle with the
valve stem down.
2. Reinstall the plastic spare tire heat shield on the compact
spare tire.
3. Slide the cable retainer through the center of the wheel and start
to raise the compact spare tire.
Make sure the retainer is fully
seated across the underside of
the wheel. 4. When the compact spare tire is
almost in the stored position,
turn the tire so the valve is
toward the rear of the vehicle.
This position helps when
checking the air pressure in the
compact spare tire.
5. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the vehicle.
Continue turning the wrench until
you feel more than two clicks.
This indicates that the compact
spare tire is secure and the
cable is tight. The spare tire
hoist cannot be overtightened.

Black plate (75,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-75
6. Make sure the tire is storedsecurely. Push, pull (A), and then
try to turn (B) the tire. If the tire
moves, use the wrench to
tighten the cable.
Storing the Flat Tire
1. Remove the cable package fromthe jack storage area.
2. Remove the small center cap by tapping the back of the cap with
the extension of the shaft, if the
vehicle has aluminum wheels. 3. Put the flat tire in the rear
storage area with the valve stem
pointing toward the rear of the
vehicle.
A. Cable
B. Liftgate Hinges
C. Spare Tire Heat Shield
D. Center of the Wheel
E. Door Striker
4. Pull the cable (A) through the door striker (E), the center of the
wheel (D), and the plastic spare
tire heat shield (C), as shown.
5. Hook the cable onto the outsideportion of the liftgate hinges (B).
6. Hook the other end of the cable onto the outside portion of the
liftgate hinge on the other side of
the vehicle.
7. Pull on the cable to make sure it is secure.

Black plate (76,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-76 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. Replace the tool bag (A). 3. Turn the jack (C) on its side and
place down on the holding
bracket.
4. Reinstall the wing bolt (B) by turning clockwise.
5. 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 wrench.