spare wheel CHEVROLET MALIBU 2007 6.G Owners Manual

Tires............................................................ 397
Winter Tires.............................................. 398
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 399
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 403
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 406
High-Speed Operation............................... 407
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 408
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 409
Buying New Tires...................................... 410
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 412
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 412
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 414
Wheel Replacement.................................. 414
Tire Chains............................................... 416
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 417
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 418
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 419
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 422
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
(Sedan).................................................. 428
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
(Sedan SS)............................................ 430Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
(All MAXX Models)................................. 432
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 434
Appearance Care........................................ 435
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 435
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 436
Leather...................................................... 437
Ultra Lux Suede........................................ 438
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 438
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 439
Weatherstrips............................................ 439
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 439
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 440
Finish Care............................................... 440
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 440
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 441
Tires......................................................... 441
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 442
Finish Damage.......................................... 442
Underbody Maintenance............................ 442
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 442
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
342

If you choose to use winter tires:
Use tires of the same brand and tread type on
all four wheel positions.
Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your
original equipment tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y, and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose
winter tires with a lower speed rating, never
exceed the tire’s maximum speed capability.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.
(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to dene a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specic tire performance criteria have
a TPC specication code molded onto the sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
399

When you end high-speed driving return the tires
to the cold ination pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 324andInation - Tire
Pressure on page 406.
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 409
andWheel Replacement on page 414for
more information.
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 460.When rotating your tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in your tire
rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications on page 454.
408

{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires of
different sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use the correct
size, brand, and type of tires on all
wheels. It is all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 434.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle,
the wheel rim anges could develop
cracks after many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the
wheels on your vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those
that do not have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information label. This
label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 324,
for more information about the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on your vehicle.
411

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size
than your original equipment wheels and tires,
this may affect the way your vehicle performs,
including its braking, ride and handling
characteristics, stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction control,
and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable
level of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. You may increase the chance
that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specic wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a GM
certied technician.SeeBuying New Tires on page 410and
Accessories and Modications on page 344for
additional information.
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.
412

When your vehicle has a at 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
The equipment you will need is in the trunk or
cargo area.
1. Open the trunk for sedan models. SeeTrunk
(Sedan) on page 108for more information.
For MAXX models, open the liftgate. See
Liftgate (MAXX) on page 110.
2. For the sedan, lift the handle on the spare tire
cover. The handle may hook on the trunk
front edge weatherstrip to hold the cover out
of the way. For the MAXX, lift the handle
to release the latch on the spare tire cover.
3. For the MAXX, lift and remove the cover.
419

4. Turn the wing nut counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the compact
spare tire. SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 434for more information.
5. Remove the wing nut holding the jack in
place.
6. Remove the extension bolt (MAXX models
and Sedan SS only) that is clipped to the
jack. You will need this later to store the
at tire.
7. Remove the jack and wheel wrench from the
trunk or cargo area.
Tire Changing Tools
The tools you will be using include the wheel
wrench (A) and jack (B). The MAXX and all
SS models include an additional extension.
Sedan shown, MAXX Models and Sedan SS similar
420

Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. It is recommended that you do a safety check
before preceding. SeeChanging a Flat Tire
on page 418for more information.
2. If your vehicle has a wheel cover or hubcap
that has plastic wheel nut caps, loosen the
plastic nut caps. You might need to use
the wheel wrench to loosen them. Do not pry
off wheel covers or center caps that have
plastic wheel nut caps.
3. Remove the wheel cover or center cap from
the wheel to locate the wheel nuts.
If your vehicle has a wheel cover or hubcap
without plastic wheel nut caps, gently pry on
the edge of the plastic wheel trim to remove it
from the wheel to locate the wheel nuts.
Store the wheel cover and wheel nut caps in
the trunk until you have the at tire repaired
or replaced.4. Use the wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts.
Do not remove them yet.
5. It is recommended that you do a safety check
before preceding. SeeChanging a Flat Tire
on page 418for more information.
422

9. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.
10. Remove the at tire.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel
nuts become loose after time. The wheel
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
could come off and cause an accident.
When changing a wheel, remove any rust
or dirt from the places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency,
a cloth or a paper towel can be used to do
this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if needed, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
11. Remove any rust or
dirt from the wheel
bolts, mounting
surfaces and spare
wheel.
425

12. Install the compact spare tire.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts.
Because the nuts might come loose. The
vehicle’s wheel could fall off, causing a
serious accident.
13. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded
end toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by
hand or with the wrench until the wheel is held
against the hub.14. Lower the vehicle by turning the wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
426