spare tire CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER 2005 1.G Owners Manual

Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-53
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Dual Tire Operation.......................................5-62
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-64
Buying New Tires.........................................5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-67
Tire Chains..................................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-72
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-75
Secondary Latch System...............................5-80
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-84
Spare Tire...................................................5-86
Appearance Care............................................5-86
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-87
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-88
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces..................................................5-89Care of Safety Belts......................................5-89
Weatherstrips...............................................5-89
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-90
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-90
Finish Care..................................................5-90
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-91
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-92
Tires...........................................................5-92
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-92
Finish Damage.............................................5-93
Underbody Maintenance................................5-93
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-93
Vehicle Identication......................................5-94
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-94
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-95
Electrical System............................................5-95
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-95
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-95
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-96
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-96
Floor Console Fuse Block..............................5-96
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-98
Capacities and Specications........................5-100
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s
door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold. The recommended
cold tire ination pressure, shown on the label, is the
minimum amount of air pressure needed to support your
vehicle’s maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-31. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they’re underinated. Check the tire’s
ination 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 rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination 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 overll 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.
5-61

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 5-70. Also see “Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specications on page 5-100.
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 5-62. Also
seeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
{CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is
badly underinated, the tire can overheat. An
overheated tire can lose air suddenly or catch
re. You or others could be injured. Be sure all
tires (including the spare) are properly inated.
SeeTires on page 5-53andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-60for more information on proper tire ination.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-64andWheel Replacement
on page 5-67for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the ratchet/wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-70.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, also seeDual Tire
Operation on page 5-62.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-62

If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use the
correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating your
vehicle’s tires. Do not include the spare tire in the tire
rotation, if the spare tire/wheel assembly does not match
your vehicle’s road tires and wheels in size and type.If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure that vent holes in
the inner and outer wheels on each side are lined up. Single Rear Wheels
Dual Rear Wheels
5-63

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specied government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signicantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-66

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 the
mounting bracket.If you have a van with the 15-passenger seating
arrangement, the equipment you will need is secured on
the rear oor of the passenger side of the vehicle.
To access the equipment, remove the retaining wing
bolt and lift it out of the mounting bracket.
5-72

The tools you will be using include the jack (A), jack
handle extension (B), jack handle (C), wheel wrench (D)
and the ratchet (E).
Your spare tire is stored underneath the rear of your
vehicle. You will use the wheel wrench (D) and the
ratchet (E) to lower the spare tire from the vehicle.To lower the spare tire from the vehicle, do the following:
1. Attach the wheel
wrench and ratchet,
with the DOWN
side facing you. The
wheel wrench has
a socket end and a at
chisel end. Note that
there is an UP side and
a DOWN side on the
ratchet.
2. Put the at chisel end of the wheel wrench on an
angle through the hole between the body and the
bumper. Be sure the at end connects into the
hoist shaft.
5-73

3. Turn the ratchet counterclockwise to lower the
spare tire to the ground. If the spare tire does
not lower to the ground, the secondary latch
is engaged causing the tire not to lower. See
Secondary Latch System on page 5-80.4. 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 the body
supplier/installer.
The spare tire is a full-size tire, like the other tires on
your vehicle.
5-74

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. With the DOWN side facing you, use the ratchet
and wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Do not remove them yet.2. Assemble the jack and tools for a front or rear at
as follows:
Front Flat:Assemble the jack (A) together with the
jack handle (B) and ratchet (C) as shown. Be
sure that the ratchet has the UP mark facing you.Front Position
5-75

{CAUTION:
Raising your 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 t the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle.4. Raise the vehicle by turning the ratchet clockwise.
Make sure the UP mark faces you. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough
room for the spare tire to t.
5. Remove all the
wheel nuts.
6. Take at tire off of the mounting surface.
5-78