Page 343 of 432
Black plate (75,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Vehicle Care 10-75
Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools
1. Extension
2. Jack
3. Wheel Wrench
4. Wing NutTo access the spare tire and tools:
1. Open the liftgate. See
Liftgate
on page 2‑13.2. Press on the bottom of the handle assembly to unlatch it
and lift up on the handle.
The prop rod locks into place
when open.
3. Remove the spare tire cover.
4. Remove the rubber cover.
Page 344 of 432

Black plate (76,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
10-76 Vehicle Care
5. Remove the nut retaining thespare tire.
6. Remove the spare tire and place it next to the tire being changed.
7. Remove the wing nut.
8. Remove the extension, jack, and wheel wrench and place them
near the tire being changed.
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 10‑65 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.
Page 345 of 432

Black plate (77,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Vehicle Care 10-77
6. Position the jack lift head at thejack 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.
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
lifted on a jack 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 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.
{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.
Page 346 of 432

Black plate (78,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
10-78 Vehicle Care
8. Turn the extension with thewheel wrench clockwise to raise
the jack lift head until the jack
just fits under the vehicle.
9. Raise the vehicle by turning the
wheel 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
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.
Page 347 of 432

Black plate (79,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Vehicle Care 10-79
12. Remove any rust or dirt fromthe wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
13. Place the compact spare tire on 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
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.
16. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
Page 348 of 432

Black plate (80,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
10-80 Vehicle Care
17. Lower the jack all the way andremove the jack from under the
vehicle.
18. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
When reinstalling the wheel cover
or center cap on the full-size tire,
tighten all six 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 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.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
on page 2‑13 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 4‑4.
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 349 of 432

Black plate (81,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Vehicle Care 10-81
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.
9. Replace the rubber cover.
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 new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure
regularly. It should be 420 kPa
(60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and
check that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after being installed on the
vehicle. The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary use only.
The vehicle will perform differently
with the spare tire installed and
it is recommended that the vehicle speed be limited to 80 km/h
(50 mph). To conserve the tread of
the spare tire, have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon as
convenient and return the spare tire
to the storage area.
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 the
chains. Do not use tire chains on
the compact spare.
Page 353 of 432

Black plate (85,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Vehicle Care 10-85
Notice:If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or
other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.Towing
Towing the Vehicle
Notice: Incorrectly towing a
disabled vehicle may cause
damage. The damage would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not lash or hook
to the chassis components
including the front and rear
subframes, suspension control
arms and links during towing and
recovery of a disabled vehicle or
to secure the vehicle to a flatbed
car carrier. Use the proper nylon
strap harnesses around the tires
to secure the flatbed car carrier.
Have the vehicle towed on a flatbed
car carrier. A wheel lift tow truck
could damage the vehicle.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed. 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.