Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Vehicle Care 249
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
0 229
ii. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if there ever is 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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 0132
ii.
{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. (Continued)
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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250 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
2. Put an automatictransmission 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, if equipped, 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), if equipped.
1. Wheel Block (If Equipped)
2. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire.
Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools
1. Extension
2. Wheel Wrench
3. Jack
To access the spare tire and tools: 1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate
0 32
ii.
2. Lift the load floor up.
3. Remove the extension (1), wheel wrench (2) and jack (3).
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 251
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 0249
iifor 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.
3. Turn the wheel wrenchcounterclockwise to loosen all
the wheel nuts, but do not
remove them yet.
Caution
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.
4. Position the jack lift head at the
jack location nearest the flat
tire. The location is indicated
by a mark on the bottom edge
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 253
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
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
(Continued)
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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254 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications 0286
iifor original
equipment wheel nut torque
specifications.
Caution
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
0 286
iifor 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.
Caution
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.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 255
1. Cable
2. 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 theoutside 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.
7. Pull on the cable to make sure it is secure.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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256 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.
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.
When using a compact spare tire,
the AWD (if equipped), ABS, and
Traction Control systems may
engage until the spare tire is
recognized by the vehicle,
especially on slippery roads. Adjust
driving to reduce possible
wheel slip.
Caution
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.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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260 Vehicle Care
Caution
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.
After starting the disabled vehicle
and removing the jumper cables,
allow it to idle for several minutes.
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled
vehicle may cause damage. The
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Do not lash or hook to
suspension components. Use the
proper straps around the tires to
secure the vehicle.
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.
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:
.
The towing capacity of the
towing vehicle. Be sure to read
the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.
. How far the vehicle will be
towed. Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
. The proper towing equipment.
See your dealer or trailering
professional for additional advice
and equipment
recommendations.
. If the vehicle is ready to be
towed. Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make sure
the vehicle is prepared to be
towed.