flat tire CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN 2009 1.G Owners Manual

Tires..............................................................5-54
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-55
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................5-59
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-62
Dual Tire Operation.......................................5-63
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-64
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-65
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-69
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-71
Buying New Tires.........................................5-72
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-73
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-74
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-76
Wheel Replacement......................................5-76
Tire Chains..................................................5-78
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-79
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-80
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-81
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-84
Secondary Latch System...............................5-92
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-95
Spare Tire...................................................5-96
Appearance Care............................................5-97
Interior Cleaning...........................................5-97
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-98Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-99
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-100
Weatherstrips.............................................5-100
Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-100
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-101
Finish Care................................................5-101
Windshield and Wiper Blades.......................5-102
Aluminum Wheels.......................................5-102
Tires.........................................................5-103
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-103
Finish Damage...........................................5-103
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-103
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-103
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-104
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)................5-104
Service Parts Identification Label...................5-104
Electrical System..........................................5-105
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-105
Headlamp Wiring........................................5-105
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-105
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-105
Floor Console Fuse Block............................5-105
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-107
Capacities and Specications........................5-111
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly
inflated simply by looking at them. Radial tires
may look properly inflated even when they are
underinflated. Check the tire’s inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. Cold means your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem.
Press the tire gage firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement. If the cold tire
inflation pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading Information
label, no further adjustment is necessary. If the
pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on
the metal stem in the center of the tire valve.
Recheck the tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque
after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper wheel nut tightening
information, see “Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire” later in this section, underChanging a
Flat Tire on page 5-80. Also see “Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specifications on page 5-111.
The outer tire on a dual wheel setup generally wears
faster than the inner tire. Your tires will wear more
evenly and last longer if you rotate the tires periodically.
SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-69.
Also seeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
{CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is badly
underinflated, the tire can overheat. An overheated
tire can lose air suddenly or catch fire. You or
others could be injured. Be sure all tires (including
the spare) are properly inflated.
SeeTires on page 5-54andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-62for more information on proper tire inflation.
5-63

If the vehicle has dual rear wheels, always
use one of the correct rotation patterns shown
here when rotating the tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure that vent
holes in the inner and outer wheels on each
side are lined up.
Also seeDual Tire Operation on page 5-63for
additional information.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. SeeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-62andLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-19. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-111.
{CAUTION:
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 you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, you can 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. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 5-80.
If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), reset the TPMS sensors after
rotating the tires. SeeTire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 5-65.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely.
Push, pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire.
If it moves, tighten the cable. SeeStoring a Flat
or Spare Tire and Tools on page 5-95.
Dual Rear Wheels
5-70

{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts,
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. 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.Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced
on a dual wheel setup, check the wheel nut torque
after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities and Specifications
on page 5-111.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-80for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on the vehicle is dangerous.
You cannot know how it has been used or how
far it has been driven. It could fail suddenly and
cause a crash. If you have to replace a wheel,
use a new GM original equipment wheel.
5-77

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have 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 out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would
use in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
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, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-79

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. SeeHazard Warning Flashers
on page 3-6.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you or
other people. You and they could be badly injured
or even killed. Find a level place to change your
tire. To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while
the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the
vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will not move,
you should put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire, on the other side, at the
opposite end of the vehicle.
5-80

When the vehicle has a flat tire (B), use the following
example as a guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks (A).
A. Wheel Block
B. Flat Tire
The following information explains how to use the jack
and change a tire.Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
If you have a cargo van or a passenger van, the
equipment you will need is located in the passenger
side rear corner of the vehicle.
Remove the retaining wing bolt and lift it off of the
mounting bracket.
If you have a van with the 15-passenger seating
arrangement, the equipment you will need is secured
on the rear floor of the passenger side of the vehicle.
5-81

4. When the tire has been lowered, pull the tire toward
you so you can reach the tire retainer and pull it up
through the wheel opening.
If you have a vehicle which was completed from a
cab and chassis, refer to the information from
body supplier/installer.
The spare tire is a full-size tire, like the other tires
on the vehicle.
5. Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
If your vehicle has plastic wheel nut caps, loosen
them by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise.
The wheel nut caps are designed to remain with
the center cap. Remove the center cap.
If the wheel has a smooth center piece, place the chisel
end of the wheel wrench in the slot on the wheel and
gently pry it out.
1. Do a safety check before proceeding. SeeChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-80for more information.
2. Loosen all the wheel nuts with the wheel wrench.
Do not remove them yet.
5-84

6. Remove all the
wheel nuts.
7. Take flat tire off of the mounting surface.
{CAUTION:
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, 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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-80.
5-88

Secondary Latch System
Your vehicle has an underbody-mounted tire hoist
assembly equipped with a secondary latch system.
It is designed to stop the spare tire from suddenly falling
off the vehicle if the cable holding the spare tire is
damaged. For the secondary latch to work, the tire
must be stowed with the valve stem pointing down.
SeeStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools on page 5-95
for instructions on storing the spare tire correctly.
{CAUTION:
Before beginning this procedure read all the
instructions. Failure to read and follow the
instructions could damage the hoist assembly
and you and others could get hurt. Read and
follow the instructions listed next.To release the spare tire from the secondary latch:
{CAUTION:
Someone standing too close during the procedure
could be injured by the jack. If the spare tire does
not slide off the jack completely, make sure no
one is behind you or on either side of you as you
pull the jack out from the under spare.
1. Check under the
vehicle to see if the
cable end is visible.
If the cable is not
visible, start this
procedure at Step 6.
2. Turn the hoist extension counterclockwise until
approximately 6 inches (15 cm) of cable is exposed.
5-92