flat tire CHEVROLET TAHOE 2008 3.G Owners Manual

Tires..............................................................5-66
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-67
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-71
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-74
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-75
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-77
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-80
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-81
Buying New Tires.........................................5-82
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-84
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-84
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-86
Wheel Replacement......................................5-86
Tire Chains..................................................5-88
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-89
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-90
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-91
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-95
Secondary Latch System..............................5-102
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...........5-105
Spare Tire.................................................5-108
Appearance Care..........................................5-109
Interior Cleaning.........................................5-109
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-110
Leather......................................................5-111
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces.......................................5-111Care of Safety Belts....................................5-112
Weatherstrips.............................................5-112
Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-112
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-113
Finish Care................................................5-113
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades.......5-114
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels and Trim . . .5-114
Tires.........................................................5-115
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-115
Finish Damage...........................................5-116
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-116
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-116
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-117
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-118
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)................5-118
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-118
Electrical System..........................................5-119
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-119
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-119
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-119
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-119
Instrument Panel Fuse Block........................5-120
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block..............5-121
Underhood Fuse Block................................5-122
Capacities and Specications........................5-126
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor Operation on page 5-77.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-126.
{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 5-90.
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 5-105.
When It Is Time for New Tires
Various factors, such as maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions,
inuence when you need new tires.
One way to tell when it
is time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which appear
when your tires have only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or less
of tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires may
not have treadwear
indicators.
5-81

If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts,
wheel nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts, wheel nuts, and TPMS
sensors for your vehicle.
{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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-90for 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.
5-87

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 at tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
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.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
5-89

Changing a Flat Tire
If your vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning ashers. SeeHazard Warning Flashers on
page 3-6for more information.
{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 rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in NEUTRAL.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
4. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
5. Do not allow passengers to remain in the
vehicle.
6. Put the wheel 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.
When your vehicle has a at tire, use this as a guide to
assist you in the placement of wheel blocks.
5-90

Once the retainer is separated from the guide pin,
tilt the retainer and pull it through the center of
the wheel along with the cable and latch.
8. Put the spare tire near the at tire.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check before proceeding. SeeChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-90for more information.
2. If your vehicle has a center cap place the chisel
end of the wheel wrench in the slot on the wheel
and gently pry the cap out.
If the wheel has a bolt-on hub cap, loosen the
plastic nut caps by turning the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. The plastic nut caps will be
retained in the hub cap after it is removed from
the wheel.
5-95

Front Tire Flat:If the at tire is on a front tire of the
vehicle, you will need to use the jack handle and only
one jack handle extension. Attach the wheel wrench
to the jack handle extension. Attach the jack handle
to the jack (A). Position the jack on the frame behind
the at tire where the frame sections overlap. Turn
the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the vehicle.
Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there
is enough room for the spare tire to clear the ground. Front Position — 1500 Models
Front Position — 2500 Models
5-97

Rear Tire Flat:If the at tire is on a rear tire of the
vehicle, you will need to use the jack handle (B) and
both jack handle extensions (C). Attach the wheel
wrench (D) to the jack handle extensions (C). Attach
the jack handle (B) to the jack (A). Use the jacking
pad provided on the rear axle. Turn the wheel
wrench (D) clockwise to raise the vehicle. Raise the
vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough
room for the spare tire to clear the ground. Rear Position – 1500 Models
Rear Position – All Other Models
5-98

7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces, and
spare wheel.
{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 5-90.8. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the wheel after mounting the
spare tire.
{CAUTION:
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.
9. Tighten each wheel nut by hand. Then use the
wheel wrench to tighten the nuts until the wheel
is held against the hub.
10. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the vehicle. Lower the jack completely.
5-100

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 your vehicle. For the secondary latch to work, the
spare must be installed with the valve stem pointing
down. SeeStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
on page 5-105.
{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:
1. Check under the
vehicle to see if the
cable end is visible.
If the cable is not
visible proceed
to Step 6.
2. If it is visible, rst try to tighten the cable by turning
the wheel wrench clockwise until you hear two
clicks or feel it skip twice. You cannot overtighten
the cable.
3. Loosen the cable by turning the wrench
counterclockwise three or four turns.
5-102