Page 271 of 364

Black plate (51,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
Vehicle Care 10-51
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important.
Anytime unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible, check for proper tire
inflation pressure, and check for
damaged tires or wheels. If the
unusual wear continues after the
rotation, check the wheel
alignment. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10‑52
and Wheel Replacement on
page 10‑56.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the compact
spare tire in the tire rotation.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑45
and Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑14. Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See
Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑47.
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. 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 272 of 364

Black plate (52,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
10-52 Vehicle Care
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.
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. SeeTire
Inspection on page 10‑50 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑51.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple factors
including temperatures, loading conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. GM recommends that
tires, including the spare if
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacturer date is the last
four digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN) which is
molded into one side of the tire
sidewall. The first two digits
represent the week (01–52) and the
last two digits, the year. For
example, the third week of the year
2010 would have a four-digit DOT
date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Page 277 of 364

Black plate (57,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
Vehicle Care 10-57
{WARNING
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer
or odometer calibration,
headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, 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.
A Type S low-profile cable can be
used only if the cable
manufacturer recommends it for
use on the vehicle, the tire size
combination, and road conditions.
Follow the manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid
damage to the vehicle, drive
slowly, readjust or remove the
cable if it is contacting the vehicle
and do not spin the vehicle's tires.
Install the cables on the front tires
only. Cables should not be
installed on the spare tire or on
the optional 19-inch tire.
Page 279 of 364

Black plate (59,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
Vehicle Care 10-59
{WARNING
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
5. Place wheel blocks on both sides of the tire at the
opposite corner of the tire
being changed. When the vehicle has a flat tire (2),
use the following example as a
guide to assist in the placement of
the wheel blocks (1).
1. Wheel Block
2. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire.
Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools
Coin/Pierce Jack with One-Piece
Wrench
1. Extension
2. Wheel Wrench
3. Jack
Page 280 of 364

Black plate (60,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
10-60 Vehicle Care
Hex-Head Jack with Three-PieceWrench
1. Wheel Wrench
2. Jack
To access the spare tire and tools:
1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate
on page 2‑8.
2. Lift the load floor up. 3. If you have a coin/pierce jack
and one-piece wrench, remove
the extension (1), wheel
wrench (2) and jack (3).
If you have a hex-head jack and
three-piece wrench, remove the
wheel wrench (1) and jack (2).
Place the tools next to the tire
being changed.
4. Turn the retainer nutcounterclockwise and remove
the spare tire.
Place either end of the extension
into a retainer hole to loosen the
retainer nut if unable to by hand.
5. Place the spare tire next to the tire being changed.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check beforeproceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat on page 10‑58 for more
information.
2. For vehicles with a wheel cover or center cap, pull the cover or
center cap away from the wheel
to remove it. Store the wheel
cover in the cargo area until you
have the flat tire repaired or
replaced.
Page 283 of 364
Black plate (63,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
Vehicle Care 10-63
9. Remove all of the wheel nuts.
10. 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.
11. Remove any rust or dirt fromthe wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
12. 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.
Page 284 of 364

Black plate (64,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
10-64 Vehicle Care
13. Reinstall the wheel nuts.Tighten each nut by hand until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
14. 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.
15. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence, as
shown. 16. Lower the jack all the way and
remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
17. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
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 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.
Page 285 of 364

Black plate (65,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
Vehicle Care 10-65
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.
1. Cable2. Liftgate Hinges
3. Center of the Wheel
4. Door Striker
To store the flat tire:
1. Remove the cable package. The
cable is stored in a plastic bag
under the compact spare tire.
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.
4. Pull the cable (1) through the door striker (4) then the center of
the wheel (3).
5. Hook the cable onto the outside
portion of the liftgate hinges (2).
6. Hook the other end of the cable onto the outside portion of the
liftgate hinge on the other side of
the vehicle.