spare tire CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 344
Tires............................................................ 346
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 347
Tire Terminology and Definitions............... 351
Inflation - Tire Pressure............................. 354
Dual Tire Operation................................... 355
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 356
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 358
Buying New Tires...................................... 358
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 360
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 361
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 362
Wheel Replacement.................................. 362
Tire Chains............................................... 364
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 365
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 366
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 367
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 370
Secondary Latch System........................... 377
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 380
Spare Tire................................................. 382Appearance Care........................................ 382
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 382
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 384
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 385
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 385
Weatherstrips............................................ 385
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 386
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 386
Finish Care............................................... 386
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 387
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 388
Tires......................................................... 389
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 389
Finish Damage.......................................... 389
Underbody Maintenance............................ 390
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 390
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 391
Vehicle Identication.................................. 392
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)........... 392
Service Parts Identification Label............... 392
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
288

Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right.
It is not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-ination), you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazardsA vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to your vehicle. This label shows
your vehicle’s original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressures for your tires when they
are cold. The recommended cold tire inflation
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, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 261. 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.
Do not forget to check the pressure of the spare
tire. SeeSpare Tire on page 382for additional
information.
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.
354

Radial tires may look properly inflated even when
they’re 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 366. Also see “Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specications on page 398.
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 356. Also seeScheduled Maintenance
(Gasoline Engine) on page 405.
{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 346andInation - Tire
Pressure on page 354for more information on
proper tire inflation.
355

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 358
andWheel Replacement on page 362for
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. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 366.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, also see
Dual Tire Operation on page 355.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The
first rotation is the most important. SeeScheduled
Maintenance (Gasoline Engine) on page 405.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.
Single Rear Wheels
356

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 (NHTSA), 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 (UTQG)
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 specified
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 significantly 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 specified 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.
361

When your vehicle has a flat tire, use the following
example as a guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks.
The following information will tell you next 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.
367

To access the equipment, remove the retaining
wing bolt and lift it out of the mounting bracket.The tools you will be using include the jack (A),
jack handle extension (B), jack handle (C),
wheel wrench (D), and the ratchet (E).
The 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.
368

To lower the spare tire from the vehicle:
1. Attach the wheel
wrench and ratchet,
with the DOWN side
facing you. The
wheel wrench has a
socket end and a flat
chisel end. Note that
there is an UP side
and a DOWN side on
the ratchet.
2. Put the flat chisel end of the wheel wrench
on an angle through the hole between the
body and the bumper. Be sure the flat
end connects into the hoist shaft.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.
SeeSecondary Latch System on page 377.
369

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.
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 366
for more information.
2. With the DOWN side facing you, use the
ratchet and wheel wrench to loosen all the
wheel nuts. Do not remove them yet.
370

{CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked
up 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.
{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.5. 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 fit.
373