spare wheel GMC SONOMA 2004 Owner's Manual

Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive.
Also, seeAnti-Lock BrakesunderBraking on page 4-6.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this guide.
You will find many driving tips and suggestions.
These will help make your off-road driving safer and
more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if so equipped) are properly
attached. Be sure you read all the information about
your four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there
enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid
levels up where they should be? What are the local
laws that apply to off-roading where you will be driving?
If you do not know, you should check with law
enforcement people in the area. Will you be on
someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
•The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
•Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain does not toss things around.
4-14

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.
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 5-69andWheel Replacement
on page 5-72for 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 wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-75.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. SeePart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire or a spare tire
that does not match your vehicle’s road tires and
wheels, in size and type, do not include the spare in the
tire rotation.
5-68

Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certification/Tire label or Tire and Loading
Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
GM recommends that you get tires with that same
TPC Spec number. That way your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed to give proper
endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and
other things during normal service on your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread design, the TPC
number will be followed by an “MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels. It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare (if you have one). It was
developed for use on your vehicle.
{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.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jacking equipment is located behind the rear
seatback on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.A. Wheel Wrench
B. Bracket
C. Jacking
Instructions (Roll
and place tag
behind the bracket
after the tools are
installed.)D. Bolt Location
E. Wheel Blocks
F. Wing Nut
G. Rubber Band
H. Jack Position
1. To remove it, turn the plastic wing nut (F)
counterclockwise. Remove the jack cover.
2. Turn the wing nut counterclockwise and remove the
wheel blocks, jack and wheel wrench.
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Notice:If you remove or restow a tire from/to the
storage position under the vehicle when it is
supported by a jack, you could damage the tire
and/or your vehicle. Always remove or restow a tire
when the vehicle is on the ground.
3. Insert the chisel end of
the wheel wrench, on
an angle, into the
hole in the rear
bumper.
Be sure the chisel end of the wheel wrench
connects into the hoist shaft.
4. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the spare tire. Keep turning the wheel wrench until
the spare tire can be pulled out from under the
vehicle.
5. When the tire has been completely lowered, tilt the
retainer at the end of the cable and pull it through
the wheel opening.6. Pull the tire out from under the vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with a compact spare
tire, it is stowed underneath the rear of your vehicle.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 5-85.
Notice:If you drive away before the spare tire or
secondary latch system cable has been reinstalled,
you could damage your vehicle. Always reinstall
this cable before driving your vehicle.
7. Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B). Your vehicle may also have an optional
hub cap removal tool.
5-77

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them yet.
2. Turn the jack handle clockwise slightly to raise
the jack lift head.
3. Fit the jack into the appropriate hole nearest the
flat tire.A. Front Frame Hole
B. Rear Frame Hole (ZR2)
C. Spring Hanger Hole (Standard Pickups)
{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.
5-79

{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 jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the spare tire to
fit underneath the wheel well.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and spare wheel.
5-80

{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
the 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 you need to, to
get all the rust or dirt off.
{CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If
you do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel
could fall off, causing a serious accident.7. Place the spare on the wheel mounting surface.
8. Put the nuts on by
hand. Make sure the
cone-shaped end
is toward the wheel.
Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub. If a nut can’t be turned by
hand, use the wheel wrench and see your dealer
as soon as possible.
5-81

Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
{CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose equipment could strike someone. Store
all these in the proper place.
Notice:An aluminum wheel with a at tire should
always be stored under the vehicle with the
hoist. However, storing it that way for an extended
period could damage the wheel. To avoid this,
have the wheel repaired as soon as possible.
Follow this diagram to store the underbody-mounted
spare.A. Wheel Wrench
B. Hoist Assembly
C. Retainer
D. Spring
E. TireF. Valve Stem
(Pointed Down)
G. Lower
H. Raise
1. Put the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle,
with the valve stem pointed down and to the rear.
2. Pull the retainer through the wheel.
3. Put the chisel end of the wheel wrench, on an
angle, through the hole in the rear bumper and
into the hoist shaft.
5-83

4. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the
vehicle by turning the wrench clockwise until you
hear two clicks or feel it skip twice. The spare
tire hoist cannot be overtightened.
5. Make sure the tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If the tire
moves, use the wheel wrench (A) to tighten
the cable.
Return the jack, wheel wrench and wheel blocks to the
proper location behind the seat. Secure the items.A. Wheel Wrench
B. Bracket
C. Jacking
Instructions (Roll
and place
instructions behind
the bracket after
the tools are
installed.)D. Bolt Location
E. Wheel Blocks
F. Nut
G. Rubber Band
H. Jack Position
Put the jack cover back on, if you have one.
5-84